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

I first heard about bariatric surgery on television years ago. I always thought of it as a last resort & never thought I would need to "go that far", but after researching for years, I realize now that I have been fighting a losing battle all these years because this is an illness, out of my control.

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

My first request for approval was denied as "not covered". My plan changed during my research stage. My first & second level appeals were also denied. However, this was overturned on the third level appeal. My advise to anyone experiencing this is "DON'T GIVE UP" There is a light at the end of the tunnel & never lose sight of it.

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

On my first visit, I saw the Nurse Practitioner, who spent over an hour with me, explaining every detail of the surgery & life after surgery, as well as a very thorough exam. To get the most out of this is to listen intently to what you are told & reread the material given several times.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When my blood pressure went up & I ended up on more than one medication & it still was not under control, I realized it was time to stop fooling around. I thought with this new attitude I could go back to Weight Watchers & make it work, but was only fooling myself. I kept losing & regaining the same 20lbs & my blood pressure kept going up. I am now having a difficult time getting it controlled to be able to safely have the surgery.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I had no decision to make, because at the time I began this, my surgeon was only doing the RNY. I had enough trust in this surgeon, that if he thought this was the best procedure, it was the one for me. He now also does the the Duodenal switch, but most insurance companies will deny this as not proved.

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 had more fear from dying due to the weight than the surgery. There is always risk with any surgery, but a risk worth taking when your comorbidities are taking over your life. I was not living as it was. I would do this over in a heartbeat if I had to.

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 family was very skeptical about this when I first began to discuss it with them. They would rather have me FAT than dead. It took a while to make them understand that I was not living the way I was. They continued to be concerned about it right up to the day I had surgery, but they supported my decision. I know they prayed a lot. After the surgery they were all there for me. I couldn't have asked for a better support group. They have cheered me on all the way.

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

When I first began the pre-op testing, my supervisor voiced some concern for my health, but soon realized the weight was a worse health risk & was very supportive. She even gave me her home e-mail address so I could send her updates when I sent them to my family. She was very sympathetic when my insurance denied me & was very excited for me when I finally got approval. I was out of work for 4 weeks.

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

My stay at Morton Plant Hospital was great. The staff was very helpful & encouraging. I was there for 3 days. The most important things to bring, to me, were personal effects, like my pillows, my tooth brush & tooth paste, my pajamas. These are all things they will provide for you, but nothing is like your own.

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

I had no complications, & am very grateful for that.

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 so ready for this surgery, that I was on cloud nine from the day I received my surgery date. It took anesthesia to get me down. I was never nervous about this. I was just at peace with it. It took so long to get my insurance to approve that I just knew it was an answer to a prayer & if God thought it was the right thing to do, there were no worries.

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

The first week had a few obstacles. I was glad my family rallied around to help. I was not left alone for the first week. We have animals & it was difficult to pick anything up from the floor which would have made feeding them very difficult. I always had someone to accompany me when I went for a walk, just in case something happened. After the first week I began to spend short periods of time alone, but still have help most of the time. By the third week, I could do pretty much anything for myself & did not need help. However, it did take about 4 weeks for me to be able to sleep in my water bed again. The incision just pulled too much lying flat & getting in & out was very difficult.

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

Thank goodness I live in the same area as my surgeon. The hospital was only about a 45 minute drive away. Which made it a lot easier on my family to come visit me. This was very important.

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 week on clear liquids was tolerated well, but was getting boring by the end of the week. The second week on full liquids was better, but except for a few added items was pretty much the same as week 1. On the 3rd week I began to introduce pureed foods. I made the mistake of using low fat mayo to cream some tuna & ended up dumping for 8 hours. Be very careful to read every label. The third ingredient of low fat mayo is High fructose corn syrup. BE CAREFUL. I can't stress this enough. Dumping is a very unpleasant experience & once it happens you become paranoid about everything you put in your mouth. So far I have been able to tolerate all meats, surprisingly. However, chicken has the most protein per ounce so I use that a lot.

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

The first couple days home I just walked the sidewalk in front of my house, back & forth. On the 3rd day home I ventured around the block. By the third week I was walking a mile a day. At 2 months I am taking 2 water aerobics classes a week, working out at a gym 2 times a week, I walk on both my breaks at work, almost a mile each time & on the days I don't go to a class or the gym I am walking 3 miles a day.

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

I take 2 childrens chewable multiple vitamins, 3 tums for calcium, a vitamin c supplement, a sublinguil B12, & an iron supplement.

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?

The only problem I had was one episode of dumping on the first day eating pureed foods & that was my own fault for not reading the label. I have been very careful since then.

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

The worst part has been the itching & tenderness at the incision site. They say it can take up to a year for the nerves to renew & until then the scar is very sensative to touch, but due to the healing process can itch incessantly sometimes.

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

We have a support group that meets twice a month & this is very important, not only for my own knowledge, but to be there for all the other people who are about to go through this. I don't know if I would have ever gotten this far if I had not had all the testimonials from the people who had "been there". I want to be as much help to others, as they were to me.

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

My scar is only 4 inches long, which is was I was told, but did not expect the "splitting" my skin did above each of the 4 retention sutures before they were taken out. That took longer to heal than the incision itself did.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

The first week I was losing 1.5 pounds a day. After the first week it slowed down to dropping nothing for a couple days then having the 1.5 lb drop. This was discouraging until someone explained to me that it takes a little while for the body to go into the "shock" from the surgery & lack of intake. I decided at that point not to weight every day as I was. I now weigh just once a week so each time I get on the scale there is a loss. That is much more encouraging. It is very tempting, but I talk myself out of it until my "weigh day".

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

They don't treat me differently. I was blessed with very good friends & coworkers. They could not have been more supportive of all this & remain very encouraging. They tell me all the time how great I look & how much the weight loss shows. Could not be a better boost for my ego.