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

I heard about the old fashion type of surgery, but when I heard about the gastric bypass, I talked to my medical doctor and assistant and they strongly reccomended it for me. I thought it was what I had to do if I wanted to get healthy.

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

I had changed insurance in the middle of the process, but I did not have to wait for an approval. I was a easy process for me.

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

Very informative. He made no bones about telling me the risks and the good things about what could happen.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I wanted to be healthy so I could enjoy life.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

At the time of my surgery, my doctors only did the 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?

No fears at all.

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 mother was very against it. The rest of my family and friends were very supportive. I always had great support, even through my ups and downs.

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

I did not receive any bad reactions. I told them exactly what I was having done. I was off longer than usual because of my problems. As a result of all that I went through, I am still not back to work. I went back to try it a few times, but it did not work out.

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

I had a very pleasant hospital stay. I was in the hospital for 4 days. Bring your own pillow and a fan is a must.

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

I do not believe that my complications were as a result of my surgery. I had esophogeo spasms which resulted in a long list of serious complications. Before I go on, let me say that I would have the surgery again in a heartbeat. I have no regrets at all. To make a long story short, I was hospitalized several times because of it. Dehydration and malnourishment is what was going on with me. I actually ended up having an eating disorder, anorexia. How did I deal with all that? It is an everyday struggle for me. I can offer this advice, please listen to what the doctors say. I didn't. Eat how you are supposed to eat, and also drink the reccomended amounts of water and you will be successful. I see a therapist and nutritionist every week.

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 excited and I was never anxious in anyway.

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

I started having my problems with esophogeo spasms when I started the full liquids, so it was kind of rough at first. Just do exactly what the doctors say and do not ry anything before the doctors advice it.

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

I traveled less tha 5 miles to my local hospital.

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.

Sugar is strictly off limits. Being 4 years out, it is still off limits. You always have to try new foods, one day they may be okay, the next they may not.

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

I walked like I was told, but then in the midst of my disease, anorexia, I got a bit carried away.

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

I take 2 multi-vitamin chewables everyday. I take 2 iron pills everyday. I take 2 calcium pills everyday. I also take B-12 sublingual everday.

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?

Dumping was the worse for me and still is. If I try sugar, I dump everytime. I still have hair loss because I do not get in enough protein in each day.

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

Because of my behaviours of anorexia, I was away from my family a lot. Three times I was sent to an eating disrder hospital that was 6 hours away from home. That was very hard for me.

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

We have monthly support group meetings. They are very helpful to me. I am four years post-op and I still attend them. We have different ones in our area and I attend all of them 5 total a month. It is very important to attend these meetings. I have noticed the patients that do not attend any groups are the ones who slip back into their old habits. They are gradually gaining their weight back.

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

Scar? You can hardly see mine. I do not show it off, but it is not very visible. My doctor did a great job.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I actually, because of my self distruction and lost too much weight, had to regain some weight. If you do not do as you are told, you will not like the results.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. You would think that could happen but it does.