What did you tell your co-workers?

[Bostongurl 0]

Hi all,

so I'm pre-op, still going through my testing, don't have a date yet. But I'm trying to figure out what I am going to tell my boss and co-workers. I don't feel like it's any of thier business, but they also need to know something. Just curious if any of you had the perfect story that you told your work. I'm affraid if I say "it's personal" thier imaginations will run wild and some rumor will start.

Thanks for any advise!

[stockymd 0]

Hi,

Due to many days of taking leave etc. I told my supervisor and 2 co-workers (field partners) that I was having a hiatal (sp?) Hernia repair. That's it..simple and only did that because the 2 co-workers and my supervisor asked about all the sick leave and wanted to know if I was ok...So told them it was no big deal. Also explained my pre-op diet..Since I'm over weight, surgeon wanted me to shrink liver if possible.

[SherryW 4]

I've kept telling my co-workers to a minimum. Two in my own group know because I needed their help in covering my work while I was out and my boss knows. I'm just not ready to deal with all the questions from others plus co-workers can be so caddy sometimes that I just don't want to deal with it yet. I'll tell them when I feel the time is right IF I feel they'd be ok with knowing and not be monitoring me lol

[DOC 0]

Co workers... I used the hernia thing also. Family: I am 6 weeks postop and most still don't know. This was a very personal journey for me.... I am not ashamed of what I did, but I chose to hold my cards close for now. I will tell people when and if they need to know....

good luck. I'm sure you will make the right decison for you : - )

[MochaWendy 0]

I only told a few close people at work before the surgery ( I had Open RNY) And that was because I didn't want to hear their made up horror stories. It wasn't long, until my son (whjo works there also) told some of the people that work for me, They were driving him crazy -- They had heard all sorts of rumors, The biggest was that I was dying from cancer. So he told about the surgery, to calm some of them.. I didn't care, the surgery was over.

It is a very personal decision, And with the HIPPA laws, you don't have to tell your boss anything. You decide who and when you will tell them , If you decide to.

I have been lucky, most people were genuinely concerned and curious after the surgery. No one was really catty with me.

In 18 months I had lost 168 #'s. That was almost 18 mths ago. And I haven't gained any back.

[seppi 0]

I didn't tell anyone at work except for a close friend who was going to do it too. I took 4 days vacation. Because the weight loss has been slow and steady no one is the wiser. I work with about 170 men, I didn't want them to know. So far so good.

[Paulax 8]

Don't be specific.

Just say surgery.

If they are nosey or rude enough to ask, just say it is personal. Then they might assume is is 'girl' surgery. lol

I had a breast reduction 3 years ago. I didn't give any specifics, but when someone asked, I just called it 'girl' surgery and they NEVER asked more, probably assuming it was gynecological....ha!

[Julie* 0]

I told hiatal hernia too and it was true- just not the whole story. It explained my 10 days of liquids as well as slowly going back to real food.

Not a single person has asked me any other prying kind of questions.

[Feel2Young2B40 0]

Hi! I had a unique circumstance because I was the last of about 8 people in our corporate office that had it done. Initially I only told 1 of the girls that works for me who is very supportive and could keep it quiet. I told my boss that I was having surgery but didn't go into details.

After the surgery and getting back to work everyone who knew I was out of the office came by and asked if I was ok. I said yes, etc but then eventually as the weight began to come off I knew there were rumors going around. I was very surprised one day when one of the VP's asked me about it. I didn't think it would get that high up in the food chain at work! Well now I don't volunteer info but I know almost everyone knows. It makes me feel a little weird every once in a while because I know or suspect people want to talk about it and ask questions but again, I don't volunteer any info unless asked directly.

It's a tough call because you don't want people gauging your progress but it is nice to have people say - "you look great!!".

[JenPea 0]

tell them you have a hernia and you are going to get it fixed.

I wish I would have done this because why my dr was doing my surgery he noticed I had a hernia in my esosphagus and fixed it. So for me to tell them it wouldn't have been a lie.

JEn

[JenPea 0]

oops double post

[Alexandra 55]

I missed only three days of work when I had the surgery, Wednesday through Friday, and since it was summer all I had to do was take a couple of vacation days. Long weekends in summer are not at all uncommon where I work, so no one thought anything of it. The recovery is so quick that by Monday I was just a little stiff, and no one noticed anything I was eating (or not eating, as the case may be).

The weight came off slowly enough that I think it's possible they might not realize I had anything done. I'd only been there just over a year and had just had a baby when I started working there. They didn't realize I was losing the weight of a lifetime, as opposed to just pregnancy weight.

[Wheetsin 714]

I told my co-workers that I was having lap-band surgery because I'm tired of being overweight & underhealthy, and ready to do what I need to to make a positive & permanent change in my lifestyle.

These are my reasonings. Please don't take them personally or as self-righteous. This is purely my thoughts about me any my decision put on virtual paper... not any type of opinion or indication of how I think anyone else should handle their decision.

I told them because for one - it's not "me" to lie to people. For two, I eat lunch out with these people, and they're going to notice a change in my eating anyway. For three, not that it would, but in the unlikely event that I should need emergency medical care and only co-workers were around, I thought it would be safer if my co-workers could tell the medical personnel I had LB. For four - I have no sense of shame, or that I need to hide anything, about this. I'm worried about getting my body in better shape, not what people's opinions of my decision are.

In my experiences, for me, it's better to be up front and honest from the get-go. That's what works for me.

[LBdancer 0]

Hi Bostongurl....for me the decision for WLS was a private one. I had gone through the diet/exercise route 4 years ago only to regain all the weight. I didn't wan't to go under the microscope this time around so I didn't tell anyone anything. I took 3 vacation days inconjunction with a Monday Holiday and was back to work on Tuesday with none the wiser. Yes, last week was hard, but not bad enough for anyone but me to notice. If they ask later how I'm losing weight, I'll be able to honestly say 'smaller portions and more exercise'. Yea Me!! It's no one's business. Only my DH is the wiser.

If you absolutly need a reason to be out, a Hiatal Hernia repair is a good excuse because from what I've heard, the actual operation is similar to the LB surgery - without the band of course.

Good luck!!

[nan73 0]

I did not volunteer more information than necessary. Only my supervisor & 1 co-worker know why I'm taking time off and they don't know any details, just that I'm having surgery. They didn't ask any questions so I didn't say more than that (though I would have told them if they wanted to know ).