Secret? Yes or No.

[mannamay 0]

Yes, I feel the same way as well. Although, still a month and a half from surgery, the only people who know that I have made this decision to be banded is my DH, my mom, my sister, and my mom's friend ( who is also being banded). I really do not want any of my DH's family knowing about it simply because they think that weight loss should be on your own, not with the help of advanced technology. But yet, most of the family is still obese on my side and my DH's side.

My aunt had the gastric bypass, and now, to even talk about it with the family, they are like....Oh, are you sure you want to go through what your aunt has gone through<------she has had a hard time with it all and said she would not do it again. Well, I have told them, this is not the same, and if something goes wrong (praying that it wont) mine can be removed. My mom was like...wow, thats better then. The only reason my mom's friend knows is because she told my mom that she was having it done, and my mom (bless her heart, but she likes to talk) told her I was too having it done. Well, anyway, it is a personal choice, especially when you have tried many other things or everything in the book. It is not easy making this decision, but as long as you have a few people who you can lean on before, during, and after, that is all that matters. Like people from this board, if you are not going to tell anyone else, this board is here to help you through it.

[nataliec 0]

I first heard about the lap-band from former classmate of my husband's in pharmacy school. We were only acquaintances, but when I asked her how she was losing weight, she opened up to me completely. I was so glad she did because banding is changing my life. I have decided now to endure whatever judgements people might have of me (I've not encountered any yet.) to be able to share my experience. You never know when your openness can have an impact on someone's life.

[Isabella 4]

only 4 family members know

[marjon9 6]

I first heard about the lap-band from former classmate of my husband's in pharmacy school. We were only acquaintances, but when I asked her how she was losing weight, she opened up to me completely. I was so glad she did because banding is changing my life. I have decided now to endure whatever judgements people might have of me (I've not encountered any yet.) to be able to share my experience. You never know when your openness can have an impact on someone's life.

I will do this too when people ask me how I am losing weight. The thing I wanted to avoid is having people know from the beginning. I didn't want people watching me and what I eat, and asking if I've lost anything yet, etc. But if I'm losing weight and people ask me how, I'll tell them.

[sushiqwn 0]

I think that the decision to have any kind of non-lifethreatening surgery is a very personal choice, the same as religion or politics.

It is no one's business what we do with our bodies but our own. And anyone who thinks this is the easy way out needs to be given a course in just exactly how our lives change. It is only a tool to help us reach the goal of a healthier life and hopefully smaller body, we still have to do the work.

If we are comfortable talking to people about it, great. If we are not comfortable then that is okay too.

And when anyone questions what we are having done, we don't need to lie, there are several things we can say... the old adage about curiosity killing the cat, and I sure wouldn't want that to happen to such a nice person as you!, or There is a relatively new law called the HIPPA act which prevents me from divulging any patient's medical information, including my own, can you believe that! What is the government going to come up with next!