Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

How many people have you shared your lap-band experience with?  

3 members have voted

  1. 1. How many people have you shared your lap-band experience with?

    • No one or Only my significant other
      197
    • Limited number of people, closest friend/family members
      671
    • Most of my Family & Friends know
      173
    • Everyone & Their neighbor's Dog know
      165


Recommended Posts

so far, only told my spouse and sister, will tell our son & daughter, mainly b/c we need someone to watch the dog when I go to hospital. I may tell others as I go ( and success shows), but I don't want to tell people at work yet. I don't want the constant questions of how it's going, what am I eating, how much did I loose this week etc...I know there will be enough people with negative comments or people who expect I should immediately loose a lot of weight, it doesn't seem worth it to bother talking about yet.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I told whoever asked or whatever. I just didn't want it to be all taboo or feel like I was doing something wrong. I made sure everyone knew how hard I was working and how its not the "easy way".

Now I have a huge support base and everyone is helping me!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I tell everyone if it comes up for any reason. I see no reason not to and it does not come up frequently just because people know. The only people who ask how it's going are my immediate family members and my closest friends from time to time. I'm not ashamed of it and have no reason to keep it secret that I can think of. I have even told people who are practically strangers!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've only told my best friend at work, brothers, one of whom lives with me, my mom, who is coming from California to help me... and I think that is it. So the only people who know is anyone they told. And my medical providers. And I never go to California (due to my weight and planes. I mean I can go, I just do not want to be so uncomfortable in a tight seat) so I do not care what anyone says out there. my friend at work is tight with me so he won't say anything to anyone.

By the time I get to California again though, everyone will wonder where the weight went, but we will have so much fun no one will bother with it much!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I told my Sister too, OF COURSE! :thumbup:

The only person I told was my sister. She know exactly what procedure I had done. I was not planning to tell anyone, but the hospital insisted that I provide an emergency contact person, so that got me to thinking...what if something happens? What if I don't wake up from the surgery.

So I did the grown up thing and told my sister where to find my life insurance policies and how best to help my adult kids get through the worse should the worse happen.

My brother was the one who actually dropped me off at the hospital and picked me up from the hospital, but he does not know what type of procedure I had done. :confused:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't volunteer the information but if someone asks how I lost so much weight I tell them. Usually I get a "wow that's great" or "oh I know someone who is considering having the lapband, how was the recovery..."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So far two friends and hubby. I can't bring myself to tell anyone else. I'm just a really private person.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I told everyone. I think of this surgery as a blessing. When I was having surgery they found something else. This probably would not have been found if I was not being banded. I had another surgery and now I am on the mend and feeling great. I now have a friend that is thinking about getting banded.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh Boy do i regret telling people i got the band. Every friend and family member i have told has told EVERYONE they know. so now anytime i see anyone that knows me or of me give me a once over. I hate the pressure i feel to be losing large amounts of weight. people call me and the first thing they say is HOW MUCH HAVE U LOST; ARE YOU SKINNY YET....uggghhhh I am the posterchild for lapbanding now.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Now that it has been some time since my surgery... I told everyone and their brother what I did....I now just say, when asked if I have lost weight.... Yes I did and it is a daily struggle to continue...... that is all they need to know at this point. To some closer friends I say medical intervention is a great thing!!! and they just laugh as I do too.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh Boy do i regret telling people i got the band. Every friend and family member i have told has told EVERYONE they know. so now anytime i see anyone that knows me or of me give me a once over. I hate the pressure i feel to be losing large amounts of weight. people call me and the first thing they say is HOW MUCH HAVE U LOST; ARE YOU SKINNY YET....uggghhhh I am the posterchild for lapbanding now.

And so the name............"I walk the line"!! Very appropriate. I told lots of people too. I just say "Yes, I'm losing, slowly, but surely like I'm supposed to be doing. I still have to work at it. It doesn't just fall off." Best wishes!! Don't feel pressured. You will do great anyway and everyone will be saying "wow" in a short time!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've only told my family and a few close friends. I've decided NOT to tell my colleagues at work..... I just feel that it's a personal decision and not really a "water cooler" topic - if you know what I mean.

Let them all notice in a few months that I'm losing weight and wonder..... ha ha

:thumbup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i really regret telling all the people that i told.

if i could do it over the only person that would know is my husband and best friend of 30 years. that's it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Those who aren't telling, what do you do after surgery when you go back to work? I eat lunch with my coworkers every day (one of the reasons I've gotten so much fatter in the last year, because it's hard to say no to them!). How do you cope when you're on liquids/mushy food etc if you're not telling people? Can't really say you're on a liquid diet...?

It is not so bad. Just tell them you are on a special diet to kickstart weight loss. Considering that I was obese at the time, no one thought it was unusual that I would be on a special diet.

I would also still go out with friends after but very occasionally and order Soup or something very light. Once I was on solids, a salad is good in that you can pick off the Protein and scoot it around your plate quite a bit.

All in all, there was only a single occasion in all that time where someone said something. A friend said, "Heather, you have been eating that salad for almost an hour and it doesn't look any smaller" . . . I just said I was feeling a little under the weather and that was sufficient.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Bashbee91

      Hey guys new to the process looking forward to this new life. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Bugg

      Hi everyone! I’m brand new here. I just went through all my pre-op requirements per my insurance company and now everything has been submitted and I’m just waiting for final approval and my surgery date. I’ve been doing research, watching YouTube videos, TikTok’s, ect.. trying to prepare my mind and what to expect so I’ll be ready for the surgery. I was so sure and so set and so ready and excited. However, now that I’ve done everything & it’s almost here, I am sooooooo scared! I know why I want it bc I’ve tried everything and I just don’t feel like I can lose weight by myself. I’m tired of being overweight my entire life. I’m miserable, but I keep psyching myself out afraid of GERD bc I know how that can be and I don’t want to have to get a bypass after already gaining the courage to even get VSG. I’m scared of complications like I’mgoing to regret doing it and be depressed that I didn’t just be more disciplined and try again to lose the weight on my own even sitting here typing this knowing in my mind i just can’t and don’t possess the discipline. I’m also afraid I won’t be able to handle the restrictions of the sleeve. What do I eat? I don’t know how to eat healthy really and don’t enjoy healthy food. I don’t know how to do this! I feel so defeated!Someone tell me they felt anything similar to this or am I not ready? I thought I was. I am so tired of being sick and tired and so tired of myself and so tired of being stuck and stuck in this body and somebody different on the outside from what I feel inside. I just want to ball up and cry.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • buildabetteranna

      over 20 lbs down since4 the pre surgery diet and surgery on the 14th
      · 1 reply
      1. Selina333

        Yay!! Congrats. I know how good that feels. 🤩

    • Jenopolis

      Had a sleeve in 2017, lost over 100 pounds. Had a DS surgery this year (2025) for more sustainable weight loss. 🤞
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • buildabetteranna

      The 14th was my day. I am home and recovery is going pretty smooth. They even let me walk out of the hospital. Picture of me in recovery curtesy of my boyfriend lol. 

      · 3 replies
      1. DaisyChainOz

        Glad it went well!! Wishing you a speedy recovery and wonderful success!! 🤗

      2. buildabetteranna

        Thank you ❤️

      3. Selina333

        Neat you have a pic of this day! I was sooo happy to get my surgery. It was well worth it! And I'm not even near my goal. I had surgery Dec. 2!

  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×