Mary T.

Obesity & Me

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

MY BATTLE WITH WEIGHT CONTROL WAS VERY HARD FOR ME. I HAVE BEEN OVER WEIGHT MOST OF MY LIFE. I HAVE TRIED EVERY THING UNDER THE SUN TO LOOSE WEIGHT. I TRIED WHEN I WAS AROUND 13 YRS OLD A WEIGHT WATCHERS CAMP AND I LOST 11LBS AND GAINED IT ALL BACK WHEN I CAME HOME. WHEN i WAS 18YRS OLD I WENT TO MY FAMILY DOCTOR AND WAS GIVEN TWO DIET PILLS, THEY MADE ME SICK, TIRED I HAD NO ENERGY AND YEA I LOST 40LBS BUT AS SOON AS I STOPPED TAKING THEM IT ALL CAME BACK.I TRIED SLIMFAST OVER THE COUNTER DIETS AND NOTHING WORKED FOR ME PERSONALLY.

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

I WAS DEPRESSED, I FELT LIKE EVERYONE WAS LOOKING AT ME. I COULDN'T DO THE THINGS OTHER PEOPLE MY AGE WHERE DOING.I HAD NO ENERGY, I WAS ALWAYS TIRED.

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 EVERYTHING ALOT MORE. EVEN THE THINGS I COULD DO BEFOR. I ENJOY THEM MORE NOW.

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

I HEARD ABOUT IT IN THE NEWS ABOUT ALL THE CELEBERTIES GETTING IT DONE. AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GREAT FOR THEM TO DO IT IF THEY WHERE DOING IT FOR HEALTH REASONS. AND AS LONG AS THEY WHERE HAPPY THEN GOOD FOR THEM.

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

I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR 5 DAYS (10/27-10/31).MY HOSPITAL STAY WAS OK. NO COMPLANTS.EXCEPT FOR THE NURSES COMING IN AND TAKING YOUR TEMP AT NIGHT WHEN YOUR SLEEPING.(ALL HOSPITALS DO THAT). I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO BRING IS SOMETHING TO READ OR DO.

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

THE ONLY COMPLICATOIN WAS THAT I WAS IN A BIT OF DISCOMFORT. DON'T GET ME WRONG IT WASN'T PAIN FROM THE SURGERY. I WAS IN DISCOMFORT CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAY TO MOVE CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO PULL OUT A STAPLE OR HURT SOMETHING INSIDE MY STOMACH. THEY TOOK ME OFF MORPHINE AND THEY BUT ME ON DARVASET.

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

MY FIRST FEW DAYS HOME WAS THE WORST.I WAS STILL TIRED.CAUSE I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I WAS IN A LITTLE BIT OF PAIN DO TO THE FACT YOUR NOT SLEEPING IN A HOSPITAL BED YOUR SLEEPING FLAT AND THAT HURT LAYING DOWN AND EXPECTALLY TRYING TOGET UP OUT OF BED HURT.I REMEMBER I HAD TWO REALLY BAD DAYS.I DIDN'T WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE. I CONSTENTLY THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY STOMACH CAUSE IT WAS STILL DRAINING..I FELT BETTER AFTER MY AUNT TINA FROM P.A CAME DOWN AND TOLD ME HER COUSIN HAD THE SURGERY DONE ALSO AND THAT EVERTHING WAS NORMAL.

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

I HAVE GONE TO THE SUPPORT MEETINGS AT THE HOSPITAL EVERY THIRD WEDNSDAY OF THE MONTH. ITS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND IT IS IMPORTANT ALSO CAUSE YOU LEARN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH.

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

I HAVE A SCAR ABOUT AN INCH ABOVE MY BELLYBUTTON AND ITS ABOUT 2-3 INCHES LONG.AND I KNEW IT WOULD BE LIKE THIS.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HAVEN'T HAD ANY BESIDES MY 3-4 WEEK OUT. I ONLY LOST ONE LB.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE TREATING ME ALOT DIFFERENT. ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLIMENTING ME ON HOW MUCH I HAVE LOST AND GIVING ME ALOT OF SUPPORT.
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