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

Seen others who had been successful and talked to them. I was scared to death at the thought of having such a sugery and risking my life becuase I felt like I should have been able to lose the wieght on my own. I had heard horror stories of people who got deathly ill from bariatric surgery and even heard of some deaths attributed to it, from some very close, dear friends who lost a sister to complications from the surgery.

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

Very nice, relatively simple procedure for me, although many others have not been as fortunate in this respect.

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

Nerve racking. Overwhelmed, still a little unsure about if I was doing the right thing or not. People should write down any and all questions before they visit the surgeon the first time and visit a support group meeting before to discover if they have any more questions, ask questions adn write down responses and take your support person to the first visit. And pick a support person person, who really supports you, my husband, was still a little unsure and that was not what I needed at that visit. I needed someone who be strong for me that day, shuld have taken my best girlfriend...the support was for me not for my husband.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Peace and reassurance from the Lord that I was doing the right thing...it was something I had prayed for over the past 3 + years and the Lord caused a peace to come over me that everything would be fine and it was the right decision.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

After talking with people who had each kind of surgery, I realized for me I needed the more restrictive surgery with the faster results to be successful.

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 still had fears, even a few days post op. I made sure everything was right between the Lord and me, but again He caused a peace to come over me that guided me through the journey. I knew that I would die early and not live to my full potential if I remianed morbidly obese.

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 mom was totally against it from the beginning, my husband was skeptical but agreed with my decision. My family physician and other trusted physicians and friends in my life were suportive and encouraging. Not even a yeat post op, ,my mom applauds my decison and wishes she had had the same courage when she was younger to take the step. My husband is please with the results and happy the outcome was successful without complications. My mom is still trying to learn that food is not the way to show me whe loves me, she has always shown me in others ways, but being a "Southern Mother" feeding your children wonderful food was another way to express love. I remind her, "It's not what's on the table, but those around the table who are important"...words of wisdom from my nutritionist, Diane Stout.I would have my mom go to support group meetings and talk to those who were successful before my surgery, she didn't want to go and didn't meet my surgeon until the day of the surgery becuase of her own fears. I would make her go and talk to the people before hand rather than trying not to rock the boat.

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

Very supportive and encouraging from the beginning. A big part of my success. I told him and my coworkers from the beginning of my decision to have th surgery. It helps that I work in the healthcare field in a cardiology department at a hospital and we see the effects of morbid obesity on a daily basis. I was out of work 2 1/2 weeks.

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

Excellent. The nurses on the floor were familiar with Bariatric patients and the unit was only for these type of patients. It was difficult waiting until the next day post op for a small sip of water, so I wish I had had surgery in the afternoon instead of 1st thing in the am. my friend had surgery in the afternoon and got her first sip the next morning at the same time I did. I staped in the hospital 2 nights. The only pain I had was from the gas used to imfalte my abdomen for the laporoscopic surgery...I suggest lowering the bed so you are flat to help it dissapate. Take a bathrobe and slippers becuase you will be walking as soon after surgery as they can get you up.

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

No. Other than the scopalamine patches to help with the nausea blurred my vision, which is a noraml side effect, so I removed them and my vision cleared and I dealt with he nausea and used phenerghan some too.

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

For the first few days, I wondered if I had done the right thing...I coudn't hardly drink without a tight feeling in my new pouch, the center of my chest. I used small medicine cups to sip my water and protein drinks and that helped me not have so much discomfort. I kept a diary/log of the amounts of protein and fluids I took in becuase the first few weeks it really takes an effort to get the proper amounts in.

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

I was very tired and nauseaous, which is to be expected after any stomach surgery. I recommend if you are so nauseaous you don't feel like you can drink and get your protein and fluids in to call you doctor immediately...you don't want to get dehydrated and end up in the hospital. It didn't happen to me, but a couple of people I knew just wouldn't drink after surgery becuase they were so nauseous, you have to get the fluids in...your doctor has medicine to help with the nausea. be proactive, call your doctor about any problem...it is imperative to your health and long term success!

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

About 30 miles, 1 hour. No, I live in a rural area and have to travel that far for any medical treatment anyway.

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 surgeon required monthly nutritionist visits starting 2 weeks post op and she gave me detailed plans of the things I could eat and the amounts and to measure and Chew, chew, chew. I had to drink only protein drinks 2 weeks post op. I did have an initial visit with the nutritionist before surgery to know what to expect. I still don't eat pasta, it was a staple of my diet pre surgery and I don't want to go back there. I don't do well with hamburger meat now either. Sweets made me sick, as they should post op, so avoid and never go back to them...you can build up a tolerance to them and I don't want to go back to eating them. I stay away from carbinated sodas, stopped them 3 months before surgery and never went back.

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

My doc required at least 45 mins of exercise every day or at least 6 days a week post op... I complied and increased my activity level as tolerated and change up my exercise routine every few months, although I usually only get in about 5 days a week exercise now, which I should try to get at least 6, but it is hard to work in that many days a week.

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

Vit D, Multi Vitamin, Chewable Iron, Multi complex B. I still do protein drinks 3 or 4 morings a week, breakfast is a hard meal for me to find time for and the protein drinks work well and I don't have carb cravings if I start the day with protein.

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 was bad for the first few weeks after surgery and if I ate more than I should have post op...I have learned. I did lose hair for the first few months, but it all came back within 9 months and is very healthy now. Dumping if I ate sweets, I avoid them.

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

The initial fear before and post op. The nausea was bad at the beginning, but it is a symptom of any stomach surgery and you just have to find a way to deal with it with meds and eating the proper food in the proper amounts. There was a sadness to not being able to eat the foods you once loved and you have to deal with that and learn from it. I highly suggest attending support group meetings at least for the first 6 - 8 months preop...it was a lifesaver for me.

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

Follow up a 1 week, 1 month, 3, 6 & 12 months with the sugeon and yearly after with yearly labs. Monthly visits starting at 2 eeks post op with nutritionist. I also attended monthly support group meetings and still do, actually lead one and this is so helpful. I thing the single most important aspect of post care were the nutritionst visits becuase I had to learn a new way of eating.

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

A few small scars form the laprocsopy, not bad at all...don't intend on showing my stomach off anyway, but others who have seen it are impresses they are so small and not really that noticeable.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Plateaus! Oh yes! Especially since I have polycystic ovary syndrome. Try to notice that the clothes are feeling bigger and you are getting smaller even if the weight is not comign off. Also, recognize that the plateau in losing is usually the same ones you had when you were eating and not gaining...remember when you were eating alot but the scale wasn't really moving up, it is the same way on the way back down. Change up your exercise rotuine and the foods you are eating, visit your nutritionist.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes, don't get as many stares. More doors held open for me.