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

I knew a couple people who had the surgery and were mostly successful. Then I read the blogs of a woman who had RNY surgery and went thru 2 years of infections, illness, and hospitalizations that resulted in death. I was terrified and walked away from WLS for a few years. Then I started looking into it again and found out that I have had FAR more risky surgeries like having my gallbladder out and having a hysterectomy.

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

I have state health insurance. I had some requirements to meet but once I had met the requirements for the insurance, the approval was easy and fast. I had a longer process to get into the program I chose than I did with my insurance.

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

He was very kind, gentle, and attentive. I got the most out of my appointment by bringing my husband with me and a list of things I wanted to ask.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I wanted to get my life back.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The surgeons gave me the pros/cons of all and we ruled out what I was not a good candidate for.

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 afraid to leave my kids without a mother if I passed. I would tell other people to ask their doc up front about complications and deaths in their specific practice. My doctor was very up-front about it and told me the numbers without playing games.

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?

Most of my family was supportive. Some of them said they would rather I didn't have an elective surgery but ultimately supported me.

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

I am a stay-home mom and don't have this issue.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

I was glad to hear from the other patients and doctors and was glad to have made my choice

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

I was very tired so I don't remember much about being in the hospital.

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

no. I healed very quickly from the surgery.

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 very happy to have a date set. The time couldn't pass fast enough. I used the time to make a living will and clean out foods I would no longer be eating after the surgery and stock up on things I needed.

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

I discovered I had become lactose intolerant and could no longer drink regular milk. I slept a lot and focused on drinking my water.

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

I lived only about 2o miles from the surgeon when I had my surgery. Shortly after we moved unexpectedly to nearly 100 miles from the office so aftercare has been sporadic.

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.

I cannot drink regular milk anymore. I also no longer view food the same way. I can walk past the Pop-Tarts at the store and feel NO DESIRE to buy a giant box. I can also go out to eat and keep my food intake in check. I'm very rarely hungry anymore so I struggle more often with getting ENOUGH food in as opposed to too much.

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

very low. I have other health probblems that make excercise very difficult for me.

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

b-12, chewable multi-vit, calcium

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?

Nausea was difficult for me as I learned what I could eat and not eat.

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

I have lost so much weight so fast that I'm cold quite often and that is unusual for me.

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

I am unable to ttend support groups in person because my husband takes our only car to work so I use online support.

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

I have very small scars from a lap procedure. These were as expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Not many, I am still losing steadily.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. Many people I know don't see me often and are VERY pleased to see my progress.