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

I did quite a bit of my own research on it before even consulting a doctor....I knew that it was time to do soemthing and that I desperately needed help....I knew I was going to have some type of WLS, I just wasn't sure what at that time, it was going to be....

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

My experience wasn't really all that horrendus....the worst part was putting the 6 months in at my PCP and then it took 2 more months for an approval (mostly because I needed other medical testing in that time)....so my advice would be to see your PCP the minute you start thinking about WLS...as soon as your doctor has you under his care, those appointments can count towards your 6 months (which I have heard alot of insurances require).

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

My first meeting with my surgeon was a seminar in which lap band surgery was explained to me. It was a small group of aobut 20 people which was perfect because I learned alot from other people's questions also....

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I knew I was going to have it the minute I decided I needed help...I just needed to find out more about it...

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I went with safety factors first and foremost....I have 6 children to raise and the purpose of this surgery was to help me be there to raise them and I just couldn't face the risks that were associated with Bypass surgery.

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 no fear of this, I was fine with the idea of having surgery.

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 and friends have been 100% supportive of my decision for this surgery....My husband is simply amazing even though I know I drive him insane with my obsession over this:) I have even had other family memebers also have this surgery....

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

I am a stay at home mom, so I did not have to worry aobut this.

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 overnight. I had nothing important to bring with me as my surgeon required that I stay in the critical care unit of the hospital after surgery and he visited me numerous times thorught the day and night to check on me....

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

Everything went better then I could have even planned.

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 slightly anxious....it was hard to realize at some points that I am only 35 and I would have this forgien object in my body for the next 50 years or so.....but then I realized that I would never have those 50 years if I didn't do it....

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

I had no complications, no side efects....I was up and moving around within a day and back at the gym within 5 days... I felt great right from the start!

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

20 miles

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, for the first 2 days I could have nothing but liquid....after that the following 2 weeks were liquids and pureed liquids (If I could suck it up through a straw, I was allowed to eat it!)...after that I was on 2 weeks of soft and pureed food....I could eat anything I could put in the blender or food processor and soften up.... Then finally I was allowed back on solid foods. I have not had any problems with tolerating any foods yet and I am 2 months post op... There really aren't any *no* foods but there are ones that are suggested that should be *nos*....like white bread, broccoli, asparagus...(too fiberous to digest) and others that aren't worth the fat and calorie content (like nuts and sausage)....

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

My activity level was fine....I was back at the gym within 5 days (but no lifting for 2 weeks)

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

None

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?

Okay, weird thing to talk aobut, but constipation is my biggest and only side effect....and I am still battling it....

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

I would just say the ability to control frustration....weight loss slows down after the first few weeks and that is a very hard thing to adjust to....

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

My surgeon has a support group that meets once a month....and I have found some online ones....SUpport is one of the biggest necessities of this surgery....if your family isn't supportive, then you need to find friends (even if it is online) to help!

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

I have 4 small scars that are only about 1cm long...and one longer scar that is about 3cm long....they are all healing nicely...i did have a little bit of problems with *split* stitches with one, but it hasn't interfered in the healing process....

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I experience a *plateau* about every 2 weeks where I will go a week without really losing anything....one of those plateaus always falls the week of my menstrual cycle....

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Well, while I have had a 45 pound loss so far, it isn't enough to experience that yet...