One Woman’s Bariatric Surgery Journey

May 25, 2010 - 9:12am 0 comments

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In the summer of 2009, I was diagnosed with menopause and like many women, was facing a few additional pounds. I had battled weight issues since I was 12 years old and had successfully lost, but with the change at midlife, felt like I was facing a fight that required more than just cutting calories.
In addition to putting on weight, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and high cholesterol. Add to that I was experiencing shortness of breath and joint pain and some of the other complications that come with being obese.

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After seeing myself in a family photo taken in November and realizing how large I had become, I knew something had to be done. In January, I swung into action and had an initial consultation at the Banner Gateway Bariatric center where I work as a dietitian and educate others about bariatric procedures.
After my consultation and psychological evaluation, I was finally feeling relieved that I could do something for my health and my body.

But there was a hitch -- my preferred procedure -- the bariatric sleeve, hadn’t been approved for coverage by all insurance companies, so another obstacle in achieving my health and weight loss goals was on the horizon.
Determined and willing to demonstrate to my insurance company my level of commitment, I underwent a battery of tests including an upper GI, an EGD, an ultrasound, blood work, and an EKG within a week’s time. It takes some patients weeks to have these tests done, but my assertiveness paid off and my insurance company approved the procedure – proving you shouldn’t give up if your insurance company says no.

While thrilled the insurance company approved the procedure, I was also nervous about the surgery. At 50 years old, I had given birth and had a few wisdom teeth pulled, but never something like this.

Despite my anxiety on March 23, 2010, I had the surgery and on the first day felt like a million bucks. The next day, however, I felt very, very different. I’m not going to say that I was vomiting, but I was "foaming" and I was swollen and tight from the surgery. My doctor gave me steroids to help with the swelling.

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We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.