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Anyone not telling anyone about their surgery?



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I prefer to be honest with people. That doesn't mean you need to broadcast to everyone about the WLS unsolicited.

I wouldn't recommend making up a story that it is a different kind of surgery, just in case the gallbladder or appendix magically grew back later and needed to be removed "again".

To each their own. There is no one right answer, everyone has to do what is right for them and their situations.

Edited by 4MRB4PHOTO

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I only told a couple people, I didn't even tell my kids cuz I didn't want to hear any negative comments. I was doing it for myself, so it didn't matter what other people thought. Although if I would of heard there negative thoughts it would have bothered me. My mother in law was pretty sure I had it done, but just stuck to telling people I was watching my carbs and I few mo later I started drinking fitsticks. Weightloss drink that helps with more than just weightloss and is all natural, then people didn't seem to concerned I was losing so much weight quickly cuz everyone is having great results with it. I told people I had surgery for a hernia, I couldn't keep it from work because I had to be off for awhile.

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I only told my mom, boss, and two friends (who are married). After I told one other friend because it turns out she had the same surgery with the same surgeon a month earlier. Had no idea until she started posting on FB about it.

I just don't think its anyone's business. If they ask how I've lost weight I just say Portion Control, avoiding sugar/carbs and more Protein. Which is all true. The sleeve doesn't define my weight loss. It was simply a tool that I used.

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I only told a few people close to me and kept it to myself. I ended up having a hiatal hernia which has the same recovery steps as a sleeve so the few people who did ask me why I was out, I told them that...even my boss! About 4 weeks post op I started in the gym and so when people started to notice my weight loss and ask what I was doing I told them I eat way less than I used to eat and I'm in the gym 4-5 times a week which is very true. Good luck! I didn't want the judgement, watchful eyes or tons of questions. I share with people I want to share with and continue to enjoy the new me. Good luck!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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This thread makes me feel better! The only people in my life who know is my husband and my neighbor- who just happened to be in the same group nutrition class pre op as me!

Not my mom. Not my college aged kids. Not my staff at work.

I'd prefer not to discuss my medical issue or explain myself. I have been very public about my efforts to get healthier. And that I am doing shakes. Social events have been hard- no eating and no alcohol. That's been tough. I had a drink at two weeks out (1/2 a drink) and literally passed out. Crazy. Paid the price for that one and learned my lesson.

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Besides the surgery staff and my physicians, the only people who know I've had the VSG are my parents and my husband. I'm a professor and was fortunately able to schedule my surgery in August with enough time to recuperate from it before the autumn quarter began in September, so I did not need to request any time off of work. I was able to rejoin social activities within a couple of weeks. I've kept my surgery private because it's a sensitive private matter for me. My endocrinologist had suggested it last spring because several other patients my age and size who have PCOS and struggle with fertility have benefitted from it.

People have complimented me on my weight loss, and if they ask me how I've achieved it I simply tell them it's through keeping track of what I eat on MyFitnessPal and exercising more, which is true.

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"Female surgery"... no one wants to talk about that...lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using the BariatricPal App

I will have trouble selling that one...

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This thread makes me feel better! The only people in my life who know is my husband and my neighbor- who just happened to be in the same group nutrition class pre op as me!

Not my mom. Not my college aged kids. Not my staff at work.

I'd prefer not to discuss my medical issue or explain myself. I have been very public about my efforts to get healthier. And that I am doing shakes. Social events have been hard- no eating and no alcohol. That's been tough. I had a drink at two weeks out (1/2 a drink) and literally passed out. Crazy. Paid the price for that one and learned my lesson.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm so glad this thread makes you feel better bc it has done the same for me!!

And OMG I can't believe you had even a sip of a drink 2 weeks out thank god your ok tho! Don't do that again!

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Some people just love to pick on other people's choices. I don't see the reason to give the people around me the fuel to poke. I'll keep this one to myself with the exception of the people I'll need to help me with my kids during recovery and get me to and from the hospital (husband, mom).

For the married folk - was it hard to keep it from the ILs? I have a feeling my husband will tell his mom at some point, not necessarily on purpose but he's not awesome at being careful what he says. (He accidentally shared our last pregnancy with her before I was ready without even thinking, he was just talking about something unrelated and said "when the new baby is born". Yeah, oops! I'd had a very painful miscarriage a few months earlier and wanted to wait a bit.) And once SHE knows, it'll spread like wildfire through her family of 9 brothers and sisters, all who are ridiculously judgmental. I don't want to have to deal with their snickering and sideways glances.

I know I have to learn to block people out, and being fat my whole life has helped me learn to do that, but still. People can be so mean. :/

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SarahSleeve you should have a chat with your husband that you really don't want him telling his mom bc you know it will spread around. Tell him in a non m-argumentative way. Some people don't even realize the way the come off. A girl I know just had the sleeve and her mother told the aunts. The aunt makes a comment "I thought she would have lost more weight by now" she had already lost 35 pounds 4 weeks out. It's like seriously. Who needs that. Now she regrets telling them but you can't take back once you've told. So I'm just like you only telling those who I need to help me with my little ones while I'm recovering. If someone needs to know I'm

Recovering I think I'm going to say the hiatal hernia repair. Then once I loose the weight I'll just be saying how I've been busting my hump in the gym, eating smaller portions cutting out carbs and increasing my Protein intake. all of which will be true.

Don't stress and don't let anyone else get in your head.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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Some people just love to pick on other people's choices. I don't see the reason to give the people around me the fuel to poke. I'll keep this one to myself with the exception of the people I'll need to help me with my kids during recovery and get me to and from the hospital (husband, mom).

For the married folk - was it hard to keep it from the ILs? I have a feeling my husband will tell his mom at some point, not necessarily on purpose but he's not awesome at being careful what he says. (He accidentally shared our last pregnancy with her before I was ready without even thinking, he was just talking about something unrelated and said "when the new baby is born". Yeah, oops! I'd had a very painful miscarriage a few months earlier and wanted to wait a bit.) And once SHE knows, it'll spread like wildfire through her family of 9 brothers and sisters, all who are ridiculously judgmental. I don't want to have to deal with their snickering and sideways glances.

I know I have to learn to block people out, and being fat my whole life has helped me learn to do that, but still. People can be so mean. :/

My husband has been very respectful of my choice not to tell his parents. Of course I didn't tell my parents either. Ours moms talk often and he knows his mom has loose lips and understood I didn't want me mom to find out from my mother in law. I didn't mind her knowing so much but I know from experience she cannot keep a secret. Most of her family are mean hearted and nasty people. They constantly talk about other people and I am sure they already talk about me behind my back. I didn't want to give them more fodder.

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