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

I first heard about bariatric surgery from a family friend who had it several years ago. I was very young and didn't know too much about it, other than she was very sick and was in the bathroom all the time. About 6 yrs ago my aunt had bariatric surgery and did very well with it. She weighed over 450 pounds and has lost close to 300 pounds.

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

I could not get my insurance to pay for my surgery. It was not part of our policy. ( Talk to your insurance company if it isn't a part of your policy, because they may be able to add it if the company you work for is willing to do so at the time of the renewal of your policy. It's worth a try!!) But I did get some financial aide through the hospital and my surgeon gave me a 15% discount. I had to finance everything through loans. If your insurance will not cover the surgery, be sure to check with your hospital & surgeons for any kind of discounts you can get.

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

I had an excellent first visit with my surgeon. Dr Katie Hatch visited with me about her experience preforming bariatric surgeries. Where she trained, approximently how many she had done. She was very personable. She shared with me alittle about her self. She explained everything in great detail, including drawing pictures of everything! She was wonderful! (She was pregnant with twins when she did my surgery, so at christmas she sent me a christmas card of her,her husband, daughter and new twin babies in the hospital right after they were born.) She not only was my doctor, but she became a friend also. I would suggest that before you go in to see your surgeon to make any notes of questions you may have. REMEMBER NO QUESTION IS A DUMB QUESTION! THIS IS YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was so tired of being tired!! Feeling depressed, sickly, fat and ugly! I just felt like every time I turned around, something was wrong with me. I was always going to the doctor for something. My health problems continued to get worse. They were all weight related! I knew it was time to do something. I went to a weight loss surgery seminar with my sister. "I was going to support her!" the funny thing was that they gave me the paper work too!! "HERE'S MY SIGN!" We listened to everything they had to say. After the meeting my sister & I got to talking and decided we were going to do it together. So we did!!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My sister and I researched several options. My sister had been to five other seminars prior to the one we went to together. So she was very a where of what was out there. Our aunt had the RNY 6 years ago and has done very well. The doctors that were at the seminar we went to only did the RNY, and neither of us were very insterested in the Lap Band so that helped with our choice.

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?

Fears.... Well my first fear was, would I ever be able to really eat again? Lets face it, if you are a stress eater like I was.... food comes first. Just to let you know, you can still eat food!!! Now it's about making the right choices and small portions. I never really thought about dying from the surgery, it was my health I was afraid of! I knew if I didn't do something about my weight my other health problems put me more at risk. Really think about your options, your risk, your health.

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 was very blessed. My sister & I both had our surgeries together. Yes, we had them the same day. Our family was and is still very supportive. My husband, parents, children, friends and my sister of course are all terriffic! We couldn't ask for anything more. Always be honest with yourself, spouse, family and friends. Understand that not everyone is going to understand or agree with you, but you have to do what is right for you. Friends that are real friends will stand behind you and support you. If they don't, maybe they weren't really your friend in the first place or JUST MAYBE they are afraid for themselves? Give them a chance. You aren't the only going through changes!! They all have to adjust too!! Its a BIG change!!

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

I didn't work outside the home at the time I had my surgery. I was taking care of my mother in law in our home. It was my husbands choice to put my mother in law in a assisted living care home. I now working part time/as needed at the facility were she resides. The owner had also had bariatric surgery a year prior.

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

I had a great hospital stay! My sister & I had surgery the same day. Our doctors assisted one another. We kind of got alittle special treatment so to speak.... We were known before we even got there because of being sisters. The funny part was that some of the staff thought we were "SISTERS" as in "NUNS!" It became a joke around the hospital. So we were treated very good. After surgery I was not allowed to have any fluids for 24 hours. Before my Dr allowed any fluids by mouth I had to have a drink study done. This checked for any leaked. Once that was all ok, I was allowed to have fluids. ONE once at a time!! Believe me it seemed like a lot!! I also did alot of walking. My sister and I walking all the time. They told us that we were the first bariatric patients to ever walk down to x-ray for our drink study. I highly recommend walking as much a you can after surgery. It hurts at first, but it sure helps and you will actually feel better. We had surgery on a Monday and were discharged on Wednesday morning. We weren't there very long. Just do everything they tell you to do!!! Listen to your doctors & nurses. They know best!!! The most important thing to bring is loose clothes to wear home!!! Check with your doctor about bringing your c-pap if you use one. You may need it after surgery. I didn't.

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

The only complication I had was a reaction to the pain meds given after surgery. As far as the surgery its self, I didn't have any!!!

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

EXCITED!!!!! I CLEANED!!!! I went through my entire house! I knew I wouldn't be doing much for a few weeks so I just started cleaning. Our daughter & her family from Texas came for a visit during that time, so it went very fast!!! I really didn't have much time to think about it.

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

You won't be doing much for the first few days. You need rest & you still need to walk!! You'll be sore. Take your pain meds if you need to. Let your family and friend help out. Don't do too much to fast. I did and it kicked my butt. Driving will depend on your doctor & if you are still taking pain meds. Do yourself a favor! Do what your doctor tells you to do!! Don't hesitate to call your doctor with questions.

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

We traveled 145 miles to have surgery. It was a long ride home! We traveled back to Billings at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks. Then we went back 3 months and are going for our 6 months at the end of February. (Which we are at our 7 month mark) We have our primary care doctor here in our town that is very good about anything that I need. He does all of my lab work here. By him ordering it my insuance pays for it.

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.

Every week or two my diet changed. Right after surgery it was clear liquids. Then after a week or two I could drink other liquids such as cream of wheat, soup (no chunks), pudding, etc. Then it was regular foods pureede. This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Once I got to regular foods, I had to introduce little at a time. There were times that I could eat some things and maybe the next time I tried to eat it, it wouldn't stay down. You just have to keep trying it at a later time. I still have a hard time with chicken. I do better with fresh cooked chicken than if I try to reheat it or even eat it cold. Steak is another food I still have trouble with. So those are a few foods I stay away from. SWEETS & FATS are foods that really need to be off limits. If you do eat them they need to be in very small amounts and very limited!!!!

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

The day of surgery I was up and walking. I walked about every half an hour to an hour in the hospital. When I got home I did the same. As I started feeling better I walked more. Weeks after surgery I really started to notice my energy level started to increase. As my energy level increased I walked more.

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

I take 4 multi vitamins a day. They are called Opti-Source. They are specially formulated for bariatric surgery patients.They can be ordered online at www.resource.walgreens.com or you can call Walgreens at 1-800-828-9194 they are about $25.00. I also drink protein supplements.

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?

For me, right after surgery I had a hard time getting in all of my protein. I was trying to drink to drink protein drinks and still try to get my food in and I couldn't. I had to stop drinking the powder protein drinks and start using a clear liquid protein. I haven't had any problems since. I haven't had any hair loss. It's very important to make sure you get your protein in so this doesn't happen. Since my weight loss I have had a hard time sleeping because of the change in my pressure points. I now have more feeling of my bones than I have in a long time!!! I have been told in my support group to get a foam padding to cover my mattress. They say this will help. I haven't gotten one yet. Will update when I get one.

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

I really can't say for me I had a worst part. Everything for me went pretty smooth. May be just getting through all of the classes. Because of living 145 miles from where we had to go, we had to get in as many classes & appts in the same day as we could. It just made for a very long day then to have to drive 2 hours home.

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

I attend my support group every month. We meet the second Monday of the month. I love my support group. I have two leaders that are great. Our group is fairly new. But we are really growing! I encourage everyone who is thinking about bariatric surgery or who ever has already had surgery to find and get involved in a support group. It really helps to talk with others that are going through the same thing. If you are having a problem, more than likely someone in your group is or has experienced the same thing. We started a walking group. We meet four days a week. It's a start.

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

They are very small!! Not much to see anymore. I had six very small cuts and two tiny ones where the drains were. No big deal.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I haven't really reached a plateau yet. My weight loss has slowed some but I am only 8 pound from my first goal and 23 pounds from my ideal weight. It's still coming off and I'm 7 months post op!! I'm happy!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People I know have been very good to me. Only one person that I know and consider a good friend doesn't talk to me as much. I think some of it is that I think she may not know what to say to me or maybe she feels uncomfortable around me.