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

My husband and I had discussed it several times and last year we got serious about it. He had diabetes, high blood pressure and many medical problems. In 2000 right before we were married I was siagnosed with pseudotumor a false brain tumor which was caused by several things but mostly being overweight and on birth control, I had to have a shunt placed in my head. Since then I had gained about 80 more lbs.

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

Insurance approval was not too bad. We did the 6 months of required nutrition and exercise. We quit smoking and did the smoking cessation program. Got approval and then had our surgery a couple months later.

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

It was great my surgeon told my parents he absolutely loves me and my personality and can't wait to see me in a club somewhere....LOL. He is also a very handsome man. In all honesty I think he is a brilliant man.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My husband and I both had the surgery we decided to do it together so it was three weeks apart. We wanted to be healthy and be able to have a long life together and eventually have children.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

We decided it would be better to have the same surgery so we could eat the same as opposed to one of us being able to have food the other couldn't. We chose the bypass over the band because of several reasons. We wanted to lose the weight faster. We also did not want to still be able to smoke. And we definitely did not want to go through all this to be able to cheat, as that is why most other diets fail. With the band you can still smoke and eat what you want just smaller amounts of it.

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 had none as I have had surgeries in the past. As a matter of fact Dr Mo was going to let me out the very next day instead of the usual 2 day stay. My husband on the other hand had never had a surgery in his life. He had a complication, because he really does not have a neck they had a hard time intibating him. He was on the table for over 6 hours and ended up with a crushed musckle in his back. He was in the hospital for a week. He is now up and walking again with no assistance, and less back spasms but his lower part of his back is still numb to the touch.

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 at first was afraid something would happen to me and were not behind me at all. They just did not understand. They knew people that had this done years ago and had many complications. My husbands family was very supportive. After my husbands surgery and him being in the hospital longer than expected, my surgery was just three weeks from him. My mom came up for support and stayed with me she went home a few days before my surgery but then came back when I had surgery. She and my father stayed with me at the hospital when my husband couldn't be there. She then stayed with me for another two weeks and took care of me and my husband while we were recouperating. She was very motivating and made us do things for ourselves and get up and move and walk. She left a note when she went home and she said she is now understands why I did this and is now more up to date on the process. She has done nonstop internet research she knows more than I do sometimes. She and my father have since been here for my doctors appointments each month. They live in Wv and travel and hour and a half to get here they go to the appointment and then make the drive back home. My husbands parents were super supportive and took care of him and were their for hi when I could not be as I could not get off work.

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

My employer at the time was horrible but they were never the best people to work for.They would not even let me off for the day my husband had surgery. They wanted everything to work around there schedule. I was only out of work for two weeks. I since have left there and now work for the same employer as my husband. This employer is a wonderful person and very understanding and was behind us all the way about this surgery.

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

I was only in the hospital for two days and my stay was fine.

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

No I did not

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

Well at the time because of my husbands complications, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off going to work then staying with him and then going to work. It was only the day before surgery I really had time to think of me, I was excited to start my new life.

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

The first few weeks were a little tough. Trying to get used to eating and since my husband was ahead of me he was on solid food and I was not even at pureed yet.

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

I live in Owings Mills and surgery was at GBMC so only about 20 minutes.

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.

Sometimes I have a great week and never get sick and then sometimes I may get sick every night. I don't think I can have mayonaise because anything I have made like tuna, chicken and egg salad I got sick. That was the only common ingredient in all of them. Then for two weeks in a row I got sick every night but it was because I was eating two fast. Last week I had fish and was fine this week I got sick.

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

I wanted to do nothing but my mother would make us get up because she said " I am here to help you but not do it for you". We walked every night around the entire apartment somplex as well as did the stairs because we are on the third floor. We even did the workout room one night!

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

Prevacid, Centrum, Citrical. I switched the Centrum chewables to flintstones after a while for a change. The citrical I do the caramel chews twice a day.

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?

I believe I had dumping syndrome once. I notice my hair is thinning some and every morning there is some coming out. I do get nausea and vomiting more than my husband. Usually one or two times per week

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

Vomiting, I absolutely hate it. Sometimes it makes me feel anorexic because I get sick so much.

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

My husband and myself support each other as well as all the family support. We are going to go to the GBMC support group starting in February.

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

They are very small and now mine are almost unnoticable.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None so far.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes I get alot more compliments about how great I am looking