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

Many years ago I knew someone how had the old-style stomach stapling. she didn't do very well, so I never seriously considered having it done. I had heard too many bad things about it. Then about 6 months ago, I read in our local newspaper about the new Roux bypass surgery and how successful it was. I looked into it and called several of the docs that perform the surgery in my area.

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

I didn't have any trouble getting approved. Make sure you have talked to your primary care physician because he or she is the one that has to fill out the forms for insurance approval. If they don't do it right, you may not get approval.

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

Dr. O'Malley was informative, but reserved. Think about what questions you have and write them down. Let the doctor do his presentation, then if there is anything he didn't cover, ask away.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Being overweight and unhealthy for so long!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Dr. O'Malley and I discussed several options and decided with my history, the RNY was the best option.

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 of pain afterwards continuing long after the surgery, especially after eating. The doctor convinced me that dying from this surgery was no greater than any other surgery. I am still getting used to eating so as not to cause pain, but it is an adjustment that takes time.

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 not supportive of my decision because of their fears for my well-being. My explainations about the surgery did little to help, but afterward, they were much more supportive. They saw that I was determined!

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

My stay was a good experience. The nurses and aides were wonderful. I was there from Tuesday through Friday.

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

I did not have any unusual complications from the surgery. I threw up a lot in the beginning and still get pain if I eat too much or too fast. There are foods I can no longer eat because they bother me.

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 a little scared, but looking forward to a new beginning. After my father died from complications of diabetes, I knew that losing weight would help me be healthier and avoid some of the major complications of diabetes.

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

If you have open surgery like I did, there is the pain of the incision to deal with. Learning how to eat and following your doctor's prescribed diet is difficult. You and your body have to adjust to your new anatomy. The trick is not to be afraid of how you are feeling, because you will adjust and so will your body.

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

My surgery was done at a local hospital in my area. I feel very fortunate to have such good health care facilities and surgeons in my area.

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.

Meats, breads, and stringy vegetables like green beans and spinach were very difficult to eat for several months. Even now, five months later, meats are difficult to eat if not well-chewed and eaten slowly. Pureed foods were easiest, especially soups. I still find my stomach will tolerate soups over most foods. Cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, all make me very sick. Now I just have very small amounts to satisfy my sweet tooth. Any more and I pay! Now I can eat salads and vegetables with no problem. Onions really bother me now. I get a lot more gas from foods than I used to. It is very important to follow the diets given to you by your doctor. Mashed potatoes were a staple for me for at least a month after surgery. Now I can eat potatoes cooked in a variety of ways. I don't tolerate French fries very well, or other greasy foods. They make me feel sick to my stomach. Rice took a while to enjoy again, as did pasta. I find pasta has to be cooked until it is softer than I used to eat it. Very spicy food bothers me a lot, but I could never eat much of it before the surgery. Generally, I eat just about everything now with a few modifications. It takes time, but you will be able to eat almost the same as before, just much less!

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

For the first month, I didn't do too much except walk and light housecleaning. The second month, I went back to the gym and slowly worked my way up to about forty minutes of aerobics, and and hour of weight training twice-a-week. I also swam and walked five days a week.

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

My doctor has me on Feracon and children's chewable vitamins. I also take several antioxidants like alpha-lipoic acid, and vitamina E and C. Then I take 600 mg. Calcium with vitamin D, and a glucosamine and chondrotin supplement for my joints.

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?

I had nausea and vomiting quite frequently for the first month and a half following surgery. I coped by trying different foods, slowing down my eating, and having smaller but more frequent meals. Dumping is the worst. If I eat too fast or too much, especially of sweets, I feel absolutely horrible! I try to avoid that as much as possible, but I am still learning which foods cause me to dump. The hair loss has kicked in. Everybody thinks my hair looks better since I lost so much! My hair was very thick. I know it is temporary, and seeing how good I look in clothes now makes the hair loss a very minor inconvenience.

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

The worst part about the surgery was having surgery! When you wake up, you feel awful and you are in pain. The convalescing is difficult. But once you are past that and see the weight coming off, you know the discomfort was worth it.

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

My aftercare support group is the people on this site. Talking to others and reading their stories is so helpful!

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

My scar is quite prominent. I did not expect it to be so thick. I knew it would be about six inches long, but it is really thick. Vitamin E oil does seem to help keep it soft and make it fade. Do not use the oil until your doctor says your scar is healed enough to do so!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had several plateaus, and am having one now. It is frustrating, but I notice that even if the scale isn't showing weight loss, my clothes are fitting better. That is because the exercise I am doing is reducing the fat and building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so the scale may not show a change.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, especially people I know treat me differently. Some look at me suspiciously because they are jeolous of my weightloss. Others are so happy for me and continually praise me.