i really want to get a wls but i don't want anyone to know. i know it sounds stupid, people will see the weight loss and know i did something but the reason i don't want the world to know is because i don't want to be constantly watched and talked about while going through it. ( which i know will happen.)
my family and coworkers are very judgmental and i don't want to deal with their negative comments, my question is did you tell people of your wls?
I only told a few people, in addition to my parents. I don't know how I feel about my decision, now that I am 14 months out. You are going to be the subject of gossip either way and I find it really hard to lie to people outright. When they ask me how I lost the weight, I just thank them for noticing, not answering the question. It is much harder, though, when someone who struggles with weight loss laments their own progress and feels worthless that they can't lose the weight, like I did.
But, I still don't feel my medical history is anyone's business, so I can't imagine that I will start sharing my story anytime soon.
Thanks for your answer, i know i will have to tell some people such as my sister who will be my ride home from the doctors but as for the others i seriously will wait due to not wanting to be upset from the negative comments i know will follow.
Hi Tiara - <mmmmm - oahu! sounds like heaven!> take your time, do your research, make sure you make the right decision for YOU. christy is really happy with her surgery, and i hope that she remains as happy with it as time goes on. this is life changing, and for the rest of your life, so do all your research and ask yourself if you can live with it. The vast majority of us found LIFE again - but there are exceptions.
now, on to your original Q. I've dug up some old threads for you - as you might imagine, this issue comes up a lot around here. hope this helps
I told just my nearest family..parents and my brother's family, my bf obviously and one of my co-worker and that's it. I am not planning to tell anyone else. My aunt noticed today that I've lost some weight and I just said I need to lose some so I can gain some back lol. No one needs to know it's your personal thing
i am still awaiting a surgery date, hopefully mid December. I first talked with my husband, obviously if he wasn't on board I wasn't going to put myself through surgery without his support. Then I told my mother...oye vey! That has been a bit of a battle, although I sort of expected that. Which is why I told her early on in the process so she could get all of her negative comments out of the way before I actually had surgery. She sees me losing weight now and is (unrealisticly) hopeful that I won't (need to) have surgery.
Then my best friend, because I don't do anything major without telling her. She would have been furious and crushed at the same time if I didn't tell her until just before or just after. She is scared, she has heard horror stories, but I know she will support me.
I have told my daughter. She is AMAZING! So supportive! Two days after I told her she sent me an email asking me to read her introduction to the speach she was going to do for her college speach class. She said if I didn't want her to use it she wouldn't. She had to do an informative speach, she chose to do it on bariatric surgery. She used my weight loss roller coaster ride as an intro. She told the story with such love and tenderness it made me cry. She did a lot of research and asks me questions all the time. She is going to college to be an RN and is now thinking of specializing in bariatrics.
Two weeks ago I told my boss. I will need time off work and we will need to cover some of my time away. I didn't tell her I was having gastric bypass, I just said I have been having stomach issues (which I have for years) surgery has been suggested and I am looking into it, but would like it done before year end for insurance reasons (family has met very deductible, co-pay and out of pocket max, surgery shouldn't cost anything).
After surgery I will be more forth coming about my surgery. My doctor has alredy asked if I would be willing to speak to others reguarding surgery, and to keep a journal to share my views on the process. If I can be successful with the surgery I will definately share my feeling with anyone considering surgery.
I told no one other than my husband and my boss before surgery. I am almost a year out and have told many people since. My immediate coworkers had their suspicions but didn't say anything because I hadn't. A lot of people will comment on my weight loss and I almost always tell them that I had surgery. Not everyone, it depends on who it is. I am nurse manager and the nurses knew I was going off for surgery and a few asked me what I was having done, I just told them it was a minor procedure and left it at that. I'm sure most of them have guessed by now but I've not talked to them about it. I share with people I want to share with. I think everyone has been super supportive of it but I wasn't sure beforehand, I didn't want to deal with anyone's negativity.
I just want to say thank you for all the helpful information as I am going through this process after much prayer and going back and forth with dieting and actually having a friend that recently went through the surgery I have an eye witness of the ups and downs get to support her in the process and still am weighing the pros and cons.
Take your time making the decision, Mrs Dawson. Do the research, ask all the questions, and then ask some more. do whatever you need to do in order to make the right decision FOR YOU. WLS is for a lifetime. and it's important to know what you're getting into.
MrsDawson-
I do think the most important thing is to "get it right in your head". For everyone that is different.
You need to look at the possible unpleasant side effects and decide for yourself if you want to take that risk. You need to decide how you will handle the people in your life tht may not support your decision to have WLS.
You need to discuss all your expectations of surgery with your doctor, make sure your expectations are real. You need to be prepared to make life long changes in how and what you eat. If you think this is a magic bullet, you are setting yourself up for dissappointment, and possibly failure.
@KateB and @jiffypop thanks guys. Oh believe me I've asked the questions, done the research did the supervised diet for 6 months and couldn't lose any weight even with a personal trainer, been approved for the surgery, discussed it with the doctor and everything. I'm ready all I have to do is lose 15 lbs to get my date scheduled for surgery and it has been really hard to get this weight off. I walk, I eat lighter and healthier than i ever have and it's not moving. I'm gonna keep at it though, I have hypothyroid so it is very hard to lose weight for me and yes I've had my thyroid levels checked and my dosage of synthroid is where it should be. I just have more adjusting to do. Never thought just getting to THIS point would be so hard but I know it's a life altering change and I'm totally ready for it.
pssst. Mrs D - just between us. it doesn't matter HOW you lose those 15 pounds. if the ONLY way you can do it is with a liquid diet like medifast or some other less-than-healthy way to lose it, this is the time to try it. all you have to do is lose the 15 pounds, and not regain it before surgery.
Jiffy Pop we're on the same wavelength. And thankfully revisiting this place has invigorated my dedication to watching everything that I intake. I will be down ASAP and I will be sure to shout it from the mountain tops LOL!
The thing is WLS is HARDDDD WORK. I dont want my hard work or my efforts to be minimized and be labeled as "she took the easy way out, thats why she's lost weight" by ignorant people. Um no, its bc i made the choice to undergo surgery, will work hard at it, watch what I eat, plan what I eat, work out, etc ETC.
Therefore, when I get my surgery I dont want anyone to know besides my bf. Plus, last time (2 yrs) when I was going to get it I let my sister know, and told her not to tell anyone, esp her loud mouth fiance. And she did :/ I dont want to tell my parents, because they love talking about my weight to people --how much weight ive gained/lost (uggggrh) . I dont think I want anyone to know as of right now. I might tell people as I hop along my weight loss journey and base it on my comfort level.
Did you tell anyone about your Wls?
