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

I first found out about bariatric surgery when I attended a seminar with my father at the Cleveland Clinic. My father did not end up having the surgery through them but rather St Joseph Weight Loss Center in Youngstown, Ohio. I attended all of his pre-op testing and meetings and helped him shed the 20 lbs the surgeon wanted him to lose before his surgery date. I wanted to have surgery the same time my dad did but unfortunately I did not have insurance and could not afford to rack up the debt WLS would surely leave me in. I was not as scared back then as I am now. Now that I'm looking into the surgery myself, taking on all the information I can get about it, I've definitely been a bit more worried/scared about complications and death.

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

I have 11 more days before we send my letter for approval because I am scheduled for my consult on 8/19/2011.

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

The first visit with my surgeon Dr. Woodruff was great. He was very informative and eager to answer all of my questions. I suggest making a list of questions you may have beforehand and taking it with you.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had previously wanted to have the surgery but didn't have insurance and could not afford to be self pay. Now that I have insurance I had really started looking into it. I guess I am just tired of being out of breath, the aches and pains, tired of not living the life I deserve. I want to be healthy and give myself the best chance at a full life as possible.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Originally I was set on having the RNY but now I am leaning more towards VSG. I'm hoping my insurance will approve the VSG, if not I will probably just go for 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?

My main fears were dying and blood clots. The deaths from this surgery are few and far between and as long as you follow the post-op instructions of your surgeon you shouldn't have any issues with blood clots. The way I look at it, I'm more at risk being overweight for heart disease and heart attacks. Just have faith in your surgeon/surgical team, follow all instructions pre and post op, and have faith in God to bring you through this!

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 is very supportive, especially my dad because he's had the surgery already. My fiance is extremely supportive, he's always been my rock. I've only mentioned my WLS to 2 of my friends so far because they can relate.

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

n/a

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

n/a

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

I had an overnight stay and that was it! The nurses took great care of me, they were very attentive to my needs and I had little to no pain at all. The most important things I brought were: my own pillow and blanket, a robe, and toothbrush, toothpaste and mouth wash (helped with the dry mouth ALOT), oh and definitely bring Chapstick!

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

None whatsoever, praise the Lord!

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

It has been a little rough on me only emotionally. Watching others around me eat things I love and not being able to have them. My hormones have been a little out of whack as well.

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

I don't want to give advice on this because I feel like my recovery was 110% easier than most!

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

10 minutes.

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

I had more energy and wanted to do alot more than I was able to!

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

Celebrate Multivitamin (twice a day), Celebrate Iron + C (once a day), Celebrate Calcium Plus 500 (3 times a day), Vitamin D (once per week) and Protein, protein, protein!! (60-80 grams!)

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 nausea the first few days I came home but it quickly went away.

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

The worst part for me has been the first few weeks out when you can have nothing but liquids and everyone around you is indulging in everything you CAN'T have.

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

My scars are 6 tiny incisions ranging from 1/4inch - 1 inch. They look alot better than I had anticipated!