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

I worked with a woman who had the surgery and was 2 years post op. She had lost 150 pounds and I was impressed that she was able to keep it off. I just didn't think I would be able to have it done because of the type of insurance I had.

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

Just keep pursuing it. Change Dr.'s if you must to a Dr. who is familiar with the approval process.

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

Very exciting. He was very realistic and blunt and to the point.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I never had any trouble deciding whether or not to have the surgery. I knew from the time that I found out about it that if my insurance would cover it, I was going to go for it. It was my only hope that I felt I had left.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I was not given a choice. I was not even told about the Lap. I don't think Kaiser was covering it, and I don't know that they are to this day.

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 not really afraid until I was being wheeled into the OR on the gurney. In fact they had already started giving me the sedation and my last thought that I remember was I changed my mind. I remember thinking that I was saying that. Man am I glad that either they didn't hear me or they ignored me. I was very afraid of dying, but I also knew that I was on a fast downhill towards death with the way I was eating and the way my health was failing so quickly. So that is what made me conquer my fears. The end result would have been the same. Death. Only I could die trying to help myself or die from just plain overeating and being a slob. I chose the first one.

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 entire family including my inlaws were and still are 100% supportive of my decisions. That helped a great deal. My co-workers at work were 100% supportive also and I couldn't have asked for a better support group all around then my family, friends and co-workers. But the biggest support of all was God. He helped me through all the tough times, which Thank God I can say have been very few and far between. All I can Say is I thank my God first.

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 4 weeks. My employer was great and totally understanding, and stood behind me all the way in my decision.

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

The biggest problem for me in the hospital was boredom. I don't watch TV and I cannot stand to stay in the bed. I was there from Wednesday morning and I went home Monday morning. I say the most important thing to bring to the hospital with you is a back scratcher and a sponge on a stick, because when you do finally get to get up and take a shower, you are not able to bend over very much to reach where you need to. The sponge on a stick was a God send. The best thing that I did while I was in the hospital was to get up at least every 1/2 hour and go for a little walk.

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

Just the hair loss, then while I was in the hospital, I did get trapped gas, and that is miserable. I just drank lots of fluids and walked as much as I could.

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 too excited to have any anxiety. I just spent my time making sure all of my affairs were in order.

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

Boredom, but very weak. I tried to get out and do things too soon and had to come home and lay down all the time because I got weak so quickly. My biggest help was my Mother-In-Law was there with me for the first 3 weeks post op and she did everything. I couldn't have done it without her.

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

60 miles one way. It has not affected my aftercare at all. I enjoy taking the day off and going to S.F. for my appointments, I just go and make a day of it.

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 have been able to eat anything I want since my surgery. I didn't eat any beef until 10 months after surgery, but that was just because I was scared. I have not thrown up except for 3 times. One time was because a piece of a tortilla got stuck, the other two times, I don't know what caused it. But I eat anything I want. I have no limitations on my diet.

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

I was up quite a bit immediatley after surgery because I can't stand to just stay in one position. So I was up and about all the time, I just had to take frequent naps because I got tired really easy and fast. I Started exercising 5 weeks post op by walking 3 miles per night.

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

1 MVI with Minerals, I Vitamin B12 Sublinqual, and 3 Tums tablets per day.

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 am still having hair loss, and I just remember that it won't last forever. That I will get all my hair back. Then I figure I would rather be bald than fat. I can always buy a wig.

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

I have no worst part to report

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

I do not currently attend any support groups.

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

Very minimal. It is not as bad as I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am at my first plateau. I have been going between 202 and 209 for the past 3-4 weeks and it is very distressing and depressing. I don't like this feeling at all.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Very much so. People actually want to talk to me and are interested in me not in making fun of me.