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

I knew a few folks who had it done and were successful, so I went on the internet to learn more. From there I talked to my primary care physician about it and she suggested I make an appointment with a bariatric surgeon to talk further and see if it would be right for me. I am happy I did!

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

I am an insurance specialist at a local hospital, so I thought I knew what I was doing. WRONG! haha....My advice--get your ducks in a row before you even make the appointment with the surgeon. Talk to your PCP (primary care physician) and call your insurance to see if it will be covered under medical necessity. Ask them what prerequisites they have regarding the surgery. With Cigna, my insurance, they (along with the surgeon) required you meet with a psychiatrist to discuss your issues and why you want this surgery. Next, I met with a dietician to go over what my diet would look like. Then I met with the surgeon. After he decides you are a candidate, you must have blood work done, along with an ultrasound on your gall bladder. I had stones I did not know about and thanks to the ultrasound, I had it out at the time of surgery. Saves me from another trip tot he operating room later down the road. I had the psychiatric evaluation and the dietician's appointment done before I even met with the surgeon's office. I knew this was what I wanted before I had it done. Check and recheck into the surgery, make sure you are emotionally ready. It saves you from wasting your time and the time of the surgeon. When you complete everything, keep copied of all reports and put them in a folder. Your insurance may require referrals and precertification, and later on this information will be helpful. I also made three folders. One for me, one for the insurance and one for the surgeons office. Inside were all of the clinical informational notes from my PCP, as well as the psych evaluation and the nutrition's notes. I faxed these to Cigna myself, as well as giving them all to the surgeon, who later faxed them again to Cigna. Better safe than sorry.

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

My first visit was a group meeting. There were 6 other folks there looking to have the surgery done. We watched a film on it and talked to the doctor about the procedure. We were told immediately after the appointment, if we were still interested in having the surgery, we would have to report to the local hospital for a blood test to check for drugs and/or alcohol in our systems. Two people got up and left at that point. It was funny. To get the most out of the meeting, PAY ATTENTION, and ask lots of questions. Look up as much about it as you can prior to the appointment, know what you are talking about. The surgeon was very informative, but I still had questions. Don't be afraid to ask and do your homework.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When I finaly looked down at the weight on the scale at the doctors office and saw I had balooned to 375. I was tired and felt horrible most of the time but never in my wildest dreams did I think I weighed that much!! No wonder I felt so bad!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I needed to have my gall bladder out as well, so I opted for an open gastric bypass.

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 more afraid of the anesthesia than the surgery, to be honest. I was afraid I would not be able to eat anything, but this is like no other diet you have ever been on. I can eat ANYTHING!!--Just tiny amounts. It is wonderful. I am the poster child for this surgery, nothing went wrong. All I can say, and I can't stress it enough, DO WHAT THE SURGEON TELLS YOU PRE-SURGERY, and you will be find. I lost 40lbs in 6 months and walked a bit 3-4 times a week. I am a non smoker, so I didn't have to quit-but I did quit drinking all soda, and that was a major feat in itself. Trust me, it is not that bad, and you will not regret having the surgery done...

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 was very supportive. My friends were outstanding. I was introduced to so many people who had it done thru my friends. I could ask anything. I even found out some of my coworkers had it done many years ago, and they look great. Everyone shared pictures, information, and stories. They have all been great in this first month post op...

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

They were very encouraging. I told them every step of the way....We anticipated I would be out of work for 6-8 weeks, but happily, I returned in 4 weeks time.

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

It was good. Felt like I was in a hotel. I was there for 5 days, and I did not bring a thing with me, not even pajamas. The johnny provided was comfy and so were the slippers. I did bring my favorite shower gel and shampoo and conditioner, as all they had was Johnson's baby bath.

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

I have hard to find veins, so my IV kept blowing my viens. That is something I have always had, so I would say there were 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 anxious and kept talking to people who had the surgery before me so that I would know what to expect and what not to expect.

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

I was good, went to the beach, shopping, etc....just got tired real quick. The second week I was home, I went to a zoo, but had to keep sitting down. I was tired and since I had it done in July, the heat really had a lot of effect on how I felt. If it was hot and humid, I felt terrible. I had this problem before, but it was intensified a lot after the surgery.

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

1 hour from home. It did not effect my care at all.

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.

The only thing that I can not tolerate is milk. I have attempted ice-cream, just to see if I could, and it was fine. I have eaten hamburger, chicken (chicked is very easy for me to digest), yogurt, salad. Biggest thing--stay away from gas producing foods in the first few weeks. That gas is terrible.

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

I was active. I went shoppping the second day after returning home. The first two weeks were great, the third week, we had temperatures in the high 90's with a lot of humidity and I was very tired and nauseated. Week 4 was great, went tot he beach, to a fair, and have been going out and about quite regularly. energy level good...

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

I am taking a chewable multi-vitamin, 2 tums (orange cream flavored), and some B-complex oral suspension (liquid) that goes under you tongue.

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 worst was the nausea when it was hot outside. I stopped taking the nausea and pain meds 2 days after getting home from the hospital, but during that 4th week, I began taking the nausea meds and was fine. I had to sleep upright for the most part the first 2 weeks, then gradually began lowering myself every night until I was back to normal.

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

The absolute worst part was when the g-tube was taken out. it was painful and drainged a lot more than I expected. It took 10 seconds for them to take it out, and it drained for about 4 hours. I took some pain medication before it was removed and again after and was fine. The drainage tube was considerably longer, but I had no pain when it came out. It just felt funny.

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

I have 6 co-workers who have had this surgery done, and I am constantly asking about it. They do offer group meetings in my area, but I prefer to ask friends any questions. It is important and very helpful to have this network I can go to for support.

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

It is pretty big, but it is exactly what I expected. Looks like railroad tracks! I have been faithfully putting cocoa butter and sobe butter on it, and even the surgeon commented on how much it had faded so far. He said it was much lighter than most, but I am sure it is because of the butters.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

None yet

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, everyone is commenting on my looks and how much my face has changed. It is refreshing and feels great. It is just an added bonus to feeling better.