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

A friends wife had it done and then he had it done and I watched his progress for a year before thinking about having it done myself. I did think it was extreme.

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

My doc's office took care of everything as far as insurance was concerned. They seemed very well organized and competent. I would ensure that you have all of your medical files concerning weight loss efforts and everything documented prior to visiting your weight loss surgeon.

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

Read, ask questions, find local support groups, etc. There is an enormous wealth of information via the internet. I knew what to expect because my friend and his wife were both post-ops with the same doctor. Be prepared to answer any familial and past medical history questions.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was out of control. In the past I could lose and gain 30-40lbs over and over. All of the sudden the weight was staying on and I was getting heavier and heavier. Something had to be done.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon made that decision. He likes to use only open RNY because he felt the mortality rate was slightly lower with the open procedures than with lap. His office has since done their first lap procedure.

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?

You should worry, but don't let the fear stop you from acting. This was my last/best hope at getting healthy and the benefits outweiged my fear of something going awry. I trusted my doc and the program from his office. Fear is healthy, that's why most of us don't parachute or bungee jump or race motorcycles, etc. Fear in this instance should be a motivator.

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 live away from my siblings and didn't tell anyone. One reason was not to worry my elderly mother the other is the fact that most people do not understand obesity and being fat. People see this as an easy way to lose weight and I did not want to deal with that attitude prior to surgery. My wife and I made the decision and that was that. I did not tell anyone until my mother came to visit and saw the post operative results herself. That was an initial 60-70 lb loss.

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

I told him that my doctor saw this as a medical necessity. I also received a couple of surgery dates in case one or two were not good. I did ask that the reason for my absence not be disclosed to my co-workers. I was out for six weeks, however, I could have been back after three had my incision not opened and bleed and ooze constantly. It required four or five cleanings and dressing changes a day.

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

The best thing I brought was my wife. She was such an enormous help. Hospitals suck, they should be gotten away from ASAP. I was treated well, but really dislike being woken up. The morphine pump was a great help though. Five days is too long a stay. Lose fitting clothes are a must. A pillow to hold over your stomach for the ride home is a great addition.

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

The only complication was my incision opening after the first week. It was a bother because it required constant care to keep from becoming infected.

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

Real soreness. Everything I ate or drank from this point on was an adventure. I didn't know what would make me sick and throw up. Baby steps--there was no diving into a bowl of ice cream. Learn to like water...

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

80 miles round trip. It did not affect my aftercare at all. The one exception being that my wife had to drive me and miss some work time.

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.

My doc's post-op program is the best. They keep you as a patient well informed as far as do's and dont's. I tried the yogurts and cheese sticks and hated it. It didn't make me sick...its just that I didn't eat those things prior to surgery why would I eat them after. I was tremendously careful to eat exact amounts prescribed in post-op literature. I do have a problem with certain smells of food making me not want to eat whatever it is. I have not had any sugar, i.e., candy, sweets, ice cream, soda, et al. I believe these things didn't do me any good pre-op and they won't do me any good post-op. My doc also insists this is a new life and a new way of doing things and I'll stick to that as long as possible. I find I want very flavorful things to eat. It seems as if I know my intake is limited and want what I do eat to be something great. I am not afraid to try new things within the boundries of post-op guidlines. I love food now. I look forward to a great meal. The amount is not a factor in my enjoying the meal. I believe I eat well and it's not boring. I do find that dough from a local pizza parlor gives me gas. go figure... This is a minor irritation--nothing more. This is just one example of a post-op thing to avoid. Sweet and sour sauce from a local Chinese place did not sit well, so I don't eat it. I am not into punishing myself--when something doesn't agree with me and I feel ill afterwards I do not eat it again. There have only been a couple of foods that I have re-tried and one still does not agree with me. I can live with that.

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

After being cut into it's not surprising to be down for a while. After the second and third weeks I was taking short walks and improvong greatly. By the time I went back to work I was walking a mile or two daily. At ten months post-op I have more energy and want to do something all of the time.

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

I take a muti vitamin and had some hair loss at 5-6 months post-op. The doc precribed an iron-B12 pill with intrinsic factor and it seems to have subsided.

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?

Dumping is not a nice feeling, however, I look at it as my body telling me to knock it off. It didn't do that before. It is nothing more than an occasional bother. As far as coping...there is really not a whole lot you can do but ride it out. The most severe case of dumping happened a month or so ago and I laid down until I felt better.

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

Pre-op nerves. Hoping this would work out the way you want it to.

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

I have two friends that have had this surgery and we support each other. I can ask them questions and they can ask me. I am thinking of joining a support group near by just for maintaining the weight loss long term.

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

You definitely can see it, however it is fading. Mine opened near the belly button and it is bruise colored.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

No plateaus for me. My weight loss slowed but never stopped until recently. I am now one year post op and down 158lbs. I am at an ideal weight. I actually lost more (20lbs) than I thought I would.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No. I have always had good relationships with people. There is some surprise in people that haven't seen me in a few months, however, they are happy to see that I've lost weight.