How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

I WANTED BAD! It seemed like the easiest fastest answer to my life-long battles. (I was wrong.)

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

Because of my age, diabetes, sleep apnea, attempts at weight loss and my great insurance I had no problems getting approved.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

Dr. Johnson seemed sure this was going to be the answer for me. He was supportive and polite and treated me like a human. I felt like he actually took his time to explain to me what was in store. I didn't feel rushed or like he had no time for my questions.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My daughter needs a mommy that can play with her.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The surgeon made the recommendation.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

Your fears are real. When the hospital handed me the papers to fill out for my living will I was almost paniced. The night before the surgery I sat down with my partner and wrote down all my wishes in case something went terribly wrong. People do die. Be prepared in case of the worst.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

Everyone was SO supportive before and after. I was very lucky.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

My employer was kind of an ass about the time I needed off. I hadn't been there a year so they were pissy about it. I didn't care by that time. I wouldn't have just found something else after I recovered.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

The hospital stay was AWFUL! I stayed in St. Johns in Tulsa, OK. They didn't get my food (liquid diet, no caffiene, no sugar) right the whole time I was there. My first bm was bloody (sorry to be so grafic) and 2 days later the blood that got around the toilet was still there. I was there 3 days. No one helped me wash my hair, sponge bathed me or anything. I had to learn very quickly how to get me and my IV machine unpluged and to and from the bathroom on my own, cause they certainly weren't responding. They also tried to give me pain pills to take that were way too big.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

No complications.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

I was ok once I was able to walk. A pillow kept on my stomach helped me out a lot. The pain sucked! The worst was my first night home. In the middle of the night I got a tickle in my throat and started coughing really hard. I thought my insides were gonna come out. It scared me so bad. I thought for sure I tore something or something. Boy did that hurt. I just knew something was gonna make me sneeze and I was going to pass out from the pain. Luckily it didn't happen till a couple of weeks after surgery.

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

Alot of pain. You're going to be tired too. Just taking a shower wore me out! Buy lots of pillows! They are wonderful things! I had things ready for me getting home. Lots of water, jello, popsicles, etc. I was not really hungry, but when I started getting hungry I was CRAVING peanut butter. I got a spoonful and licked on it for probably 2 hours. I guess I needed some protein or something.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

It was only 10 minutes from my house.

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

Well, a lot of people think I'm lucky, but I think it's a curse. I have a sweet tooth from hell. I was told chocolate would make me sick. It unfortunately doesn't. It's easy to stay away from the things that make me sick....like whole milk, ice cream, and cherry icees (I don't get it, but it really does make me sick.). But Chocolate is again my worst down fall. Doesn't make me sick one bit. I can't eat beef that's not already ground up. It gets stuck cause I guess I can't chew it little enough. Anything I don't chew good enough gets stuck and that hurts. Too much bread fills me up fast too. I've unfortunately managed to stretch my stomach enough to eat two whole tacos again. I wish I hadn't, but I don't know how to undo it now. I can eat a happy meal from McD's with no problem. I could pretty soon after I started on solid foods. Its been a year and 5 months and i haven't lost a pound in almost a year.

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

low....very low. my hanging stomach was painfully pulling on my incision.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

I've tried all kinds from local stores. Folic acid, potassium, B complex, MSM, Iron, Multivitamin, Calcium, etc. I'm gonna have to get some more easilly absorbable though. I have a feeling thats why my pain levels are so high.

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

Major hair loss at first. Still deal with occasional nausea, especially if I don't chew enough. No dumping though. The first time I threw up was murder!! And gas pains were awful! Chewable Gas-X will become a great friend!

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

The hospital stay and that x-ray they do the day after to see if u have any leakage. Take a pearson whose stomach weighs that much and has a big gash in it and put them on a hard table, sandwich them with another hard table and then flip them around so their stomach pulls every which way! OUCH!!!

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

I don't have any support group and I'm not involved in any program. I think it would have been helpful and I wonder now, over a year later, if it's too late to help.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

My scar is big. I don't really care. It's no worse than all my stretch marks and it's not like I'll be wearing a bikini in this life time!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I lost weight beautifully for the first 5 months. Then boom! It stopped and I haven't lost a pound since. I'm still at the weight I was a year ago.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really. I'm still fat at 265lbs.