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

My friend had it done with good results, and I felt like this was the only answer for me. I prayed and prayed about it and God just kept opening doors for me to have this done. I was not scared at all because I knew it was God's will for me to do this. He provided the avenues for me to take and it all fell into place too easily!

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

My insurance would not cover this unless I had an endogenous disease. That's when I learned of Arkansas Rehabilitative Services. I called and made an appointment and had my Congressman write a letter for me and everything went very smoothly.

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

I was weighed, my blood pressure was taken, my health history was taken. Then the nurse took a Before picture of me. Then Dr.Luttrell visited with me. He explained what would be done, answered my many questions, explained the risks and felt like this would be a great thing for me. I left feeling so excited and pumped for this surgery!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

After much prayer and discussion with my family, I felt like this was the only hope for me. I felt at peace with my decision and was confident in my choice of surgeon.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Dr. Luttrell told me what would be best for me, and I trusted his opinion.

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?

Naturally the day before or the day of there were fears of complications and leaving my husband, sons, and family and friends, but I knew this was just panic setting in. Through my faith I knew God would see me through.

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?

At first they panicked, but after talking with different doctors and others who had the surgery, their fears were calmed. They were VERY supportive during and after the surgery. My friends cooked and cleaned and helped care for my family. The post-op support was unbelievable. I had 12 people in the waiting room when I had the surgery and more when I got into my room! My church was wonderful to help with food, prayers, flowers, and my employers were also very supportive. I'm very blessed with my family and friends!

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

They were very supportive. I was out of work for 2 weeks. After that I worked half days for a month. Then I was back to full time. They were very understanding.

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

My hospital stay was fine. I was there 3 days. Bring Carmex for dry lips, lotion for hands and feet. Bring slippers because you need to walk those halls like crazy!! That's very important to walk to reduce the chance of blood clots forming.

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

I had an incisional hernia repaired 4 months after the surgery. It wasn't bad. I was in the hospital for 4 days.

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 able to keep a good attitude. The only time I felt bad was when I didn't eat. My blood sugar would drop and I felt terrible then. It's important to eat protein then to bring it back up. I had to make myself eat for strength and to prevent that from happening. I really didn't have a lot of anxiety. I was just really upbeat and a little impatient because I wanted to be thin right away!

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

I needed lots and lots of rest, but walked every chance I had. It takes a while to get your strength back. Don't lift anything and take things very slowly.

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

We live an hour away from the hospital, so it wasn't that bad.

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.

At first lots of soups, some cereal, saltines, cheese, mashed potatoes, sugar-free jello and pudding. After 2 weeks I added more vegetables and macaroni and cheese. At four weeks I slowly added meats. It's kind of trial and error from then on. Sugar should be avoided and carbonated sodas tend to give problems. Chew every small bite 30 times. That's very important.Now I eat whatever I want, just small amounts. I still don't drink with my meals. I wait a while after. Ice cream is hard for me to tolerate. t

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

I started out walking around the inside of my house the first week. The second week I was walking a block and just kept adding distance as time passed. At 2 months I was walking 2 miles a day.I still took small naps and rested during my lunch and after work and any other time I could.

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

I take a prenatal vitamin and calcium when I remember. I need to improve on that.

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?

Nausia and dumping were a problem for maybe a couple of months. Later I had some hair loss but it's thickening up again. I coped with the nausia by snacking on something every 2-3 hours. The dumping just kind of helped me know to stay away from sugary foods and what I could tolerate. It wasn't unbearable by any means.I just had to know when to quit eating.

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

The drain tube in my side was not very comfortable and I'm not a fan of epidurals.

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

I just have the support of my Doctor and his staff. They have been excellent in providing support that I've needed.

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

My scar is from under my breastbone to my navel. It's faint. I wear 2 piece swimsuits and it's barely noticable and it hasn't even been a year.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had a few short plateaus but now it's become very slow because I really don't need to lose more than 5 more pounds, so that's to be expected. If I was more faithful with my exercise it wouldn't be a problem.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes. People are amazed that haven't seem me in a while. They think I look like I did in high school.