Should I tell my friends and family?

I think that you should do whatever you want! This surgery is about you and no one else. I decided to only tell close family and friends in the beginning because like you I didn't want people thinking that the surgery was the only reason why I lost all the weight even though we all know its hard work and the surgery is just a large tool in helping with the weight loss. After I was halfway to my goal and people kept asking I did share that I had the surgery and I also told them all the other work involved like therapy, exercise, vitamins, and healthy eating. Everyone was so supportive and constantly complimented me and I also had a few friends get the surgery so then I was really happy I told them because it helped them as much as it helped me. The decision is yours and if your brothers and friend love you like I'm sure they do then they will be supportive! Good luck!

Surgery is pretty common these days. People are used to it. And when you lose a LOT of weight in a pretty short amount of time, everyone is just going to assume you had it anyway. For me, it was easier just to tell them. And, to tell them in a way that let them know it wasn't an issue that was up for debate.

I just tell them that I took the easy way out and had surgery because the hard way did not work for me.

You seriously say that? Do you really think this is the "easy" way? I've never worked harder at losing weight in my whole life than I have after surgery.

I think you missed the sarcasm.

I don't think it's completely sarcastic. Because I do think it's the easy way. In fact, the only way.

I worked even harder, many times, to lose weight prior to surgery. I ended up with unsatisfactory and temporary results.

Then I had surgery. Sure, it was hard work. But the results were more, faster, and permanent.

It seems like the very definition of the easy way to me.

I was never hungry, when I ate, I could eat very little. I had been on many diets and the only difference was that after surgery, the weight came off and stayed off. It was easy for me.

I only told my mother, I felt she was the only one who needed to know. I have had only a hand full of people ask me "how did you do it?", I just told them I eat high protein, low carb and drink tons of water:-)

I sat my husband and kids down and explained what I wanted to do. They were very supportive. Then I told my siblings and a friend at work who had the surgery a year before I did. I've lost about 117 pounds over the past year between the pre-op (20) and post-op. I've had a lot of compliments and support for my changed diet, but I don't do social media. If people ask what I'm doing to lose the weight, I tell them tracking, protein, low carb, etc. Only one person asked me if I got sleeved. I was a bit shocked and said, "Wow! Nobody has asked me that until now." She immediately said, "We'll, I did it last month!" Turns out we have the same doc, so she's now another support person at work, but I asked her to maintain my privacy because I choose not to make it a hot topic for discussion. I am still the same person, just a happier, healthier version, and my journey isn't finished yet. I think that's the most important thing I've learned over this past yeR: we are all different and only we can decide what's best for us. Of course, we have a lot in common with our struggles too, and that's why this forum is so important.

You don't owe anyone any answers or explanations. I kept the circle of people that I told tight. I think "body talk" of any kind isn't really something I want to engage in at work, so hopefully everyone realizes and respects that. One woman asked me directly and I told her the truth: I had a hiatal hernia repair. I didn't mention the VSG part.