Anne T.

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Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

Well my battle is typical of many others. Many types of diets,pills, drinks & clubs.. Some og them would work fairly well for a little while then the pounds lost would return along with more.. It really seemed the harder I tried the more I would end up gaining.. When I got to that point I would be completely depressed.. It was a terrible cycle with no ending in site..

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

The worst thing about being overweight is being short of breath all the time & having no energy to really be involved in your own life as well as the lives of others.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

I enjoy walking. Before just a trip to the mall would put me into ehaustion mode.. I also enjoy shopping now too.

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

I came across the obesity.com site after hearing vague mentions of the weight loss surgery on the tv.. From there I spoke with a fantastic nurse from Kileen that has been a lifesaver to me.. She explained the dangers as well as the good points.. I believed everything she said because she also had undergone the surgery.. I am so thankful for her guidance & friendship.My initial impressions were happiness that there was a way for me to feel normal & healthy again, although I also was a little frightened as I guess we all were before the surgery.

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

My hospital stay was great.. I was in there for about 7 days of which a few were spent in ICU.. The entire hospital staff was wonderful.. The nurses & doctors were very considerate & caring.. All my needs were attended to quickly & I was well taken care of. I cannot really think of anything that is really important to bring other than your desire to get well & up & moving as soon as possible and maybe a soft stuffed teddy bear.

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

No real complications just a few minor difficulties. The support of friends, family, your support group & your physicain mean alot.

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

After I got my surgery date I was excited & anxious at the same time.. The closer it got to my date the more worked up I got. Then the day before my surgery the patient before me died from complications & my surgery was postponed.. Well then I was even more frightened but still determined to go foreward.. After getting my new surgery date & went through it all again. Even made out a will & paid all the bills.. Again I could not have made it through without my friends, family, support group & physician.

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

The first week or two was rough. I was in alot of pain & had to sleep on the couch.. As days went on I got better & also found that the more I moved around the better I felt. So get up & walk.. AAs for what people should expect.. well they should not expect anything fom you.. Everyone is different. They heal differently & their not emotionally the same.. My advice is for them to be patient & let you find your own way.

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

The distance to the hospital was about an hour an a half. Really did not affect my aftercare.. Excellent facility.

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 really only ate soft sugar free foods for several weeks after the surgery as well as broth.. As time went on I added soft foods.. Before the surgery I loved milk but now have become lactose intollerant.. Darn.. Anyway from what I have seen everyone is different. The only thing that seems the same is we eat really small meals, must take vitamins and need to drink plenty of water.

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

I had no energy right after surgery but made myself get up & walk. As the weight started coming off my energy level seemed to rise.

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

I take 2 flinstones vitamins a day.. every day.. Tried prenatal vitams with iron but my tummy does not deal well with that one yet.. My guess is it's the iron.

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 do not have dumping symptoms very often but when I do it's not pleasant & I need to lie down. As for what sets them off.. well it's never the same thing. There are also times when I get dry heaves.. but as time goes on those incidents are getting less & less. I do sleep much better now.. Hubby says I have finally stopped snoring.

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

Being scared & unsure.. Wondering if you were the one that might die.. & the unknown...

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

I have a wonderful support goup and some fantastic friends who are there when I need them.. Best of all is a good friend who also happens to be a nurse.

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

My scar is not bad at all and is much better than I expected..

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

There are some times when I loose pounds quickly& some weeks where I don't loose an ounce.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People do seem to treat me differently now.. and I really get aggravated at that sometimes.. What do they think.. only skinny people need to be treated with respect?? I think I was good looking large too.. Oh well I guess we have hit on a touchy subject for me.. LOL
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