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

My brother decided to have bypass surgery after having a heart attack at the age of 41. He lost 182 pounds and is healthier than ever. He tolerated the surgery very well and he had an open RNY.

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

I've not been approved yet but I am very optomistic about it. I may find out tomorrow. Make sure you get everything done ahead of time and send everything into your insurer at the same time.

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

My first visit was pretty uneventful. I am very impatient and the wait for appointments, answers, surgery, etc. is very excruciating to me. I researched RNY quite extensively before I went to see the doctor and didn't have many questions that were not already answered.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was tired of the yo-yo dieting. I was at a point that another diet was useless because I would just gain it back. My brother had the surgery as was doing outstanding as well.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My insurance will only cover the gastric bypass. The decision was made for me.

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?

My fears were about anesthesia and needles. Everything went textbook perfect. They did have a hard time getting a tube down my throat but they were successful. Everything went well. Don't let horror stories stop anyone from having this procedure done. It's worth it.

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 husband, mother, father, brother, sister, etc. were all supportive and excited for me. They knew the struggles I have had with my weight throughout all my life. They are all gems! My mother flew in from out of state to help and she has been a tremendous help. My husband has been there every step of the way as well. I have had great support.

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

Strangly enough, they were very supportive and encouraged me to do this. They allowed me the time off and have made arrangements to cover my position while I'm out. They sent me flowers in the hospital and I couldn't ask for better support from them. I will be out of work for 2 weeks and 2 days.

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

My stay in the hospital was fairly uneventful other than having to "fire" one of my nurses. I would encourage anyone who is not getting the type of treatment they think they deserve from a particular healthcare employee to get rid of them. I didn't feel I was receiving the treatment that the other nurses and aides gave me from one particular nurse (male nurse). I told him I wanted another nurse to take care of me and to assign someone else to me. I said this to his face and there is not a better way to do it. I was in the hospital 3 1/2 days. The thing I found helpful was "Depends" believe it or not. As a woman, the stresses of going through something like this can cause you to start your period and you do not want to be jumping out of bed to change your personal items all the time. Depends were a life saver.

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

I had no complications.

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

There is no real good way to tell anyone how to "deal" with the anxiety. Everyone deals with it differently. I didn't have any fears but I did have anxiousness because I wanted to get it behind me and on with losing weight.

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

I had my surgery just before Thanksgiving. I was very nauseated and nothing seemed to ease it up much. I drank water while I watched everyone else eat Thanksgiving dinner. I'll never forget that...it was still worth it. The nausea subsided about 4 weeks post op.

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

I traveled approximately 20 miles to the hospital. It did not affect the aftercare I received at all.

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 could not stomach broth after a few days home from the hospital. I couldn't even stand the smell of coffee for at least 2 months. Eggs and cheese seemed to not set as well on my stomach in the beginning but it is better now. Fish was a big "NO" for me...it put me in bed for about 45 minutes until the nausea passed.

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

I was able to go to Walmart and walk around after surgery. I did very well. The hardest thing was not to lift my 18 month old. He didn't understand why mommy couldn't hold him. My mother was with me for the first two weeks after surgery and she did all the house work along with my husband.

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

The first month I took Flinstone vitamins. Now I am taking Metagenics Chewables. I believe I will continue on these for a while.

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?

The nausea was the worst. I still battle this when I don't take the Protonix the doctor prescribed me. I am also losing a lot of hair. This is a bad side effect, however, I had a lot of hair before this started happening.

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

Waiting!!!!! Even waiting to get to my goal weight is excruciating at times. After the surgery, I would have to say that the nausea is a nuissance.

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

I have been attending 2 different support groups...one in Macon and one in Warner Robins. This is a very vital portion of my success. I need these people to encourage me and support. I have always needed someone to relate to when it comes to losing weight. This is the best thing anyone could do.

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

The scars from lap RNY are not that bad. They are still a little red...not inflamed but just healing. I hope that a year from now that they will have faded quite a bit. The scar from where the drain tube was placed is the largest.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had one plateau experience but it was not a realllll long one. I was losing 3 to 6 pounds a week and then I didn't lose anything for almost 2 weeks. I knew ahead of time that this could happen and probably would. It didn't come by surprise.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Absolutely! My attitude is different so I believe the response I receive from others is definately a positive feedback. I was at the point before surgery that I really didn't care if people liked me or not and really had a chip on my shoulder. This has changed on my end. I haven't really had the negative experiences other WLS people have described. Hopefully, I won't have to go through that.