A Patient’s Story: What is Weight Loss Surgery Really Like? (Pt. 2)

This is the second article in a series of personal accounts about one woman’s experience with bariatric surgery.

After deciding that weight loss surgery was right for me, I got started on the prerequisites. If you stay accountable and follow the program’s requirements, you move quickly through these steps and into your “new” life.

I had a community behind me.

In addition to clinical appointments and evaluations, I met with a support group. In my case, this was a group of women who were pre- or post- bariatric surgery. Being part of a community of like-minded people felt safe and I learned so much.

I could ask questions at any time.

Dr. Meyers and the clinical team were accessible at all times. It was nice to feel like I could ask anything before and after surgery. There was always a professional ready for my call.

After the preparations, I felt ready.

I was nervous of course, but after doing all the groundwork, I was ready for surgery day. Everyone in the hospital was very nice and supportive. The clinicians were funny and kept it light–this made me feel comfortable. After the minimally invasive surgery, I was very tired, but they pushed me to stay accountable, even during my hospital stay. During the surgery, Dr. Meyers found other issues that made normal digestion difficult for me. He discovered that my stomach was actually located near my heart and was able to fix this problem too. I'm so glad that I chose to get bariatric surgery because without it, I might not have known about this issue. The nurses in the hospital kept me healthy and made me do the things I needed to do to set me up for success outside of the hospital. Dr. Meyers visited me and made sure I was ready for the next steps. After a couple of days, I was ready to go home.

Surgery was a first step.

The first few months are difficult, I am not going to lie. But it’s worth pushing through, because these days are so dramatically different from the rest of your life. Your habits have to change and that takes time. There is a lot of trial and error with food and your body. Once you get to your new normal, things get easier and it is only up from there.

I got more than I expected.

Soon, I started losing weight. Then I shed my medications. But something else happened too. My outlook changed. It was freeing. I'm more active and I am more positive.

Give yourself a shot.

People count themselves out before they even research something. I encourage everyone to go to an introductory appointment or an information session to find out more. Before this, I didn’t know I was even eligible. This surgery truly changes how you look and feel.

Stay tuned for the next article in this multi-part series. Read the first article in the series here and the third article here.