What do you tell people at work?

[brandda 0]

Told my wife and my best friend. No one else needs to know, especially not my family.

[chase's mom 0]

My surg is on Sept 5th. I have told my husband, mom, brother and my in laws. They have all been really supportive. Well my brother didn't say too much he thinks i can lose the weight on my own but he also dosent suffer from a weight issue. Fortunately I am on maturnity right now so I dont really see any one from the office but I am not telling them or my friends. Now that I am on my pre-op diet I usually just tell them I am trying to lose weight via slimfast. Unfortunatly I dont feel comfortable with telling my friends. Most of them dont have weight issues but they always talk about weight and since star jones came out about her WLS and hearing their apinions on her. I am just gonna keep my mouth shut.

[signgirl 0]

I told the people I work with just because I knew that the "change"in my size might be too sudden and I didn't want to have to deal with the issue "down the road". I just figured, if I'm ready for this big a committment,I'm ready to tell people that my "scheduled days off work" are because I'm getting banded.

Once its out in the open, it's almost easier to see yourself being true to the RULES (of eating after banding) since others know....Might keep me on my toes BTW, I'm getting banded on Halloween.

[Michee 2]

I have told no one at work about the band. I told them that I needed a hiatal hernia repair. My doc did that at the same time as the band, so I am not lying. I would not tell coworkers if I was getting an IUD, so why should I tell them about the band?

[bbgray 1]

I have told most of the people in my office, i have found them to be very supportive. I plan to take about two weeks off and i figure that i can use all the support i can get. I also think that if everyone in the office knows then i will be less likely to "cheat" on my pre-op diet. My surgery is set for the 13th.

[katschai 0]

This is such a personal decision for people. Obviously everyone needs to do what makes sense in their life. Only a few people know - My husband knows, a couple of new friends I met via surgeon's office and 1 colleague from another state who I see 1 time a year at a conference. I told her because at the conference in June she told me she had bypass (which was obvious by dramatic weight loss). I am not telling anyone else. My weightloss is slow and it is just now about 25-30 lbs that people are actually commenting. I work out 5-6 times a week and keep calories low. I can honestly tell people who ask about my work out and change in eating and not feeling like I am lying. The band does not do the work, I do. Good Luck with your decision!

[lisa_hawaii 1]

i just had my band 9/12 AND everyone at work thinks i had my gull bladder removed. I just hope 5 yrs from now i dont really have gull bladder issues then everyone will be like huh???? LOL

[EL1 0]

i just had my band 9/12 AND everyone at work thinks i had my gull bladder removed. I just hope 5 yrs from now i dont really have gull bladder issues then everyone will be like huh???? LOL

If anyone every asks about my scars I am going to say the same thing, my gallbladder. I figure if something does happen to my gallbladder then I can always say my pancreas needed some work:). Elizabeth

[teacherchick 0]

It i such a personal decision. Like many others, I opted not to tell anyone except my parents and my husband (who has been very supportive). My mother actually suggested that I research the band. My best friend is extremely nosey and would want to know everything, and would probably end up getting it too. This was something I felt I needed to do for me, you know!!! I even have a friend who was banded a year ago and I have not told her. I am a teacher and I told my boss that I was going to be out for a minor medical procedure, no questions were asked. I just don't want it to be the main topic of discussion when I am in the room. Sometimes I do want to talk about it with people, but I come here were others understand!!!

[annie 007 0]

:paranoidI will be banded 9/21. I work in a large corporation and my boss is a man. I just said I need to have surgey and gave the impression it was female issues. The people in my dept. I gave the same impression to all but one. My lunch partner and she is very supportive. At home my husband who has been my No. 1 supporter and is doing everthing to help The only other people that know are my children and sister. We both have large familes I do not want them to know right now. I might change my mind later but I hate the feeling of being watched.

[TulipStar 2]

At first I was only going to tell my DH and no one else.

Then I decided to tell my MIL and she said that she wanted to fly to TX to help out. I decided to let her and then it all went downhill from there. She then tried to convince me to tell other people in the family bc they were "worried" about me bc she was now coming to TX. So, I ended up having to tell my SIL and Grandmother, Dad, etc. Or else she said she was telling them. So, I decided that I would tell them so they would get my unbiased story.

At work, only a couple people know. My boss & HR lady. I was lucky to be traveling right before my surgery this week so I didn't have anyone asking why I was off this week. HOwever, I have a feeling that once I go back on Monday people will be asking. I want to say I had surgery, but then I will get the questions. I hate to lie and say that it was gall bladder bc what if I end up with gall bladder later? I thought that I could say I just had a cyst removed (female stuff) bc I always have issues with that.

The reasons I don't want people to know:

-Don't judge me

-Don't need to hear your opinion

-I have made up my mind and only need support

[docsdeb 0]

Telling people has also been an issue of mine. In general I am a very private person who doesn't share a lot of info anyway. Fortunately for me I am the boss where I work and I only answer to the physician I work for. I had to tell him and at first he was against me going to Mexico, but after I gave him the doctor's CV he gave me support and told me to take off as long as I needed. No one on my small staff, office nurse, receptionist or x-ray tech know for now, I may tell them later down the road, but they are a very sarcastic bunch and would put me under the mircroscope and I have failed so many times before and heard their barbs I chose to avoid it this time.

My husband is going along with me for support only because he knows I will do it with or without him as I am a very bullheaded sort and he chose to do it with me. I wasn't going to tell my 2 boys until after, but DH convinced me to tell them saying if worst case scenario did occur, they at least had a heads up as to what I was going in to. Then I told my younger brother who is my best friend and confindant. He has to doggysit for us and take us to the airport so I kinda had to tell him anyway. He is not real happy about my decision, and as someone else mentioned, asked why can't you just try weight watchers, and I replied again??? Isn't 5 times enough?? Everyone who knows is a total of 6 and this is too many for me but only necessary. I told them all, I am not asking for your permission, I'm just informing you of my decision. If for whatever reason somethng bad should happen, no one need feel any guilt, it was my decision. At work no one has asked why I'm off for 4 days, and because they know I won't tell them what I'm doing anyway, they won't ask. They already have seen me changing the way I eat lately and that I have been climbing the stairs at lunch, so when or if the weight starts to come off, they won't even be suspicious. I think I'm pretty well covered.

[meghntx 0]

I slowly started to talk to some friends in general about the lapband and got various opinions and expertise thrown at me. Like it was a poor choice...excercise and diet would be better etc. Some gals at work have tried and have been rejected by insurance, so they are bitter as well. I have just shared with my hubby...who at first was like do you have to do something so drastic.,,,but then he was on board with me. Have not told immediate family...even my 12 year old. Folks at work thing I am out for Dental work...since after than I can logically be on liquid and mush diet. Do not know how long I can keep it up.

Megan.:car:

[Kimmie 0]

Almost my entire family knows...because we have many get together's through the years...and eventually they'd find out. I'd rather they get it from the horses mouth, than people make up stories. Only had one cousin and his wife who were unsupportive....but I really don't need their support anyways. I've got support everywhere else! :car:

At work (I'm a teacher), the kids know I had surgery, just don't know what kind of surgery. It's hard, because when I laugh, cough, or do something with my stomach...I automatically move my hand over my port. LOL That incision is what hurts the most. A few of my fellow teachers and administration know what happened....and that's because they are my friends