Secret Surgery

[Heather I 500]

I told a mix of close family and friends but stayed mum to the general public. IMO, most WLS patients have so much to lose, it's not apparent we have lost until you hit a decent percentage of your excess weight. Since you are petite, probably 30 lbs. I had lost 15 lbs in 2 weeks pre-op and didn't change a size, but I'm 5'8".

You can totally keep it under wraps, and after reading countless stories of insensitive-at-best, horrifically undermining and cruel-at-worst, I'd say nothing!

I've had a few people ask how I'm doing it now, but I say the truth. I'm tracking meticulously every blessed morsel that passes my lips, am low carb/high Protein, working with a nutritionist, focusing on my health as my top 5 priority, and periodically check-in on FB at the gym, so people know I'm doing a physical component to this, too.

I'm not bothering talking about the surgery, which is a shame, because I think it's a huge blessing in my life. Most people either want to tune out that there's work/changes involved and think you took the easy way out and do nothing to further your health, or they regale you with the brother's wife's aunt's teacher who regained all the weight and died of some freak complication they heard about. Sigh.

[Heather I 500]

Oh, and as far as recovery, unless you have a super physical job or the college has dozens of flights of stairs with a huge book bag to lug around, I was out 5 days and was fine -- with a 2 and 3 year-old! Some people have complications, of course, but once the anesthesia was out of my system, by day 2 I was doing great.

[tani 105]

I only told my hubby and best friend. 1 week before surgery I told my grandma. Then after surgery I told the rest of my family. As far as work goes, since the surgeon discovered polyps (not cancer thank goodness), that's what I used as the excuss for surgery. The sleeve removed that portion of the stomach where the polyps were. Thankfully that was the end of discussion.

[beautifully2114 33]

I only told my husband and best friend too. I'm in the slow loss club which is fine by me. So I didn't have the drastic changes. Also if I go out to eat or there's food at my job or church I just say I'm watching what I eat. It is very personal and you don't need the options of others to be a road block.

Sent from my SM-G935P using the BariatricPal App

Edited January 7, 2017 by beautifully2114

[melunruh 91]

I kept my surgery a secret as well. I'm three months out and they're are less than a handful of people that know. Unfortunately three of those are people my husband told. So you might make it crystal clear that you don't want him sharing with his family. ..

Sent from my SM-N900T using the BariatricPal App

[50yearoldme 157]

I've told no one but my hubby and his sis, She also had VSG. If anyone asks, I'm working very hard to become healthy. I'm changing three way i eat and I'm exercising more.

When i go for the surgery I'm telling people that I'm going to see my sister.

50 year old me!!

[Who'sThere 331]

My only concern is that you may need more than a week off. I had rny, so my experience is similar but not the same. That being said, I went back to work on day 21 and had to take day 22 off. I was exhausted. And I'm a teacher. My job isn't physically demanding, but it took a toll on me just being up and going that long. Also, I couldn't have hid my drain which I had for 2 weeks. Just my $0.02.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using the BariatricPal App

[rainy1976 2]

Many months before I had the surgery, I had a bad experience with telling someone I worked with. Her reaction colored my experience. People knew something was going on because I had a million appointments. I have other medical issues, though, so who knows! Anyhow, I told two work friends and my boss. I also had a hiatal hernia from an old lap band (2006) that I needed repaired. So, for people I didn't want to tell, I just said that. I've been telling people I'm eating high Protein and low carb if they ask. Monday will be three weeks for me and I'm going to start back with my exercise routine as soon as my left side soreness subsides, so I will be able to talk about that too. However, this is deeply personal and I don't think you have to tell anyone if you don't want to.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[Hammer_Down 631]

I am going to advise giving a little more info to your college professors than taking care of a personal or family matter. You don't have to go into specifics, you can say "getting treatment for a medical issue" or "having surgery" without going into more detail. But as a professor myself, if someone just told me they needed to be out of class for "personal reasons" without more, I'm not sure I would allow it without deducting from their grade. Either that or I would allow it but carry on with the assumption that the student was 1) a flake; 2) an addict seeking treatment; or 3) a criminal who was going to spending time in the county lockup to clear their burglary/assault/drunk driving charge.

We wouldn't have gone on well if you were my prof. I purposely avoided any classes that tires more than 10% of my grade to attendance or had in class quizzes that assured attendance.

I had professors that I couldn't pick out of line up of 5 people because I literally picked up the syllabus on day 1 and left, bought the books, wrote the papers and midterms and showed up to finals. One prof called me out during my final exam because he had never seen me before.

[bossportsgal 136]

It's your journey! No one needs to know. I'm with you. I only told my husband, good friend and one sister. People aren't educated enough and that's why I only told these three people. I did tell one person that I was having a hernia removed and that I have poor eating habits and it's a new year so I'm changing that. I started Protein shakes again last week twice a day and one sensible meal and I've actually lost weight. I only have a two day liquid diet my surgery is Wednesday January 11. I told work that I'm having a procedure and will be out a week.

Again it's your journey!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Edited January 8, 2017 by bossportsgal

[ready2bgreat 12]

I am not telling anyone either, just husband and friend in the town I have to fly to in order to have it done. I am doing what you are with wearing baggy clothes and posting about my workouts, and I have started eating smaller portions 4 times a day.

This is when it becomes about US!!

[biginjapan 647]

I've told no one.

I feel like I should tell my parents, but I won't until (long) after the surgery, but for 2 different reasons - one, that my dad will worry like crazy about it, and I don't want him to, especially since he and my mom are going on their first real vacation in years at the same time I'll be having the surgery; and two, because my mom is incapable of keeping a secret. Seriously. I stopped confiding in her when I was 10 because of it. Unfortunately, there's way for me to tell one and not the other, so it may be awhile before I tell anyone.

As for work, I'm having my surgery during spring holidays, and I'll have 7 weeks to recover fully before classes start again. Unfortunately I work with one of the most horrible humans on the planet, the kind that will do anything (including extensive internet research) to prove something bad or malicious about virtually any person who is not them, so it will be necessary for me to continue with the "eat well, exercise more" mantra at work, at least in the next year. That said, that's how I feel now, but I may want to shout it from the rooftops once I'm post-op and losing. We'll see.

[kmalcom28 29]

I couldn't keep it a secret. I need my family's support too much. But when I told them I made it clear that any negative comments needed to be kept to themselves. I wouldn't hesitate to stay away from them if they didn't.

[Keeks2120 7]

I have told my family, my boyfriend, my few close friends and my co-workers. Luckily I work in a place where there is less than 10 employees. I felt like it would be to stressful to hide it. Everyone was accepting and curious. After talking about the "rules" for my new sleeve, one of my super thin co-workers said "I'd rather stay fat". Luckily, that's the worst I've gotten. I just decided to be unashamed! It's liberating. Now we all feel comfortable talking about it. I don't have to worry about what someone might say behind my back.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[Malin 470]

I am very public with my decision--I thought I might motivate someone else to take charge of their health. And I'd say I've had 90% positive interactions. The remaining 10% is because people can't keep their mouths shut and assume since I'm going to restaurants I'm CHEATING on my diet. Nope, steakhouses offer Soup, people. Aside for the B*tches who are perpetually trippin, I don't regret being open about it.