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

my best friend had WLS and at first I was turned off by the permanentness of the surgery

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

My surgeon's office handled it all, I had no problems

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

My surgeon was very thorouhg. I went in with a list of questions and by the time he went through his explanations, he had answered all but 2 of the questions before I had a chance to ask them. Do your research prior to the visit, make a list of questions, talk to others who have been operated on by your surgeon.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was getting heavier and heavier and couldn't seem to lose weight. I was also losing my mobility

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Research, talking to tohers, listening to the surgeon

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 having the NG tube but I never knew it was there and it came out the day after 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 family was behind me 100% and my surgeons hospital did a video of a lap RNY that I was able to get a copy of and share with my family

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

I was out of work 8 weeks, because I could take that much time. My employer was supportive and encouraging!

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

My stay at the hospital was fine. The only thing I needed was a small pillow and safety pins.

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

I had no 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 just kept attending support meetings and talking to others who had gone before me!

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

trouble sleeping in bed, that was the only negative, and being tired, needed naps every day for at least 4 weeks.

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

right in the same city

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 could not and still cannot eat anything that has a high fat content and of course no sugar. I cannot eat hamburgers, but can eat ground beef. I still have trouble off and on with chicken or turkey, sometimes being able to eat it, others times not. I find it is trial and error everyday. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to what or when my pouch will reject. I can eat spicy now, couldn't pre-op

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

I was tired all the time and didn't do much

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

calcium citrate, muti vitamin b-12, Vitamin E, Flax seed oil capsules

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?

sleep disturbacne for about 3 monhts, couldn't sleep in bed or lay flat. Slept in a recliner

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

the worst part was and still is not knowing from day to day what my pouch will reject and the fact that some days I can eat a cupful and other days only a 1/2 cup full and I never know what it is going to be. Also constipation is an off and on thing, no consistency

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

There are monthly support meetings for new post-ops and then grad meetings for those 7 or more months post-op. The office medical staff is available by telephone for any and all questions. There is an on-line support group made up of wls patients from the hospital where I had surgery. Most important to me, is the group of friends that I have become involved with and how we support each other and just have fun together!

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

scars are minimal and what I was told to expect

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have plateaued off and on since my surgery, none lasting more than 4 weeks. When I hit a plateau I just go back to basics and do lots of protein and no to extremely low carsb. I still do not do sugar, and have never tried it!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, men do! smile, smile