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

Being a former Registered Nurse, i have known about it for years. I knew that it was a great help for the morbidly obese, but never thought I would need it. Then my weight ballooned, and I knew that I did indeed need it.

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

In my case, this was not an issue.

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

My surgeon was great; warm, friendly and very willing to answer all the questions I had. I would strongly recommend that people research bariatric surgery, and write down questions. The list available on this site is helpful. Remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question. The only stupidity is NOT asking.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I don't want to lose toes, etc; go blind, or have the other complications of diabetes. I want to be able to enjoy traveling again. I want to be able to celebrate my 50th anniversary!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I had researched all forms of weight loss surgery, and wanted the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. BUT, since the Department of Veterans Affairs was to perform the surgery, I did not think I would have any choice. Then, they decided to contract out the surgery, at Vanderbilt Medical Center for Weight Loss Surgery. There, I was offered my choice of the lab band, the RnY or the VSG. I chose the VSG because it allowed me to take any oral medication after the surgery, and had very few complications.

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?

None

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 are very, very supportive. Everyone at my church, and at my fraternal organization knew that I was having weight loss surgery. It was very obvious that i was obese, and it would be obvious that I was rapidly losing weight, so I chose to tell everyone. I have had nothing but support and encouragement. If anyone has negative feelings about my having this done, they have not expressed that to me.

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

Not a factor, as I am a retired self-employed professional.

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

I stayed in the hospital from Monday morning (surgery) till Wednesday morning. All but one of the staff (one night RN) was very supportive and helpful. The Vanderbilt Medical Center is modern, up to date and a wonderful facility.

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

None at all.

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

Having been an Army Medic for 10 years and a Registered Nurse for 30 years, I did not have any anxiety about the surgery. I was aware that things can happen, but I refused to let myself stew about them.

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

The biggest "problem" was the lack of stamina. I felt good, but tired so easily. It took me almost 3 months to regain all of my stamina )but I am 65 years old, so this is to be expected).

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

73 miles. The distance had no effect on my aftercare.

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 stuck reasonably close to my diet plan, so I was on liquids for 2 weeks, pureed foods for 3 weeks and then gradually introduced solids. I have found no foods that I can not eat. but I can tolerate only limited amounts of fresh beef, pork, ham, etc. I can eat sugary foods, breads, etc. in very small amounts. At 6 months post surgery, I can still only eat very slowly, I have to chew everything thouroughly, and I can eat approximately 1/2 cup of anything solid.

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

I could walk around the house for the first two weeks. then, I began to walk outside, working myself up from 100 feet to 1.5 miles over 3 months. Initially, virtually anything tired me. It took me 3 months to get my stamina back to the pre-surgery level. Now, it is much better than it was before the surgery.

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

1 multivitamin with Iron, one B Complex, one Vitamin E Capsule, one 1000mg Vitamin C tablet, one 5000mg Biotin daily.

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 nausea has been when I have eaten either too much (it took a little while to recognize my new "full signal"); or if I have no chewed thing adequately. I coped with this by learning how to recognize when I was full, by always chewing things completely.

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

Nothing, it has been very easy.

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

ObesityHelp.com I find it helpful to be able to help others.

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

Minimal scars, and they are fading out slowly. Yes, they are exactly what I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None at all so far.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No for people that already knew me. I do notice the people do not look at me as something odd, as they did before.