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

A co-worker had flown to Mexico in about 2003 to have it done and I found it intriguing. She was beginning to loose weight, despite a long and similar history to mine. Apart from the going out of the country part, I thought it sounded feasible. (I did mine in Illinois).

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

I knew I would not be covered with insurance. I was 100 pounds overweight, but had absolutely no other health problems. I was too impatient to wait another year to get documentation from doctors and weight-loss clinics stating I had "tried everything" and it didn't work to attempt justifying the surgery being done. Because I was so anxious to have it done, I got a loan from the bank and just did it with self pay.

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

It went very well - I felt very excited to have the surgery done. It seemed like he had done quite a few of these surgeries and I had a friend who felt confident in him. If I did anything differently, I would have taken a friend or my sister with me.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After 42 years, I was just soooooooooo sick and tired of being fat. I was thrilled at the idea of something that could potentially make me feel and look good.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It was a no-brainer for me. I had heard many horror stories of bariatric surg and frankly, I don't think I was overweight enough to have that particular procedure. Lapband was less invasive, more appropriate for my weight, less history of complications, and I had three friends who had had it done successfully.

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 did not have any fears about it - I trusted the surgeon and knew I would just deal with whatever happened. I'm not really a "what if this, what if that" kind of person.

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?

They were very supportive of it. After my surgery, I have always had continued support from family and friends. I will say that my sister has been less supportive after the entire 2 year period, being suspicious that "it has not been worth it if you don't lose all of the weight." I try to explain that it is my own fault, that it has to be done with discipline of exercise and eating the right foods, that lapband is a tool to assist me, and the rest of it WILL come off (I feel), but takes time.

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

Employer very supportive - no invasive questions, but I told anyone anything they wanted to know. I even showed several employees and my employer the scars (at their request). It's nothing more than a medical educational experience. . . and I would never stop anyone from learning!

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

outpatient surgery - no problems whatsoever. Although my surgery was delayed from 9 in the morning to about 1:00 pm, it was otherwise uneventful. Was home by 6:30 pm and recovering in bed. I had it done on a Friday and told my boss I would be back into work on Monday. Most important thing to bring was comfortable loose-fitting clothes for the ride home.

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

Just some minor soreness. I do wish I would have asked for one more day off of work - - I needed really about 3 days at home to recover, then could perform my job with no troubles - tylenol or ibuprofen for any soreness worked well.

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 coped very well - tried to walk around as soon as possible. The only anxiety I recall is being impatient with wanting restriction. I called the MD's office and they said, "everyone feels anxious after surgery, but you have to wait the full 6 weeks before your first fill - try to be patient." which was fine.

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

Just ate liquid/soft things. I remember getting "Unjury" a protein mix from the doc's office which I mixed with surgar-free tang mix (because I liked the thin-ness of tang). I don't like protein drinks and/or milkshakes that are thick or in any way "gritty", and this worked well for me. Otherwise, I was not uncomfortable - I was very open with my family and friends about what was going on, and they were curious about scarring, diet, etc, so I do think talking about it openly is helpful. Why try to hide it - who cares.

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

45 miles.

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 am a cheater with food by nature. I was told to eat liquids and/or soft things prior to surgery and after. To me, that means soft things and/or solids that could pass for soft. I tried to be careful for the most part, but I would sneak some peanutbutter in during the liquid phase for instance. I really dont' have any intolerances with foods now - just that I eat so much less of everything. I do have trouble with pesto sauces; that will inevitably come back up, so now I avoid this.

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

I tried to be dilagent about walking after surgery so as not to get too "poor me" about it. Some soreness in port area after surgery, but just had to be careful with bending over, etc. for a while.

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

I take chewable (orange-flavored) daily multivitamins. I could swallow the tablet if needed, but I find that I'm more faithful about taking them on the go when I don't have to worry about a glass of water to go with 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?

"golf ball" experience went on for the first year until I really got the hang of when to stop eating so that would not occur. I have not had that experience for several months now. ALSO, I still have terrible, what I call "drain pipe" noises. . . just sounds like gurgling right in my neck/throat area, which can happen between 2 minutes and 1 hour after eating/drking something. It usually occurs when I'm in a meeting at work or church, or somewhere where EVERYONE can notice.

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

see #9.

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

Talking to other friends who have had the surgery. Websites with postop lapbanders and their insights/advise helped a great deal. I have a coworker who keeps trying to force me into a support group. I have certainly done that in the past. It is not for me. I choose to gain support from family, friends, and the internet. However, if support groups work for others, I think that's great.

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

Scarring was minimal. I don't notice or mind scarring in places that are not out in the public eye! It was just as I expected and it does continually fade in color and size has decreased as well.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I had a plateau from December 2006 to April of 2008. I was stuck between 201 and 204. I think I was not eating enough calories because my band was too tight for a while. When I had it adjusted slightly, it was then too loose and kept eating. I got it tightened again (this is over a slow period of all of these months), I vowed to never have it loosened unless I literally could not get food or water down. Finally, I started exercising more appropriately, and the weight has now started coming off again (now weigh 198). I am trying to eat better (more proteins, produce) and exercise more.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

no.