When Should I tell my employer about having the sleeve???

Since I am unsure as to when I am going to be approved for having the sleeve, when should I tell my employer about having the surgery???

How did everyone else approach this subject?? 

Did you tell your co-workers about having surgery or did you keep it to yourself until afterwards??

Luckily, I have a great boss and I can go to her with anything that arises.. 

How much time did you take off for recovery?? Is 2 weeks plenty of time or did you go back sooner..

I am just trying to get my ducks in a row so I know about how long I will need to have off.... Any imput would be great....Thanks....

As far as when to tell your employeer, I'd wait until I was approved AND had a date. 

What to tell? Working for a large corporation I told them only as much as the law requires. 

Who to tell? That's a very individual matter. Some tell everyone, even the checkout person at the grocery store. Some tell only a trusted few. Some don't say anything at wor****il the weight loss becomes aparent. Then the question is, do you admit to having WLS? Or do you pretend it's good old diet and exercise? Me? I'll tell anyone who asks. I started on this journey thanks to someone who told me about having RNY. I think it's only right for me to pay it forward.

2 weeks is plenty of time if you have a sit-down job. I had to take more time because I have a very demanding job - long hours on my feet and lots of lifting, pushing and pulling.

I felt incredibly good at 1 week. Now, after more than a month I forget I even had surgery. Except that I'm never hungry and can't eat much when I do force myself to eat. Love love love my sleeve!
 

Thanks so much for the input...

How long from the time that they approved you to the time you had surgery??? I work as a dental hygienist and have patients booked out 6 months so I need to have someone in line ready to go when I have the surgery...That is my issue but I honestly don't think that it will be a problem....

I work in a small office and we all have a grat relationship but I don't think that I would tell anyone, only my boss, untill I got back...Less questions to try to answer before surgery....I would have no problem telling people because my sister had it done and she wouldn't have had it done if it wasn't for me being by her side...I think it is a very valuable tool for anyone but do realize that it is not a cure all...

My job varies but when I am with patients, I am mostly sitting...I know that if I took a week off that the gals at the office would be very helpful, if I needed it...

I can't wait to love love love love my sleeve.....Thanks again for your responses....

From the time I first contacted my insurance company and got details of their requirements until date of surgery it took me just about 1 year. But first I had to game the system. My BMI was too low - I'm a lightweight but don't feel like one - so I took a couple months to add the minimum number of pounds. Then I started for real. Fast forward to this year when my 6 months of NUT visits was satistified, insurance was submitted for approval, and got my date. I had my last NUT appointment the end of January. Insurance was submitted and I got approval right away in early February, and had surgery March 4. So it looks like from the time I met the requirements to surgery was about 5 weeks. If my surgeon had been available in February I'd have had it then. 

 

Wow...that is a little longer than I think I will have to wait....I finished with the nutritionist and dietician, along with the pychologist and they gave me the clear to see the surgeon...With my insurance, they do have any a minimum number of required visits and the psychologist said that I am good. All that I have left to do is meet with the surgeon and then they will submit it to the insurance company for approval...

I am hoping to have it sometime the summer....but whenever it happens, I will be fine with that...

It is so sad that you had to gain the weight to meet the minimum requirement just to have to lose it again...

I am so glad that you are doing well and I loook forward to being at your stage of the game soon....

I think who and what you tell is a really personal thing.  You don't have to say anything except that you are having surgery and need time off. 

But I tell everyone what I did.  I want to share the great benefit this has given me!  Too many people tell me that everyone they know who has had it done has gained weight back, and I want to show that people can be successful at this, too.  (Also, if people know, then I have to live up to that good example, even when it's hard.)

I took 3 weeks off after surgery, but I had paid time available, so it was a good decision for me.  It gave me more time to heal and I felt great when I went back.  I could probably have done it with only two weeks off, but I was happy to have the extra rest time.

It is different for everyone - based on your work environment, and your relationship with your co-workers.

The very first person I mentioned surgery too gave me SUCH a load of crap, I was not inclined to share with many until the weight loss became apparent.  Just my closest family and friends.  Fortunately, I have an awesome boss, who is extremely supportive of pretty much everything I do, both personally and professionally, so that was no issue.  I have a government job, so I shared only what I had to in order to justify the time off.  (I took 4 weeks - because I had the PTO available, and I had my appendix removed and a major hernia repair done at the same time as my WLS.)

After the fact, I was still hesitant to share, until the fat was so obviously falling off me I HAD to explain why, after a lifetime of obesity, I was suddenly losing so much weight.  By that time, I was so giddy with all the WOW moments, I had NO PROBLEM telling people about my WLS! 

All that having been said, your eating habits will change very noticeably, so if you let people you work with know ahead of time , it may make the adjustment a little easier when you do return.

Good luck to you!

I let some of my close friends at work know while I was still new in my journey. I told Management after the surgery date was scheduled. Since I was going to be traveling for work within 3 weeks of surgery, I told the others that I was traveling with so they would not be alarmed by my eating habits. I am now 7 weeks out, and I pretty much let everyone know about the surgery. I went back to work full time 1 week after being discharged from the hospital. I felt great, and my job allows me to sit as needed. Prior to the surgery, I did not think that I would tell as many people as I have, but I am proud of my journey towards health!