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

I first heard about the surgery through commercials. I was slightly interested, but initially I thought it was too extreme for me. I went to a couple of seminars and did a lot of on-line research before deciding to go forward.

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

I paid for the surgery myself. I knew my insurance would not cover the surgery. However, all my labs/tests were covered.

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 very quick. I had prepared for the meeting by writing down questions before hand. That was helpful. I was rushed through all of the information given by his staff and that was frustrating. But the actual meeting with the surgeon was fine.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

At some point I finally accepted that fact that I would never be able to get the weight off AND keep it off. I was very concerned about other medical conditions developing due to my weight (diabetes, hypertension, etc)and I wanted to fix this before I had any of those deseases.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I knew I wanted the Lap Band surgery right from the beginning. The bypass surgeries were not for me and my BMI was not terribly high. However, after speaking to my surgeon he suggested I look into the Sleeve Gastrectomy instead of the Lap Band (due to my type of work). I did a lot of research and talked to people who had had this surgery and found that the Sleeve Gastrectomy was 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?

I was mildly concerned about complications. I was not concerned about dying as a result of the surgery. I think my advice to others is that if you are confident in your choice to have the surgery and you are confident in your surgeon and their experience then you should be fine as long as you follow all their quidlines and preparations.

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?

I told my family only. I did not feel that it was something I wanted to share beyond my family. They were all very supportive and understood my decision.

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

I did not tell my employer. I was out of work for three weeks...I took vacation time.

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

My time in the hospital was not great. I had to be there at 5:30 in the morning to wait all day until my surgery. They do not pre-schedule your surgery so you have to check in first thing and then wait for an unknown period of time until you are picked (by surgeon) to go. I found this very frustrating as I was tired, hungry and very thirsty! The staff was all very friendly. Post surgery was even more frustrating because I was sick after surgery because a nurse was having me drink water at too fast a pace and I simply could not keep it down. I got into recovery at 8 pm and was released the following morning at 10 am!!! I was not given enough time to recover in the hospital. So, I went home and was very sick for a couple of days.

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

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 was just very excited for the surgery and wanted the time to go by faster.

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

I was sick the first few days, couldn't keep anything down. Once I was past that, I felt fine except for the soreness. I found that taking all the vitamins that they prescribed post-op was too difficult. I was only able to take the bare minimum. I slowly got stronger and as my diet began to include real food, I felt even better.

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

30 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.

I was on a strict liquid diet for the first four weeks post surgery. Then I moved onto "mushy" foods. Foods that can be blended to mush so that you can consume it easier. Then at week nine I moved on to solid foods. I had no problem with the liquid diet and the mushy foods. Once I moved to solids I had a few episodes (and still do) where I have had too much and I can't keep it down. Or I feel like it is going to come back up. This is very uncomfortable! But, if you chew a lot and eat really slowly so that you can listen to your stomach when it is getting full you can learn the signs and know when to stop. Some foods for some reason are more filling then others.

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

Little activity post surgery for a few weeks. Then some walking and basic activities around the house. I have found that I don;t have very much energy so, I don't feel like exercising.

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

Multi vitamin, calcium, iron, protein, vitamin d

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 have not suffered from any of the side effects. Except for the vomiting, whihc for me is more like spit-up. Because I had sleeve gastrectomy I don't have the malabsorption issues, so I think that has helped.

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

The few days following surgery.

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

I do not have any.

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

I have six small scars. They are what I expected and they are healing nicely.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

No plateaus yet!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, they notice my weight loss. It is really nice.