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

I have had a few friends that had this done about 10 years ago, at this time I thought I could do this all on my own, and I was not willing to go through surgery to help me lose weight, well ten years of trying many diets, failing all of them and my health getting worse, I knew I needed help, and I went and talked with my family doctor, and she thought that it would be a wonderful idea.

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

Being organized with all of your prior diets, is so important, I didn't have that hard of a time getting approved, like I said befor it took longer for my surgeon to compile his information then it did to get the approval from Unided health care, I also have secondary insurance, Aetna which didn't contribute much of anything, I expected this, Once open enrollment comes, I will be switching, I've had nothing but problems with Aetna, which is through my husbands work, I carry Unided Health care, which I can't say enough good stuff about.

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

Write down all the questions you have for your surgeon, make sure you ask everything. I had such a wonderful surgeon and nursing staff.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I knew that if I didn't go through with the surgery my health would only suffer more, I can't say enough about the surgery, I would do it again in a heart beat.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

This is the only procedure that my surgeon does, I spent alot of time on hear reading files, and I really likes the fact that we do not lose as much of our nutrients with this surgery.

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, like so many others is that I wouldn't make it through the surgery, and would never see my children again, I knew that without the surgery I wasn't sitting in the best health either, I wanted so much to be a better mother and wife, and wanted to be able to do all the things I couldn't do at this weight, I quickly got over all the fears, by all of the benifits.

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

I'm not proud of this, and I can't say it's the best decision I made, but it's one I made, I told my employer that I was going in to have my gallbladder taken out, and nothing about the gastric bypass, I can't say this is the best choice. I was out of work for a week and a half, my job is not physical, I have alot of employees that helped me a great deal for the first six weeks.

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

I had a great stay in the hospital, wonderful nurses, the only thing I wished I would have braught was a fan, I'm so used to having a fan on at night, my husband braught one up the second day, it really helps.

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

I had no complications from surgery.

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 excited, and so ready for the date to arrive, but I took the time to get ready by exersizing, and trying to eat right.

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

The first week was the hardest, I slept alot, took it easy, and made sure I took my Lortab faithfully so I wasn't in any pain, which I believe is so important, after a few days I went shopping for a short time, I was very tired, but the walk did me good, I made sure I got my walks in, even if it was up and down my hallway.

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

It's about 15-20 miles to the hospital that I had my surgery at, this is pretty normal travel when you live up north, the price you pay to live in the beautiful country.

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 was on liquids for the first week, then puree for the next two weeks, I have to say the first week was just fine, but by the end of the third week, I was ready to try some regular food, I had alot of trouble with food, I know alot of the problem was trying to slow myself down, and once I got this under control I had no problems.

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

I have to be honest, which I'm not proud of, I didn't get in as much walking in as I should of, I did try and walk around the yard, and do some exersizing in the house. Now at three months I'm faithfully walking at least 2 miles a day 7 days a week, which I see the inches coming off alot faster, so the exersize is so very important.

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

I take 2 chewable flinstone vitamins along with one b12 sublingal every morning, at night I take 2 caltrate chewable.

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 think the worst is getting the food stuck and having to vomit, to get rid of the pain.

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

I would have to say it was the waiting for the date.

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

My aftercare program is wonderful, I'm seen at one week, one month, two month, three month, 6 month 9 month, and one year, 18 month, and then every year after.

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

I think my scar is minimal compaired to the benifits, it's really faded in the three months after the surgery. I'm very please with the results.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have quite a few plateaus, it seems like I'll go for 2 weeks and then all of a sudden drop 10 pounds, I'm weighing myself way to much, I need to get out of this, this is not a good idea, way to discouraging.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not really, I've always been a strong person, alot of this probably from putting up my guard, not going to let people treat me badly because of my weight, which I know they did behind my back.