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

Someone my father knows was at my parents house and my mother didn't recognize her because she had lost 150 lbs. So my mother called me up and told me to call her and discuss the surgery. Well, since it was my mother, I did it.

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

My insurance company denied me at first but within 48 hours they approved.

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

It was brief because of the extensive research I had done. Everyone should go into this meeting with a list of questions to ask the surgeon.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

The woman who had it was so happy and my research on the Internet was so positive.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My surgeon only does the open rny. He has concerns about doing the procedure laproscopically. He thinks people who have the lap have more problems than people who have the open ryn.

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 definitely afraid that I would die and leave my children as orphans. I made sure that my will was in order and my beneficiary on my life insurance was ready to take on an awesome responsibility. I would encourage others to make preparations for the worse case scenario and then relax.

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?

Everyone I told was very excited for me and supported my totally after the surgery.

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

My employer was wonderful about it. I was out of work for 6 weeks.

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

My hospital stay was positive. Nothing bad happened, the nursing staff was wonderful. I was there for 4 days. Most important to bring is: back scratcher, toiletries, slippers, bathrobe, magazines.

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

No complications. I am suffering from gastritis right now but I think that is from lack of proper medicine.

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 thought I would not survive the wait for the surgery. I was excited and scared. I felt very confident in my surgeon so my anxiety was less than I expected.

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

Aftercare is essential for successful weight loss and health. The program at Salem Hospital in Massachusetts was incredible. They have an entire program just for bypass surgery.

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

My scar is thick, red and long. My surgeon says it will be pinker but it has been 6 months already and it is still quite red.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have had many plateaus. I fight for every 1/2 lb. I lose. I am working out 4-5 times per week at Curves for Women. It is always a struggle. It doesn't help me that I can eat anything I want without any problems. I can eat all the sugar I want, I can drink alcohol, etc. All the bad things so I have to be extra careful.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, people are nicer on a more regular basis which really makes me sad. Why couldn't they have been nice before????