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

I went to a garage sale where this lady was selling really nice clothes that were sz 24-26. I asked if they were her sisters or something since she was alot smaller than that. She told me her story of BTC and it's all history from there. I was impressed! It took me several years to get it from that point but it was a small sliver of hope in a bleak world.

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

The hospital was...different than what I expected. I was in for 4 days which was typical. But I was on short notice. I got the approval just 7 days before surgery so I got most of the info crammed into a short few hours. The nutritionist brought my info binder in after I had surgery. I was so wacked out on drugs, nothing sunk in!! Not that I would have listened, anyway, but...The most important things to bring are pretty pj's so you feel better than you look, chapstick, your favorite pillow and don't I repeat DON'T bring a mirror. You don't want to know!!!

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

I ended up totally ignoring surgeons orders and went off of the healing diet. I ended up with a muscle that stretched out under neath my right rib cage because I threw up so much and so violently. I had to go back in 6 mos. post op for a "hernia" type surgery. I came thru the surgery better than my roomate! She laid in bed and whinned about pain and got tons of meds. I was in and out in 2 days and home. WALK WALK WALK AFTER ANY SURGERY IT HELPS YOU GO HOME SOON!!!!

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

It wasn't weeks for me, it was days. I was stunned to say the least but it was worth it. The night before surgery, my husband and I were in a hotel room a few miles from the hospital. He held me and told me he loved me and we really felt close. We cried. It is one of the best and closest times we have had in 15 years. We both wanted the new life for me but we didn't want me to die, either fat or on the table.

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

Pain, cravings, the need to chew is nuts!! You feel like you are melting away and you seem to be the only one noticing! The people you live with are too close to see the weight come off. But the minute someone you haven't seen in a while sees you...you feel great because they notice right away. You feel like the people you live with don't care sometimes and they do insensitive things like eat potato chips in front of you while you are confined to liquids. How rude!!

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

I went 250 miles from home. I went to another state. I didn't want to travel for after care so I just had my PCP do my blood work and mail it to BTC. I should have gone down more often and didn't because gas got so costly this year.

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.

Peanut butter was the first thing I dumped. It was in a recipie from BTC that was for a smoothie. I didn't check the lable and got sick sick sick. I wanted to die. It scared me to death. Now that I am almost 3 years post, I am slowly working milk into my diet. I have had real problems with dairy that is too rich. I would get bad stomach aches and the dumps with milk, ice cream, ice milk, too rich sour cream. Another thing I learned was even if it is sugar free, sugar alcohol is just as bad to dump on. You don't expect it because it is supposed to be sugar free. Big surprise. I eat candy just like before, only not as much. I can eat candy bars, licorice, anything but sugar soda. I prefer diet anyway. I can eat really anything I want. My husband gets pissed because my eating habits haven't changed. In fact, they are worse. I didn't get sugar cravings like I do now before surgery. I really get the sugar fix thing going 1 week before my period and that ususally means a bag of twizzlers will be gone by bed time.

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

I have 3 kids and a husband. I jumped back into things fairly quickly because I didn't really have a choice. They needed me back in action. I never have exercised, before or after. However, now I don't mind walking or taking the stairs and I try to park far away and to always use the stairs when possible.

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

I take a multi vitamin 2x a day, just a regular women's vitamin. Because of malabsorption, that's why I take 2. My choice, not because anyone suggested it.

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?

Hair loss was devistating!!! About 7 months post op it started coming out in clumps and lasted for 3 months. Gobs came out with every shower. I cried. It's finally getting back to being thick now, almost 3 years post. Now it has more grey and is curlier.

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

Since we have moved to a new town and gotten online for the first time, I have really found the OH site very helpful. I can ask questions in the chat room, post on the message board. It is great because people in the chat room are friendly and helpful. I have never seen anything sexually inappropriate or gross in the chat room. People care there!

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

It's long. But it's better than being fat! I don't mind it as much as I thought I would. I was ready for it to be gross and ugly but it's not. It faded nicely.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

It's hard to go from dropping 20# per month to just a few pounds per month. I haven't had too many problems adjusting because I know that even though the scale might not be moving, my clothes are still getting too big even this far out. I put on a vest I wore last xmas the other day and it was almost too big and I have only lost 15# since last xmas!!! The skin shrinks and shrinks. It's amazing.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes and it's too bad. People are people no matter what the size and it's too bad that I learned it the hard way. I am glad that I got fat later in my teen/early adult years. It has taught me compassion that I wouldn't otherwise have. I think everyone should learn that lesson.