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

I found out about WLS from a co worker who had, had the surgery. He had it when it was a new procedure and weighed in excess of 650 pounds. He was having all kinds of medical problems and ended up apssing away 3 months after his surgery from kidney failure. So my initial impression of WLS is that it kills you. Luckily that is not the idea that stayed in my mind, after researching WLS for myself I realized I couldn't be more wrong.

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

I was in the hospital 3 days and 2 nights after the surgery. The hospital staff were very comforting and some had even had the surgery and had a lot of helpful and comedic stories. Important things to bring are just what you would bring in for any surgery. I didn't need anything special.

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

No, none so far. I am almost 5 months out.

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

About a week after the surgery I thought, "what in the hell did I do to myself?!" I was on liquids and very emotional. Luckily I had family support to help me through. In the weeks after the first week I felt inspired and for the first time I felt like I might actually have a successful weight loss experience.

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

The first few weeks after the surgery are the hardest to me. You are on liquids and you never feel full and you think that a mistake has been made because you are not supposed to be able to eat even an ounce but you can eat quite a bit of Jello and not feel full. Then you will get frustrated because you cannot eat anything except the broth and jello and this will make some of you emotional and "cranky" and this is when most people I have talked too say "WHAT HAVE I DONE!" But don't worry, it gets way way better!

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

I travelled 90 miles to have the surgery. The aftercare was almost non existent. I think it was more because my surgeon was lacking in this part of his practice more than the miles though. He is good at doing the surgery, but that is his focus, the acter care is not really his fortey which was very disappointing to me.

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.

At first it is hard to eat most foods. It is all trial and error and each person is different. Personally I have a hard time eating hamburger, pork, noodles, bread, fried foods, lettuce, and cold water. The longer you are out, the more tolerable some foods become, you just have to try them. If it makes you sick then you don't eat it, but try it again in another month and it may be different. The surgery really helps you learn to eat the right way. When you are full and you over do it, you throw up and after a while you get sick of getting sick and you push you plate away no matter how badly you want it. Certain foods may not make you sick but they dont make you feel good either so you eat the things that make you feel good or give you energy and those are usually healthier things like chicken, mashed potatoes, fruit, room temperature water, etc.

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

My energy level has increased 110% since the surgery. I am so much more active and busy than I used to be and I am involved in alot more community social groups than I have ever been in my life.

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

I take pre natal vitamins, b-12 pills, tums (for calcium), and for the first 3 months I took pills to prevent acid reflex and gall stones. oh and I drink protein drinks daily.

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?

disturbance was the worst for me since I had none of the others although I am now beginning to get some hair loss and I am not liking it very much. For about a week after surgery it was really hard to lay down comfortably without the incision hurting or feeling like it was getting pulled.

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

the torture you put yourself through bouncing back and forth with "I'm doing it" and "I cant do this" in the days prior to the surgery date. It is a scary thing and everyone goes through their doubts, but if you do go through with it you will never regret it.

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

My local support group is awesome! With my surgeon being of no help at all as far as the after care, the support group to me was my life saver! I learned everything about after care from my group, they are like my second family!

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

I really didnt know what kind of scar to expect. It is not as big as what I would have thought it would be and it is slowly fading. Besides I am never gonna wear a bikini so it really doesnt bother me,..lol.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I began losing alot of weight quickly in the beginning, but I hit a plateau last month where I was the same weight for 3 weeks. It was very discouraging although I did lose inches during this time. Then it was explained to me at the support group that when you go through a plateau it is your bodies way of catching up with your weight loss. When it ended, I lost 10 lbs so that made me happy and motivated again!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I notice I treat myself differently now. Everyone who knows me is encouraging and tells me how great I look. But the biggest change in the way I get treated is in the way I treat myself. I now care about what I look like and how I smell. If I am in style. I am learning to love myself and that is something I have never done.