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

Taking care of patients who had the procedure done.

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

HELL. I had to change insurance companies once before I was approved. It was a very stressful time in my life living on a rollercoaster.

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

Positive. Come with a written list of questions and don't be afraid to ask anything including if the Dr. has had anyone die etc...

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I could not walk the mall or from my car to my office without extreme pain and breathlessness. Not being able to enjoy Hawaii with my family and crying a lot.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I know my eating issuse and felt VGB was not going to be successful with my eating disorder. RNY was the only was for me.

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 have taken care of many people who died horrible deaths due to this surgery and that is why it took me so long to make the decision.

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?

Very supportive.

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

Very supportive.

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

3 days in the hosptial. The first evening I was very uncomfortable but got better every day. Bring someone who loves you and can stay wtih you the entire time. I was so afraid of dying I wanted my husband there incase something happened.

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

None.

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

Weak, dizzy, thought a lot about food, nauseated on occ., tired out by 2pm, excited.

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

I rested and was a little tearful that I had risked so much to be healthy and was so grateful I had survived. Expect to rest a lot and do little nice things for yourself since you have now lost your OLD best friend...food.

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

45 miles. I don't get to make many of the suport meetings because of the distance and that kind of bothers me.

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.

week one-clear liq...very little carbs and very small amounts. week two-full liq and very small amounts week 2-4 progressed to pureed in very small amounts > 4 weeks can begin to try things...tolerated just about everything but sugar and beef at about 3 months can have a little beef and very little sugar. maybe a bite of birthday cake is all.

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

took about 2 months to begin to tolerate 8-10 hrs of work.

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

multi-vit 2x/day calcium chew 2x/day vit B shot every 3 months just because I want one. drink a 40-50 gram protien shake almost every morning

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?

nausea with occ vomiting occ. dumping LOTS of hair loss and it is still going on. started at 3 months.

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

waiting for approval!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

I try to go 1x/mth to my surgeons group and I go to OA once a week.

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

5 surgical stab wounds on the upper part of my abd.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

may last a week. at most...but i know i am in for more.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES. It bothers me when the opposite sex does as I am still the same person insdie and now they have time to talk to me. Most of the time people are very kind, and interested in what I am going through. I have really enjoyed my 17 yr olds daughters girl and guy friends tell me...Miss Connie, you look so beautiful.