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

I used to work in a hospital. And a surgeon did the surgery on a cousin of his and she died(1983). Then a friend of mine had a friend in another city, he had it done. But was not emotionally ready for it and he had a hard time. I was completely against the surgery.

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

Just make sure that the doctor and his office are emphatic the the surgery is a medical necessity.

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

Go in with an open mind. Listen to what the surgeon has to say and if necessary make another appointment to go over any questions you may have. And ask for a Pchyiatric appointment to find out if you are ready mentally for this surgery.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Just got fed up with the way I felt and looked. My health was getting worse and I needed to get my life undercontrol. And I was tired of looking like a blimp.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Did a lot of reading and asking questions. Looked into a lot of different websites to see what was avaliable to me. Talked to a lot of different people.

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?

In the beginning I was very scared and thought no way was this for me. But, as time went on and I was able to research the surgery I felt calmer and calmer about having it done and my mind was finally set to look like a normal person again.

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?

Most of my family was very supportive. My parents and kids are so happy that I have lost so much weight in such a short period of time. When I'm having problems after eating fast my husband is not to supportive but my kids tell him to leave me alone. That I will end up living a longer and better life than he is.

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

Do not work. But other Medical professionals are glad that I have done this and that I will be healthyier and have more energy.

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

I was in the hospital for 7 days. Partially to several things, one was that when the surgeon repaired my hitial hernia I had some internal bleeding. Then out on the floor, after surgery I went diabetic--but that was because I was on an IV of D5W and that sent my blood sugar sky high. That was taken care of right away and my blood sugar is now no problem. Then the magnisium level dropped and I needed to have that mineral added to my IV. But, now I am doing fine with no after surgery complications at home.

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

See the answer to question 11 above. The nurses were all a great support as were the residents and interns.

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 glad and scared at the sametime. Most of my family and friends were a great support. My Doctor emailed me this website and I was able to talk, with others that have had the same problems that I was going through.

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

The first few weeks were boring. Always drinking the shakes, only haveing soups and clear liquids. The sameness was very boring and I was glad when I could move on to the pureed and soft diet.

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

I traveled approx. 95 miles one way. I did not have any problems with aftercare, because my Doctor was just an email away and the Dietitian was only a phone call away.

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.

I used to love to eat pasta, chinese food and steaks and fried foods. Now I cannot eat these items as yet. Today I tried the pasta and was in the bathroom throwing-up. I still cannot eat bread unless it has been toasted. I just think of Chinese food and my stomach/pouch churns bad. This is only my 2nd month after surgery and I can tolerate a lot of different foods except for the above mentioned ones.

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

Activity was slow to get around. Protecting the surgery and not lifting anything heavy. My activity is slowly increasing as time goes along. I don't break out sweating or have shortness of breath that I had before.

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

I take 1 kid multi-vit. two times daily, I take 2 calcium tablets a day and I take on vit. B-12 shot once a month.

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?

The only side effects that I've had were the nausa and vomiting after I eat to much or to fast. They are still around at 2 months and I just go to the restroom, do what I have to do. And take the offending food home for my husband to eat so we don't waste the money and I sip on tea or water.

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

The worst part for me was getting myself psyched up for the surgery. I put it off for several years, then when I finally decided to go ahead with the surgery, the waiting for it to be done and over with was the worst for me.

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

I have my family, friends and neighbors all encourageing me to keep up with it. They have all been very helpful and supportful of me and this need to lose my excessive weight.

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

My scar is different from what I was told to expect. My Doctor does only open surgeries, so I expected a scar going up and down. When he saw that I had an old gallbladder scar he used that scar and just extended it 2-3 inches. This is much better than what I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

So far I have had no plateau experiences as yet. Since this is only my 2nd month after my surgery.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

A lot of people are looking at me wondering what is different with me. They act the same, but, just can't figure out what is different.