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

A friend had the procedure.

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

I contacted my insurance company (Tufts)to get their guidelines. I went to my PCP who wrote a letter on my behalf whcih is what I was told needed to be done. The representative I spoke to did not give me correct info. and the request was denied. So I researched doctors who did the procedure, chose one, made the required appointments and they handled all the paperwork. Approval was no problem.

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

The visit included a meeting with a social worker for the psych workup, the nutrionist and then the surgeon. I had a list of questions for him. He was very direct and clear.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was tired of failure in this part of my life and was ready to succeed. The support network provided by the practice was always there to help.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I had an open RNY. My surgeon does not do the laproscopic procedure. I didn't want to wait for one that did. I also chose the RNY for maximum benefit.

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?

There is always a risk of dying with surgery. Fortunately, I did not have any co-morbidities and was an excellent surgical candidate. I was going to be headed for a slow death if I didn't do this.

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?

Many thought that this was too drastic a step to take and managed to tell me every horror story they ever heard about gastric bypass surgery. I let them know that I appreciated their concern, but I was doing this for me. Post surgery, most were very supportive. But realistically, I knew that this was my journey alone.

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

I was out of work for 6 weeks. My company has a very liberal short-term disability policy and I did not lose any compensation while I was out. My boss was understanding, but urged me to have the lap-band procedure instead of the bybass. (he's an MD.) I stuck by my guns.....

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

My procedure was early Thursday morning and I went home on Sunday. 3.5 days. The staff was very familiar with gastric bypass patients and very helpful. A headset with my favorite music was verh helpful when I couldn't sleep.

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

No direct 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?

The first 4 weeks while on the liquid diet was miserable. Though I didn't vomit, I was nauseous all the time. There were certainly times that I really wondered what i was thinking having this done, but I coped by knowing that this was not going to last forever. Diet advancement made a huge difference.

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

The toughest thing was getting in and out of bed. I would recommend that you rent a 'bed board' from a medical supply store. (it cost me $50 for 4 weeks). It slips between the mattress and box spring and you can pull yourself up and let yourself down the way you would with the sides of a hospital bed. I was very tired and slept at least 12 hours a day for the first 3 weeks. My concentration wasn't great, so movies and tv were a better idea than trying to read. By week 4, reading was much more productive. I tried to make sure that I walked around the house as much as possible. (It was winter in Boston, so outdoors wasn't a good idea). Stairs were not a problem.

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

The hospital was only a few miles (15 minutes by car) 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.

The first 4 weeks it was liquids, yogurt, soups, scrambled egg and cottage cheese, carnation instant breakfast. I also ate some baby meats and instant mashed potato. (helped with the nausea). No sugar added popsicles were a lifesavor. The cold and ice felt great on my throat. Diet advancement was wonderful! For some reason chicken cacciatore was really appealing. The chicken was almost stewed and very tender and went down quite easily. It hard to get in enough protein at first and i'm not a big fan of protein shakes. I eat cottage cheese, eggs or lox for breakfast. Salad with shrimp or chicken for lunch or dinner. I use regular salad dressing, but measure it. Chili is packed with protein and is very filling. I've not eaten much in the way of sweets except fruit. I do like the no sugar added frozen fudge pops. A nice hit of chocolate with no repercussions. Eating slowly is a big thing. It's hardest for me to eat around other people who tend to eat quickly. If I match their pace, I feel lousy.

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

Low activity level for me. I had subsequent surgeries in April (exploratory and then a hysterectomy) (not realted to the bypass) and they didn't exactly help my energy levels. It's now August (06) and I am playing tennis, walking and swimming. My energy levels are getting better every day.

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

Iron (Victron C) B12 Calcium Chews with D Multivitamin with MInerals Stool softener

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?

Nausea was persistent the first few weeks. Much better after diet advancement. Still happens occassionally. Hair loss for a few months, but once I was able to get in enough protein, it stopped. (A short haircut was very helpful)

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

The first month on liquids was the worst part. As I said earlier, it was for a finite time which made it manageable.

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

I go monthly to 'group'. There was a special '0-6 month' group which i have just 'graduated' from. Incredibly helpful to be with people experiencing what you are. Some ahead of you who can share experiences and helpful tips, some behind you who you can help. There are sessions available a few times a month to accommodate various schedules. I hope to help facilitate one of the groups in the future.

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

I'm not wearing a bikini anytime soon but at 54 that's not likley anyway. The scar is fine. Much faded from 6 months ago. I assume it will fade more/

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

My weight loss has slowed dramatically in the past 2 months. I'm averaging 4-5 lbs per month. I can go a week or 2 loosing nothing and then a couple drop off. I am 10 lbs from my goal.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes they do. People are more pleasant, they open doors, let you go in traffic, and smile when you pass them on the street. Before, even though I was very large, socially I felt invisible.