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

My mom has this done when I was a little girl. I never thought that I would need to do this. I was impressed with the results.

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

I was very impatient. I wanted it to happen right then. When I finally got the phone call that I was approved, I was on top of the world. Then my surgery day wouldnt come quick enough. But it came and now I am 7 weeks post op. For all of you in waiting, be patient. It is worth the wait.

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

I was scared and nervous. I had my mom there for my support. Remember to ask as many questions as possible and if need be, write them down as you think of them so you will be prepared when you get there.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was so tired all the time. I was only getting worse and nothing was helping. It seemed like everytime I turned around I was getting sick and back at the doctors office. This was not the way I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I had the open RNY.

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 didnt get really scared until about the week before surgery. As it approached I became more and more scared. I had nightmares about it and would often break down in tears at the thought of not being here to see my daughter grow up. Then I thought about the possibility of dying from obesity. The chances are just as great, if not greater.

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?

I had some of my friends say that I was just whimping out on trying to lose weight the real way. WHATEVER!!!! They were born skinny! I told them that if they were truly my friend that they would support my decision to better my life and to be healthy. They were all there to help me in the long run.

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

I am unemployed because of being sick all the time.

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

I stayed in the hospital for 5 days. I didnt like a lot of the nursing staff. I found that a lot of people were not as understanding of this surgery and were very insensitive. Just your basic toiletries and a comfortable pair of clothing for the ride home. Remember to have a pillow for your tummy!!!!

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

Everything went well with the surgery. So far I havent had any 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?

I was mainly trying to control the pain, I didnt sleep very well when I got home. It was very uncomfortable to lay flat, so I had to elevate the head of my bed for about a week.

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

Well, dont try to do too much. Listen to your body. If you are hurting, stop what it is you are doing and rest. Take your medications and take care of your G-tube. Your pain will go away gradually and before you know it, you wont feel anything.

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

I had to travel about 60 miles. It didnt bother me much. Just make sure if you are far away from home, take a calling card with you and be prepared for the ride home. It was really bumpy for 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.

Well, being that I had surgery right before the holidays, I was tempted to try just about anything. I had to stick to my baby food diet, though. For the first four weeks, I stayed on soups and baby food (stages one and two). Then I was upgraded to pureeing my own food in a blender. I have to stay away from greasy foods, like mayo, and really heavy sweets.

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

In the first two weeks, I was mostly wanting to rest. I would get tired easily and hurt when I would do things like standing for long periods. Then it gradually wore off. By the time the first month went by, I stopped hurting and was more energetic.

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

I have to take childrens chewables twice a day and I take foltrin (generic for trinsicon) twice a day. I cannot swallow the capsule, so I have to open it up and mix it with some applesauce. I am going to request something different because the high iron is making my teeth turn grey and feel like sand paper. No matter how much I brush, it doesnt go away.

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 a little bit of nausea and very little vomiting. I didnt sleep well for the first two weeks, but as the pain subsided, my wonderful sleep returned.

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

The surgery itself wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. Aside from a horrible hospital stay, the bad habits I had before were still there. You know, standing in front of the fridge with the door wide open and wondering what it is that you really want. Training myself how to eat has proven to be a challenge.

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

I dont really have a support group for after care. Usually when I need some pep talk, I talk to my friends or just log onto my favorite site.(obesityhelp.com) Fortunately for me, my mom had this surgery done in the 80's, so she has been through all of it. I am able to get food tips and so on.

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

My scar was larger than I anticipated. I found out later that the doctor had to cut a little bit more than usual. I dont really care though. That scar is nothing compared to the emotional scars I have from being overweight.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

About 3 weeks after, I didnt lose any weight and had actually gained about 5 pounds. I found out that it was water retention. I had too much salt. I also have low kidney function, so that contributed. I went back to liquids for a couple of days, and I was back on track.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I think that this story is the greatest. I went to the grocery store with my mom when I was two weeks post. One of the store clerks I knew was embarrassed to ask if I had had the surgery yet. She pulled me aside and asked me because she could tell that I was trimming down. That was wonderful!!!! I dont expect people to really notice until I am at least 75 pounds lighter. Then I will see more responses.