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

my friend at work told me about i lady she worked with that had surgery done and that she lost 100 lbs in a year. my first impression was that is a cheat. if you had more will power you could just diet. i was still deep in denial.

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

everything went pretty smoothly except i had to keep calling and faxing paperwork that they kept losing. my advice to other people is don't give up. insurance comapnies will allow apporvals to sit on their desk unless you keep calling and buggin them.

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

i called ahead and got a preview booklet from my doctor. i read it completely and had a list of questions written down when in i got there. my suggestion to others would be do your homework and ask questions. keep asking until you understand the answer. remember know questions is dumb.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

i spoke to another patient of my dcotors that had surgery 1 year prior and did alot of research on the internet and doctors pamplets. i also talked to my husband and then we made up our mind to go ahead.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

researched surgeons in my area talked to my doctors others patients. also after intial interview with my doctor i felt he was the best and made me feel the most comfortable.

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 biggest fear was not waking up from surgery and waking up with breathing tube. i addressed my fears with my doctor and he put my fears at ease. i would tell other patients be upfront with your doctor regarding your fears before surgery.

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 mothers was supportive but felt it was very risky. my sister was frighten until i read the surgeons pamplet on surgery and what to expect. my husband was great and stood behind me 100%. all my co workers were nvery supportive pre surgery and after. in fact after i returned to work 5 weeks after surgery they treated me like glass for quite awhile. not aloowing me to lift or strain myself in anyway and allowing me to leave if i felt sick and needed to rest. they were all really great and i'm lucky to have them.

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

my employer was very supportive. he had a friend who had same surgery so he knew what to expect and was always very understanding if i needed to go home do to being sink to my stomch or tired when i first got back. i was off work for 5 weeks and came back on light duty for 2 weeks after that i returned to my regular schedule and routine.

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

my hospital stay was alright but i don't remember much of it due to being on medicatin for the pain. i was in for 5 days. the most important thing to bring was loose clothes to go home in and slip on shoes due to you can't bend over for awhile after surgery

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

the only complication was i had a drain tube out my side which was suppose to stay in for 10 daays but 2 days after i got out of hospital my body was rejedting it andit made my stomach cramp really bad. so my doctor had to have me return to his office early and remove it.

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

the first 3 weeks after surgery was tough due to my stomach was swollen and tender. also i couldn't sleep in bed so i slept in a recliner. the anxiety didn't start till i had been home for 4 weeks then i started missing my job so i had them fax me work to my house so i had something to do to keep me occupied

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

your first few weeks on home are rough due to you are on a very strict diet and people are eating around you normally. also your stomach will be swollen and hard. most people i talked to that had this surgery didn't sleep in their beds for about 4 weeks. most lsept in recliners or sitting on the sofa.

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

my doctor is hour and half away so i had to travel 3 times after surgery to see him. travel didn't bother me as long as i put a pillow between my stomach and the seat belt. also my husband couldn't made sudden stops the jerked the belt tight or it would hurt my stomach

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.

the first 6 weeks i followed the doctors prescribed diet. i couldn't tolerate eggs or ensure protien drink. after diet was over and i could eat regular foods in small quanities. i found chicken and pasta to be the food i tolerated the best but turkey didn't sit well at all. i waited 4 months to try beef again and have found that lean cuts in small portions sit very well in my stomach but i still can't tolerate turkey. also i ahve become lactose intolerant so i can no longer have milk but i can drink soy milk

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

when i first came home from hospital it took all my will power to walk around my back yard. soon though i was able to walk to the end of road and back. since going back to work i have started goint to gym three times a week.

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

per doctors orders i now take two tums-ex, b-12, centrum, and iron tablet. accordin to the doctor this will be on going for life

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?

my worst side effect was dumping syndrome. i would have up to 6 times a day. i called my doctor and he perscribe medication. i have since stopped taking and have learned to control it by whatching what i eat and know what gives me dumping syndrome and avoiding these foods. i have also had hair loss in the recent months so i am taking protien drink from gnc and trying to keep my protein intake up at 40 grams a day. i snack now on jerky or some other high protien snack

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

my scar is preety flat except 3 inchs from the top close to the breast. this part spit so it is lumpy. my scar runs from breat bone to navel and is slightly crooked. i had seen this surgery scar on another patient i spoke to before surgery so mine is what i expected. i will porbably never wear a short bikini top but it was worht it.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

when i first had surgery i lost weight very fast but slowed down in the last 2 months. i think this was to be expected due to all the people i spoke with experienced the same thing.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

people treat me very different now. i notice men flirting with me that would have before and sales people more eager to help you than before. also when people find out about your surgery and weight loss they either treat you like a lab experiment or ask alot of questions like how much did you weight or what your goal weight is. my primary doctor i went to before i had surgery treated me like a lab test so i don't see him anymore.