DS scheduled, now what to tell people...

Hello everyone! I am new to this board and just had my EGD today. I also got my surgery date for my DS!!!  I have told only a select group of people about my plan for WLS. I want to tell everyone at work tomorrow about the fact that I need to take three or four weeks off.  I don't know what to tell those that I feel are may not be fully supportive, I just don't need anyone putting questions or negative thoughts in my head. I'm sure i will tell them once I'm back at work and feel more comfortable. I have told my boss the truth but need to tell the others something...  Help! I was thinking severe ulcers? Also, any tips you can give me would be greatly appreciated! Oh by the way, February 24th will be my new beginning! I can't figure out if I'm more relieved, happy, terrified, excited, or cautious...  So many emotions!!!

At work, I didn't tell anyone (not even my boss). I just told them I was having surgery. Nobody asked me further details. If they had, I would have asked them why they wanted to know. That usually stops nosey people in their tracks. LOL

Now I'll tell people if they happen to ask me how I'm losing weight. It's not a shameful secret that I need to hide. But before surgery, I didn't want to hear any negativity from people who didn't know much about WLS. I did my research and I was confident in my decision. 

Same as Amy. It's not a requirement to tell people your business. 

--gina

If you're going to tell one person at work,  you might as well tell everyone.  Seriously, everyone has 2 or 3 people that they confide everything to, about themselves as well as others.  The last thing you want to do is to have it get out that you were telling lies and ruin your professional credibility.  You'll get positive and negative, but your mind is made up and treat it as such and rest assured that they're not wondering in the background if you have cancer when the weight starts dropping off.  More than likely, none of them have heard of the DS anyway.

I didn't tell anyone before surgery either because i didn't want to hear negative comments. Not even my boss. They know they can't legally ask what the surgery is so everyone just accepted that I needed to be out.  With my closest friends, who wanted details, I just told them I was having my hernia repaired - which was true for me. That was 'part' of my surgery. 

Ditto what Amy said.

Here's the deal.  It's an all or nothing proposition.  Tell everyone or no one.  And if you go the no one route be aware they are going to find out anyway when they see you drop 100lbs in 5 months.  So it won't be a secret for long.  And you will be the subject of much speculation and gossip.

The only people that knew pre surgery was my mom, my dad (who already had the DS), and my husband.

I travelled with my husband for a week shortly before my surgery and a friend of ours, who works in human resources at his company, travelled with us. We did tell her.....and she proceeded to tell us what a big mistake I was making, and I could die, and how could I do that to my children, etc.

I am so glad I told no one else (she didn't live near us).

Whoever you tell, will likely give you their unresearched, uneducated opinion as to why you should or should not go thru with this. Save yourself a huge headache and don't tell anyone. If anyone wonders why you are taking a leave, tell them its personal and you don't want to talk about it.

When you lose weight, and it becomes very noticeable, it will be difficult to hide the fact that you have had surgery. By then, everyone will be jealous and supportive!

I would tell the people you think will not be critical. Every one will find out eventually
but you don't have to go into details for anyone you don't want to. I would just say the
Doc suggested it and you thought it was a good idea. Let them draw their own conclusions.
They will anyway.

Congrats on getting your date. That ca sometimes be half the battle. 

I had several small hernias at the time so I simply told people I was having some abdominal surgery which was true because they needed to take care of the small hernias when they got in there. I offered nothing more and that has seemed to work. Good luck on your up and coming surgery. You will be so happy with your decision.