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

A friend told me she was going to do it. I thought she was crazy and that it was wrong. I considered it mutilation. How I've changed in two years!

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

My ducks were in a row. The insurance lady at my surgeon's office took care of everything. I had approval from Pacificare within 48 hours.

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

I asked many questions. I had a list of 75 questions. I would suggest preparing a list of questions, because you cannot possibly remember all of them when you get there.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

It was the last resort. I had tried everything else and finally realized that I could not do it on my own.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Obesityhelp.com. and the advice of my doctor.

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 did not have an inordinate fear, but did consider the possibility. I wasn't afraid of dying because I didn't want to live like that anymore and had faith that I had a wonderful future ahead of me if I died. As far as the complications were concerned, I knew I could deal with them as they came up.

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?

They were all supportive before and after surgery. There were a few people who didn't want me to have the surgery and asked my close friends to talk me out of it. I angered me at the time, but I remembered how I felt about the surgery when I first heard of it and realized that most people have little knowledge about bariatric surgery. Also, I know that you can't please all of the people all of the time, and it was time to please me.

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

My supervisor was very supportive. My employer was also and was good about disability pay. They knew how ill I have been for a long time, so they knew it was necessary. I was off work 6 weeks.

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 three days. I was kept out of pain very well. It was painful to get up, but had I been shown the correct way, it wouldn't have been so bad. (Roll to your side using the rails, then pull/push yourself to a sitting position). The best item I had was an electric fan--I was very hot the entire time. The fan made it bearable.

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

I had no complications from surgery. However, about two weeks after surgery, I was getting up from the chair. I got a pain in my foot, which caused me to fall back into the chair. I injured my midriff. It felt like a burning, stabbing, charley horse. I basically had to rest another week. This was VERY painful. I needed help up out of a chair, off the toilet. I could not bend to clean myself. But it only lasted five days really bad, then gradually subsided.

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 wasn't so anxious (nervous) as I was wanting it to be done NOW. I read the website as much as possible, and was obsessed. I prayed too, that helped.

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

Expect that you are very sore and cannot bend over easily. This includes bathrooming, so cleanliness is an issue. No one told me of this, probably because it is so indelicate, but I needed help to clean myself. That was probably the worst thing about surgery. It was unexpected and humiliating. The pain/soreness is livable, it was the emotional stuff that was worse. I would recommend anyone having this surgery (lap or open) definitely have someone available 24 hours/day to help get up and down and personal things, if needed.

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

5 miles.

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 haven't tried sugar, but so far I have eaten every type of food I can think of. No vomiting, no dumping. I am careful about quantity though.

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

I was able to walk comfortably the day after surgery. Walking doesn't hurt. BUT I would recommend a binder or something when moving around. The actual walking didn't hurt, but later or the day after, things would always be sore from the weight pulling on incisions. Two weeks after surgery I could walk about 1/4 mile. It increased as time went on. After a month, it was almost like I was back to normal, although, I am still a little sore the day after I do bending exercises.

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

Two Flintstones/day. Iron, magnesium, Vit E, acidophilus, Calcium citrate (600 mg three times/day), chewable B12 and chewable iron. I also take Vitamin A, C.

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 have had no side effects yet.

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

The humiliation and embarrassment of not being able to bend enough to complete bathroom tasks (if you get my drift). My husband had to help me at home. My sister had to help me in the hospital. Surgery pain was bearable and not near as bad as I imagined it would be. (I always imagine the worst.)

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

I haven't been to a support group, but they are available. I haven't felt the need. My husband and family are very supportive.

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

I have five 1/2" scars, kind of in a circle on my abdomen. They are not as bad as I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Little plateaus. I weigh too often, and the scale doesn't always drop when I know it should. But if I am patient, I drop in a few days or a week. I'm beginning to learn to just weigh maybe once a week.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I've only lost about 43 pounds, but they do seem to treat me different. People who don't usually even say hi are stopping to talk. It actually makes me mad that now I am good enough, but before I wasn't, but I don't let them know.