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

20 years ago. Looked like a risky procedure without much of a track record.

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

Dr. Ludwig's office staff made it painfree and troublefree. Being diabetic and a body mass index of 60 helped too.

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

It was a general 90 minute to two hour talk with some charts, graphs and discussion led by the doctor. He gave me a very sincere impression and confidence in him.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The program at Enloe was not a "cut and run" surgery. They had in place physical therapy before and after surgery, which I am still in 7 months, 93 lbs later. Monthly nutritional seminars, both pre and post op. A monthly support group. And an incredibly competent office staff.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

At my maximum weight of 349, I opted for Roux en Y, of course that was also the only surgery Dr. Ludwig was performing at the time.

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?

I feared far more the continuing complications from not having the surgery. I feared not death, but the gradual reduction in quality of life making me more and more dependent on others. This is a tool. You may not believe it at the beginning, but it will hopefully eventually sink in.

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?

I was surprised at how supportive they all were, both pre and post operatively. I didnt tell everyone in the world, but did tell those most important to me. And I am surprised at how willing I am now to reveal what I did.

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

They were very supportive too, having seen me struggle with the related mobility, diabetes, for over 20 years

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

My stay was very easy, lasting three days and two nights. I had my friends bring my freshly made shakes from home, since I couldnt stand the cans served in the hospital. Bring friends! That was the most important by far.

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

I stopped taking the pain meds almost immediately, since it made me VERY constipated. And the pain of straining was far worse than the minor pain at the incision sites. About three weeks after surgery, I noticed some swelling at the major incision site, the lower left obliques. I saw Dr. Ludwig and we adopted a wait and see, since I had no fever and no pain. and sure enough it disappeared after about a week.

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 felt fine. Never having had invasive surgery(tumors removed under local) I had no prior expectations, and not at all anxious.

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

Rest is critical. Dont try to do too much. For once in your life pamper your self. I hired a maid to come in once a week and clean. The worst is getting up from bed and from the toilet...you might borrow a walker to help you rise.

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

I was lucky. About two miles from my house to Enloe

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.

No food has been offlimits, but I cautiously added foods one at a time. Waiting about two days to see if it would give problems before adding the next recommended food. And I stuck to the list provided. One thing I did experiment with was salsa and hot/spicy foods. No problem there either.. I still dont eat much meat other than one or two turkey sausage patties each day. very little veggies and maybe a few crackers. The Trader Joes pretzel slims have been a godsend, nice and crunchy...five to six of those with some fat free cream cheese, some smoked salmon and a few capers on top make a remarkable meal. Also anything with cottage cheese. Right now, six months out, I am on a sweet potato binge--mashed with fat free cream cheese, fat free cheddar cheese, and fat free sour cream, splenda, pumpkin spices. Heat up about a quarter cup in microwave, and serve with 1/3 cup of fat free cottage cheese. Yummo. I have lost my taste for most meat. I who could easily eat a 3/4 rack of Smokin Mos ribs in an evening, or a nice bloody Victoria filet over at the Outback. I find the spices I have always loved fit my new life perfectly. One neat thing, I try to shop Trader Joes during the noon or dinner hour. A couple of their main dish samples make a perfect meal!! And let me know if I need to avoid anything. I havent yet, not their cheesecake, not their chocolate ganache cake, not their stuffed pizza, not their chicken spicy sausage. I do stay away from the juices though. Only reaction I have gotten was to watermelon juice! I was eating fresh melon, and sipped a teaspoon of the juice that had gathered at the bottom, when I felt a feathery tickling in my stomach, it moved up my throat, and I simply stood over the sink and waited to spit the foam out. And that was six months out from surgery.

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

I woke from the surgery about 9 pm, walked twice around the floor at one am. and did the recommended minimum five minute walk after each meal. By the third week, I was back teaching and going to physical therapy.

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

Taking the bariatric supplements as recommended by Dr. Ludwig, and get on standing order from the Bariatric ordering website. Love those cinnamon flavored calcium tablets, and supplement them with a chocolate Citrical each day. Since I seldom eat grains, I do opt for a once a day B Complex that I get over at Rite Aid, drops under the tongue.

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?

hair loss. I am nearly bald on top, so have cut hair very short, and use several QVC hair products for volumizing, specifically the Nick Chavez volumiizing shampoo and conditioner, plus the "flocker" that came with the todays special value. The hair loss began six months after the surgery, and now, seven months out, thankfully has begun to lessen. And I was very careful to always get at least 80-90 grams of protein each day. sigh.

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

The constipation and the hair loss. I know that many others do not have these problems. But I have also lost 93 lbs to date, am no longer classed as diabetic and my blood pressure is 90/55.

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

There are two. One is a monthly Success Steps Seminar based on the six principles of Colleen Cook. This is a small group and very supportive. The other is a once each month Wednesday general group with lots of interesting speakers. I would not miss either for the world.

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

The largest scar is nearly invisible. But I am ivory skinned very fair redhead, so scarring is not generally a problem,

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

The most I can consider as a plateau is a weight loss of 3 lbs in three weeks. But it has speeded up again, and lost 10 lbs in the past three weeks. I only weigh in at Dr. Ludwigs office, and then only once every three weeks when I pick up my supply of Unjury.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

While the guys are giving me the twice over when they open the door for me. Finally had someone I have known and worked with for 30 years, and even wrote an article with, and served on her committee. failed to recognize me last week. Wow.