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

The Winter of 2003 is when I first heard of it. I went to a seminar in February of that year, however at that time in our town they only did open surgeries. I didn't want to have a large scar so I was scared to do it. Then by the Spring the surgeons in our town were going to start doing it Laprascopic, so I made the decision to have surgery in July of 2003.

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

The insurance process at that time was much easier than it is today.

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

Unfortunately, the surgeons in my town were so new to the procedure, they didn't offer much in the way of help. The follow up care was sub par at best. I would suggest that you really research your doctors and make sure they have excellent follow up care.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I wanted to make sure I was healthy so I could see my daughter grow up. I wanted to be a good example for her as far as living a healthier lifestyle.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The lap band wasn't as popular when I had the gastric bypass. Looking back I would have had the lap band and not the full bypass.

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 was very afraid of going under. I have had many surgeries throughout my life, all of them up to this point were not elective. and I am always worried the more you have the less likely you are to wake up honestly. But I had to put that aside and make a decision that could better my life. Going under is always very scary, and you never know what will happen. But you have to do your homework and trust your doctors.

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 parents were not happy about it. They felt I should lose the weight the old fashioned way. By eating less and exercising. But sometimes it isn't that easy. I was addicted to food. It was my friend and I looked at food as a comfort. It didn't judge me or make me feel I wasn't good enough. My husband didn't think I could do it and he thought I would remain heavy. We divorced right after I had the surgery and I lost 140 lbs!! We are now remarried and in a much better place in our marriage. But there are times I want to tell them I told you so!!

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

My job was supportive. I don't work for the same company anymore, but most of the people I worked with were happy for me.

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

It was scary at first, but there was good information.

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

The stay in the hospital was awful, I was in so much pain and tired. But the body is resilient. Being on a liquid diet is rough but when you aren't hungry it's not so bad....

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

Right after, I didn't. I started to have stomach pains about a year out, finally after 4 years of this, I found a doctor that realized I was Vitamin D and B12 deficient. As I said post op care was awful with the surgeons I went to. They were not good at keeping up with after care (they are no longer practicing in the town I had the surgery in) I got back on shots and started a large dosage of Vitamin D and those pains only come on once in a while. Last year I had a major setback. In June of 11, I started to have horrible stomach pains, finally after 6 hours my husband convinced me to go to the ER. They did a MRI and I had developed adhesions. The scar tissue had caused my intestines to get wrapped around themselves and I had to have emergency surgery. The surgeon said they had been there a while and this time the intestines didn't correct by themselves. Luckily, I didn't need a resection.

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

The anxiety was pretty bad... I almost backed out at the last minute.

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

Things are much different now from what I heard. The worst part is the fatigue because you are so deprived of nutrients. But once you get past the liquid diet stage, it gets much better.

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

It was done in my hometown of Abilene, Texas.

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.

The first two weeks was a liquid diet. So chicken broth and sugar free popsicles were my best friend. I would also make soup but just have the liquid. Then after two weeks was a soft food diet. I ate a lot of eggs... they are loaded with protein. Then I gradually added in different foods. Trust me your body will tell you what you can and can't have. I was very good at staying away from foods that you aren't supposed to have.

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

Very limited the first few days, 3 days were spent in the hospital. I was only off work for two weeks, I slept quite a bit but made sure to walk around to avoid clots. Once I got back to work I was able to move around more... gradually I was able to do all the things I love to do.

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

B12, Vitamin D... need a good multi vitamin!! It is so important.

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 really bad nausea for months. You aren't supposed to drink sodas since they are sugar loaded. However the only thing that got rid of it was beef jerky and a sip of a carbonated beverage. I only did that for a week, then I was able to get back to my diet to lose and then maintain the weight loss. Honestly, after the first month you may start to experiment with foods. About 3 years after I decided to have pancakes with regular syrup. BAD CALL! I hadn't had them since before the surgery. Let's just say I didn't make it home from Walmart before I had to go to the bathroom. Lesson learned and now I still only have sugar free syrup. And I can't eat Ice cream or heavy desserts. To this day, they make me very sick!

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

The time in the hospital was horrible. And then not having follow up support from the surgeons that did the surgery.

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

None, I really need to find one now. There are times that I regret having surgery and I feel a support group would help. I would like to find others that have my same concerns this far out post op.

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

No scarring.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am having more plateaus this far out than ever before. I think it's because I am 9 years post op. I can eat more than I have been able to before and this is a little scary for me. I still can only eat certain things, but I am able to eat a little more than I used to. And at times, I eat more than I should and pay the price....

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

At times, yes but most of the time no.