ANGELA V.

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

before i would eat to ease any pain. wether it was cause i was upset, depressed etc. i was to the point ididn't care what people said or thought. i had a very bad attitude!

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

not getting clothes in real stores. not being able to do things with my kids/husband. people making fun of me.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

walk w/out sweating like a pig!!!!!!!!! playing/running with my kids!!!!!!!

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

i went to the local rite aid to fill my prescription for zenical. the gal behind the counter was scheduled for wls. told me about the local meetings as well as anything else i needed to know. i was kinda scared cause i have heard of bad experiences. not to mention never thought my ins would approve it!

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

i was approved the 1 st time. which was about 1 week maybe a week & a half. i did fight for a week for the surgeon i wanted. not who they wanted me to go to.

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

my 1 st visit was awesome. he told me the good the bad & the ugly. he was very well educated. i took a list of questions & he answered them all. he didn't rush me etc. also if i had more he would answer them.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

got tired of being out of breath every time i did something. as well as being tired of my body going numb at night...

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

well i went with open rny cause i had previous surgeries. (2 c sections/tubes tied) and figured it would be easier for him to get around in.....

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 scared of not coming out of it. cause i didn't want to leave or hurt my kids/husband. the fears are real, but i came out just fine. it wouldn't be normal if you weren't scared.

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 mom was against it. my husband was like what ever you think you need to do. my dad was all for it. afetr surgery my family & support group were awesome. few had negative things to say, but hey that's them! now that i am about 100 pounds down some excited for me then some are jealous/mean to me. but idid it for me!!!

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

my stay was great. the nurses were awesome. even helped in the bathroom. i was there 5 days since i was from out of town. i brought everything. didn't use any of it! all i really needed was underwear, socks/slippers, & hygene pads.

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

i have had no complications so far. (knock on wood) unless you count bronchitis 2 times. never had it till after surgery. so not sure if they are "connected".

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

weeks afetr surgery i felt fine! could't lift much but other than that was fine! didn't have any anxiety.

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

the 1 st few weeks i wasn't able to lift my baby, vacumn, anything heavy was out of the question. for me my 1 st 4-6 weeks went by fast as far as the liquid & puree phase went. wasn't as hard as i thought.

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

i traveled almost 4 hrs for surgery. didn't affect my after care. i have dr's here. so wasn't a biggie.

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.

meat, any sugars, i couldn't tolerate. now i can 7 months out.

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

activity level was fine. i came home the day i got out & went shopping, driving etc. just couldn't lift groceries etc. but i did wait 3 or 4 weeks to "be" with my husband. was scared to pop my incision.

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

i take a multi vitamin, iron pills, & that is it. i probably should be taking something else.....

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 dumping the 1 st 4-5 months. nausia about the 1 st 4 months. no sleep problems!! hair loss started at 5 months & i still have it. course unlike others i am not all that worried. (i have really thick hair!)

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

nothing was worse about it all. unless you count people being mean cause they heard you had it done. which is none of their business!

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

we have a local support group here. but not very helpful at all. i go so i can try to help someone else.

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

my scar is small. visible, but i am happy!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

i have had a 4 weeks period with no loss. but thenm make up for it when i do loose. so no biggie.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

oh yes!!!! before i got nasty looks etc. now i get compliments. as well as some flirting or being very nice.
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