Can you spot other surgery recipients?

[Crabadams72 20]

Hello,

Please forgive me if this has been asked but I thought it would be interresting to know if any of you now have an "eye" for those that have had any type of gastric procedures?

I don't plan on discussing my decision with everyone but I do wonder if there are going to be any signs that might give it away. Last year I was at a party with a woman and I instantly picked up on her surgery by the way she was nibbling on her food and she had on ill fitting clothes and she didn't look toned. She later told me about the RNY procedure and I knew I did not want to deal with the dumping syndrome.

[Tiffykins 673]

Yep, I can spot a bariatric patient pretty easily. For me, it's probably easier since I've been researching WLS for well over 5 years. Plus, 5 of my family members have had WLS, I've had 2 myself, and numerous friends that have had one of the WLS. Pushing food around the plate, eating slow, not drinking before, during and after a meal is always a dead giveaway. I don't look for it, but it's kind of hard when I've been through 2 surgeries, and have so many close friends and family members that have had WLS.

Usually the tell tale signs are drastic changes in eating habits, boob shrinkage for women, and face shrinkage is usually a good give away. If someone has been out a couple of years, I can usually tell by their arms. I'm really open about my surgery, and most women tell me " I would have never guessed you were obese and had surgery". My reply is always the same " the difference is you're seeing me with clothes on!" It always makes for a good laugh. I have to admit that I don't think I "look" like I've had surgery and dropped 145lbs. I do not wear Spanx or any other concealers, I have flabby arms, but I have a major aversion to bare underarms, and don't wear sleeveless or tank tops at all. It kind of skeeves me out to see women armpits. Even those that I've shown my arms, and stomach to don't think it looks bad, and they are being genuine. Only one person has ever said anything negative about my stomach, and she had VSG as well. All she said was " ohhhh I'd have to get rid of that, and I hope mine looks better." My reply was "well I'll take this stomach over the enormous gut I had pre-op, and my body will recover, it isn't like I'm going to be posing for Playboy anytime in this lifetime."

[BZButterfly79 19]

Interesting question, I have not had the procedure yet but it is hard not to tell when you see the someone slimming from the top to the bottom, I have seen people who had these big tires in the mid section and the legs were like super super loose skin almost folding over, it just made me think they had it done. hair is another one for me I for some reason associate little to no hair with WLS and then some people to me look completely anemic, they might not be at all but some really do have this ghost look. These are all subjective observations of mine and I may look just like the people I describe here once I get my surgery, I don't expect to pose for swimsuit magazines after it. Tiff, it must be so freeing to be open about surgery hopefully one day I will get there for now I am taking the "It's none of of your business" approach.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Yep, I can tell - and I've been right several times that I found out for sure. You just get an eye for things, ya know? I don't mind if anyone can figure it out. They're usually bariatric patients too and we can discuss this or that. It's interesting.

However, I haven't been all that open about my sleeve this time. Everyone knew about my lap-band and it became such a heavy cross to bear. I don't want to go through that again. I was always having to explain this or that... Only a very select few know about it. I might open up to it someday - but I definitely am not considering it at this point. I'm rather enjoying just focusing on me, and not having to deal with all the questions and judgements. As far as anyone knows I'm doing Atkins... which isn't untrue at all. They already know I workout a lot, and do my lunchtime walks - so there ya go. They may suspect that I didn't ONLY have my lap-band removed since I'm losing so fast, but I really don't care. I just don't find it's really anyone's business, unless I make it their business.

[BZButterfly79 19]

Yep, I can tell - and I've been right several times that I found out for sure. You just get an eye for things, ya know? I don't mind if anyone can figure it out. They're usually bariatric patients too and we can discuss this or that. It's interesting.

However, I haven't been all that open about my sleeve this time. Everyone knew about my lap-band and it became such a heavy cross to bear. I don't want to go through that again. I was always having to explain this or that... Only a very select few know about it. I might open up to it someday - but I definitely am not considering it at this point. I'm rather enjoying just focusing on me, and not having to deal with all the questions and judgements. As far as anyone knows I'm doing Atkins... which isn't untrue at all. They already know I workout a lot, and do my lunchtime walks - so there ya go. They may suspect that I didn't ONLY have my lap-band removed since I'm losing so fast, but I really don't care. I just don't find it's really anyone's business, unless I make it their business.

LilMissDiva, I am laughing so hard over here because I have also started to tell people that I am eating VEGAN!! RAW FOODS!!!! LOL well at least when I start looking like ghost they'll go: "SEE I TOLD YOU SHE IS NOT EATING ANY meat THAT"S WHY!!!"

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

LilMissDiva, I am laughing so hard over here because I have also started to tell people that I am eating VEGAN!! RAW FOODS!!!! LOL well at least when I start looking like ghost they'll go: "SEE I TOLD YOU SHE IS NOT EATING ANY meat THAT"S WHY!!!"

LOL!!! I doubt you will start looking like a ghost though... I haven't yet seen any photos of anyone here that looks like that. I think that is pretty distinctive of the malabsorptive procedures. Not to worry!!

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

I haven't met very many people who I know have had bariatric surgery - it's not as popular in Canada yet as it is in the US. Plus I'm 25, and there are few people in their 20s who get this surgery. But I mean, if you ever see someone who's been severely obese for decades suddenly drop 100 lbs in a year, the odds of it being via surgery are almost 100%.

[Crabadams72 20]

You all are good.

I doesn't hurt that we are women and very observant. I wonder if men can tell with other guys. My husband worked with a young woman and he always though her arms looked weird, then she hinted that she used to be big and he said she picked at her food. One day a co-worker told him "yeah she had that weight loss surgery". I never got the feeling that the young lady wanted others to know but you can't assume people won't say anything.

Funny thing is that I used to be a workout junkie back in the 90's. I even had Lipo on my gut after my daughter was born because my gut did not go down fast enough. So with the weight gain, my gut did fluff out again!. but that is the first place that shrinks when I lose weight, then boobs, upper body and lastly lower body.

[JennChap 38]

Ive thought about that too, I can usually tell in their faces, the nasal-labia fold as my skin care lady calls it and around the neck and chin looks pretty loose. It may tighten up later but the ones I know who have had it have that and its been a few years since their surgeries and when I see people out and about I sometimes notice that. Im worried about the just being able to pic at my food kinda thing there goes eating out which we do a few times a week. That I will surly miss

[Tiffykins 673]

Ive thought about that too, I can usually tell in their faces, the nasal-labia fold as my skin care lady calls it and around the neck and chin looks pretty loose. It may tighten up later but the ones I know who have had it have that and its been a few years since their surgeries and when I see people out and about I sometimes notice that. Im worried about the just being able to pic at my food kinda thing there goes eating out which we do a few times a week. That I will surly miss

Can I just try to reassure you that eating out is not that big of a deal? ? ? Seriously, I eat out 2-4 times per week and have been for over a year now and have only been questioned 1 time by a server and I was barely 6 weeks out and only on super soft mushies. I ordered chili at Chili's and the server thought something was wrong, questioned me a couple of times, and I let her know it was fabulous, and I ate a late lunch. When we don't make a big deal about it, others follow suit. All my girlfriends know about my surgery, but I also eat out with new ladies every month at different functions, and not once has anyone said anything, or mentioned that I'm not eating enough. Just stick with very basic foods, and ask for a to-go box before you start eating. That way once the server walks off, you can scoop the majority of the food into the to-go box, and they won't be any wiser to "how much" you did or didn't eat.

There are ways to make it less obvious, but I promise if you just act nonchalant about it, others won't even mention your eating behaviors.

[Lila21 36]

One other thing I'll point out: I lost a lot of weight "the natural way" about 8 years ago (approx. 100 lbs), and many of the issues people mention above are pretty much the same between a major weight loss and WLS. You still get loose skin, you're going to pick at your food because HELLO, you have to starve yourself to stay on most diets, and your arms will still be saggy. I think the only difference is that the volume of food is going to be less, and that may be more obvious. This part, I don't have any experience with since I am pre-op. :-)