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

I had the VBG back in 1997, so I was already aware of the surgery. I originally wanted the gastric bypass but had the other one done instead. I wasn't given the choice. My initial impressions of it were great.

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

I didn't really have an experience with getting approved because with both of my surgeries, they were approved within a couple of days. I never knew exactly when the info was submitted, I only heard when it was approved. So I didn't have time to think or worry. I just hoped that it would be approved. The only advice I can give is to be persistent...don't give up and don't allow yourself to fall through the cracks. Oh, and precert...I did it for the first one and for this one, maybe that's why things went so smoothly.

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

My first visit was good. I went to Dr. H on Jan. 2, 2002 and he just asked me why I wanted to have the surgery and why the first one didn't work. He also asked what did I hope to achieve from having this surgery, realistically. Just ask questions, go to a seminar, go on the internet, ask someone who's had the surgery...just get plenty of information.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My coworker who had been looking into it. With the first one, it was a friend of a friend who had had the surgery and so since I was tired of being big, I decided to have it done too. With the second one, I was just waiting on a job that had the insurance to pay for it. I had been through 2 jobs and neither one paid for it and with this one, I lucked out. I started this job in October 2001 but my insurance didn't kick in until Jan. 2002, so I had to wait.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I knew I wanted to have the more drastic one, the gastric bypass because the first one didn't work for me. My doctor decided on the lap, since I assume that is the one he does most often or the one that is performed more commonly now.

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 have no fears because the end result is what I look for. All I can tell people is to be "prayed up"...with any surgery where you're gonna be opened up or cut on, there are risks...discuss them with your doctor, read up on them and weigh your options.

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 mom was like "are u sure since the first one didn't work?" She told me "all I had to do" was to stop eating all the junk that I do. She was never an overweight child, she just began to gain weight in her "later" years as she got older. My father is just indifferent and feels as long as I don't have to pay for it, it's all good.

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

Since my coworker and I are having the same surgery, she just told us that we couldn't be out at the same time. So at one point, we were battling over who would get approved and scheduled first because the other one would have to wait until the other got back. But luckily I won...plus, I won't be out as long since I'm having the lap and she's having the "open". I plan to be out about 2 weeks...for my birthday (4/7), I'll be 2 weeks post-op, so I may not go back until after my birthday.

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

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

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Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

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Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

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