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

i had surgery a year ago for hernia repair and my doctor at that time asked if i had ever considerd it. i hadn't and started looking into it. then my sister sent me an article from the new york times last october and my research intensified. i saw my own primary care physician and he supported my decision whole heartedly. i went back to the surgeon and he said he didn't do it, that you needed a whole team of professionals. so he set me up with dr. reinholt. i felt it was a very scary proposition but also possibly a life extending one.

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

i can't offer any advice because there was not a problem with my insurance. i did nothing. the doctor's office handled it all over the phone. i do feel very fortunate on this point.

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

mine was good. i was prepared with pages of questions and information that i had gathered. he was very helpful with my questions and comments. he also gave me a list of patients that i could call and even highlighted the ones who were close to my age. you have to be prepared for this meeting. especially if you have made the decision to have the surgery. the more prepared you are with questions and things the more dedicated you seem.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

the fact that i felt my body shutting down and i wanted to be around for my boys. the number of obese people over 65.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

i really left that up to the doctor. i had initially thought i would have wanted it done as a lap but he convinced me that open was preferable for me. and it was. i met a woman who ended up on the table for 7 1/2 hours for the lap procedure. mine was like 2. and the anesthesia is the hardest part for me to overcome.

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?

call me stupid but i really didn't have any. i felt like this was a chance to be reborn and i wasn't ready to die. my biggest fear was of the pain and that was well founded as i cannot tolerate narcotics. i basically ended up going through this on tylenol. what i would say to some one afraid of the pain is to keep in mind that it is short-lived. it starts to go away sooner than you would think when you understand what has happened to your body!

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?

my family has been very supportive. i haven't told a lot of people about the full extent of the surgery. i was told a year ago that i was going to need more surgery so that is the explanation that i have given and in the course of that surgery, the rny took place. everyone has been great. though it is hard for them to understand the post-op experience. one of my sisters continues to offer low fat snacks and things, i try to explain that it is not necessary as i will only eat protein at this point.

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

i only told her that i needed abdominal surgery and that is what the doctor wrote on my medical certificate. i was out of work for 5 weeks then i came back and worked 5 hour days for two weeks. now i am full time.

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

my stay in the hospital was the worst part of it all. i was there for 75 hours. and felt i was too bad off to be there! one of the nurses felt that what i did was my own doing, it was "my fault" so why should she help me. i was left in a room with nothing connected, ng tube suction, oxygen, bed for hours and not allowed to get up and there was no one to help me even shift within the bed. when the nurses changed the new ones came to move me into another room and were great, they got me up, got me a pillow and ice chips. i really think if you can "bring" a spouse or some other advocate for the first night that would be best. there was no one to help with ice or moving. fortunately i had a catheter! i was not there long enough to be bored or anything, i really didn't feel ike reading either.

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

no. not really.

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 fortunate in that aspect also. i only got me surgery date 3 weeks ahead of time. i saw the doctor on 1/16 and was given a date of2/7. so i really didn't have a lot of time to get anxious. mostly i had to deal with my children and how they would be card for. then the week before the woman who was going to take the older one called to say her son the same age was sick so that was how i dealt with it! my husband is not very good at dealing with all of this so i had to handle it all.

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

expect nothing! i did nothing much for the firt 3 weeks or so. mostly i slept (in a recliner) and did short walks around the house. february in new england is not conducive to outside walks. i slept in the recliner because it was comfortable. i was thrilled to discover my first day home that i was really able to get into and out of my bed. however, when i went to bed to sleep i was very uncomfortable in the bed. if possible have all of your "stuff" on the counter if you have to get it yourself. have glasses within reach on the counter and measuring devices for whatever you are drinking. i cleared a space in the fridge for all "my" stuff and left it at comfortable height for me. that way whenever i was alone, i had no problem getting what i needed.

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

about 30 miles. it is a pain in the neck, especially to go to a one hour support group meeting but well worth the results!

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.

again i have been lucky. i have tolerated everything quite well. i only eat protein and had tried a few carbs; plain toast, potatoes, rice. but my doctor told me to drop those in favor of greater weight gain. i have started (on his advice) vegetables and even salad without a problem. as long as you stay within reasonable portions, his advice is 2 ounces. nothing with sugar is tolerated, at all. soda (diet) is only tolerated if it is flat (don't laugh, i have come ot enjoy it!) i did liquid for 10 days then "soft" or pureed food for 2 weeks then i went to regular food. i eat eggs, cottage cheese, chicken, lamb, beef, pork, fish. i have tried tofu, too but . . . my tolerance seems more dictated by portion size than food. as long as it is only about 2 ounces i am fine.

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

slowly (and i emphasis that word) increasing. now i am at 9 weeks post-o[ and am more active than i was pre-op. though i have been experiencing unrelated hip problems that have slowed me down a little. i used a cane for awhile. it helpin in getting up off the couch and just as a little support if i went too far afield.

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

i take a multi vitamin, it is a fairly large pill, but i swallow it, i have no restriction in that area. i also take two extra strength tums a day for calcium and protein supplements, either liquid or bars.

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?

not being able to sleep well was the worst because i felt it hindered my recovery. i have had no nausea, no vomiting, no dumping and as yet little or no hair loss. though in anticipation, i had 12 inches of my hair cut off! but i love it now anyway and they say if you have hair loss, it comes back thicker.

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

the hospital stay and the pain. fortunately neither lasted that long. dealing with the mental side of it, no more candy, ice cream, corn on the cob, pop corn. but again, it doesn't last that long, at least not for me and the results are well worth it!

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

monthly doctor visits and a monthly support group meeting. it is ok so far. i would rather have some one to call or e-mail when i felt the need.

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

breast bone to navel. it is about what i had been told to expect.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

none yet, though this past month i ONLY lost 10 pounds, i had thought it would come off faster.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

not yet, though some are starting to notice the weight loss.