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

Had seen several things on TV and magazines about WLS, I just knew that insurance would not cover and I could not afford to have the surgery. I went to my orhtopedic doc about my arthritis in my knees and he told me I should check into having it done. My first impression was" I want it done".

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

Good luck. I live in Georgia and it is state law that insurance cover WLS if it is medically nessecary. But my company is so small that they fall into a special loop hole and dont have to cover. What BS. I had 3 doctors send in letters saying because of all my medical problems I needed to have this done. And all I got was a big NO>

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

Meeting with Dr Mejias was great. He was so nice and very concerned for me. At the same time he was very straight forward about would could happen to me if things did not go right. Meaning that I could die. After going over how the procedure would be done and all the complications that could happen he wanted to know if I still wanted to have RNY Gastric By-pass. And what did I say.....YES!!!! Be sure to ask lots of questions. How long he has done this, how many he has done. What is your success rate, why do you do this type of surgery. You can never ask too many.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After doing a lot of research online and with other people that have had this done. But most of all when my parents said they would cover the cost for me to have it done.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The doctor told me what was going to be best for me.

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?

So far I have had none. I tell people that I put my life in danger every time I get in my car and go to work. The air I breath can kill me. Me being morbidly obese with high blood pressure,high cholestrol,arthritis,sleep apnea. Those things can kill me.

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 mom is just as excited as I am. My husband and friends have all been great. I have only had a couple of people tell me that I should not do this. And I tell them I am because I would to have a better life.

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

I work for my parents, so I have no problem in that area.

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 4 days. That was ok with me because this was out of pocket and the amount paid covered 4 days stay so I felt like I got my moneys worth. After surgery I went to the IMCU and was there for one night then after my upper GI I was able to go the a regular floor. Be sure to bring some mouth wash because I kept a real funky bad taste in my mouth, and still do.

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

Had no complications.

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 would have to say that I was very anxious about getting this done. From my first visit with Dr. Mejias until I had the surgery was about right at 3 months so that really was not too long to wait. I have knowen some people that have waited 6 months to a year to have it done. I did a lot of praying and soul searching. I can honestly say that I was never scared or afraid about having this surgery done.

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

Be ready to hit a brick wall when you are about 2 weeks out of surgery. It seemed to take everything I had to be able to get out of the bed, let alone get out of my chair to go to the bathroom. But on the bright side you will not be hungry.

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

I was able to have this done in the city I live in. The hospital is aobut 15 minutes from my house and my Dr.'s office is about 10 minutes 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.

As of 11-04-04 I am 5 weeeks post op. For the first 3 weeks I was on clear liquids only. Water, Powerade, Sugar Free Jello, Broth, Juice. Then for 3 weeks after that I am on full liquids: protein shakes,Sugar Free Pudding,low fat creamy soups, runny mashed potatos. Slowly but surely every two weeks I get to add a little more solid food to my diet just like a baby. So far I have had no problems with being sick or over eating and making myself sick.

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

Very little actvity at first. Did some walking but I would give out very easily. It is a very slow process to feel like doing much of anything.

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

1 chewable multi-vitamin,calcium, and B-12

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?

Having a lot of pain at my biggest incision on the left side. And not able to sleep on my side without a lot of pain.

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

Being told that this pain on my left side could take as long as 3 months to go away.

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

Dr. Mejias offers support group meetings at his office once a month. I love going. I get to met with other people that have been through this. We swap stories and recipes. It is very helpful to talk with people that are at different stages so you can kinda know what to look forward to when I get to that stage.

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

I have a total of 6 scars. The biggest is only about 2 inches long. They are all smaller that I thought they would be.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I hit my first plateau at 4 weeks out. I have been about 1 week with no weight lose.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People seem to be more concerned with how I am doing and if I am alright.