Please Help w/my FB Status RE: Surgery Announcement

Heather P.
on 2/12/16 11:59 am

I love it, I have been trying to decide if and when I will announce my decision to the world as well.  As of right now the ONLY person I have told is my husband.

Ht 5'7" HW 406, SW 361

RNY 3/28/16

LisaP2016
on 2/12/16 12:47 pm
VSG on 03/14/16

I think it sounds great!  

CMR1075
on 2/12/16 1:01 pm
VSG on 01/15/16

I applaud you for wanting to announce it on FB. I personally will never do it because of the backlash I know I would receive from many people I know. I have a bunch of friends that are health nuts and probably would think this was "the easy way out", when all of us who have had the surgery know it's not. I am 4 weeks post op today and pretty happy with the recent weight loss and would love to shout it out to everyone....but.....everyone isn't as supportive and I don't want people bringing down my happy. I made the decision to tell the people close to me about it and that was it. 

I hope all goes well on your post and don't let anyone ruin your happy with crappy comments!!!!

emelar
on 2/12/16 1:19 pm - TX

I'm feeling old and cranky today.  I don't understand the need for FB announcements.  If you're not close enough to a person to tell them face-to-face, then it's none of their business what kind of medical procedures I'm having, or that I'm trying to get pregnant, or whatever other event is happening in my personal life.  Putting it on FB is an invitation for comments, which gives people the impression that their opinions matter to you. 

If you really feel the need to FB it, I agree that your announcement sounds defensive, just providing an opening for negative comments.

Grim_Traveller
on 2/12/16 2:10 pm
RNY on 08/21/12

Don't feel the need for FB announcements? I don't know what that is.

6'3" tall, male.

Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.

M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.

Gwen M.
on 2/12/16 2:50 pm
VSG on 03/13/14

I did it because I was going to be going to a big convention where I was going to see a lot of my friends and didn't want to spend the entire weekend having to answer questions about how I'd lost 80+ pounds.  Nor did I want people to gossip about their guesses - I'd rather have them gossip about the truth.  (Also, due to my dad's cancer, I didn't want people to wonder if I had cancer.)  

I'm a very open person, so this was the right choice for me.  I had actually started to feel like a horrible lying fraud for not sharing that I'd had surgery with my FB friends! And since my friend base is spread out around the world, waiting to tell people about this super amazing exciting thing in my life until I saw them in person wasn't very viable.  

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

Heavens2Betsy
on 2/12/16 1:52 pm
RNY on 02/29/16

Thanks everybody!  I'm sorry your phone blew up I'd like to see what others have said too!  At first I wasn't telling anyone, only my hubby knew and my best friend.  But, I feel like now that the wait is over and my surgery is scheduled, nobody can or should attempt to change my mind or poo-poo my choice.  If they don't like what I'm doing, I'm ok with that - they're not living my life.  I think letting people know will also help me feel accountable, even if none of my friends/family ever say a word, they'll know up front why I'm not eating like I used to.  I don't think any of them would try to force food on me, but  it might keep me from trying to sneak in something.  I think this way, it's just a given that I'm different now.  I want to get it out just before my surgery so just in case I don't make it thru (God forbid!) my hubby won't have to do so much explaining (if that makes any sense at all...) and then people will understand why I'm not quite myself at first, too.

For the past 6 months I've been working on a goal to get approved for gastric bypass surgery. After many months of research, support groups, dietician and doctor visits, plus water aerobics I'm happy to say that I've been approved. My surgery is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 29th. I'm really excited to be moving forward with this. I have been struggling with my weight my entire adult life and I'm grateful to have this opportunity to get healthy. I hope you know that this is not an easy way out.  It is my best chance for long-term success with a much higher success rate than traditional dieting. I've been implementing lots of changes prior to surgery, and afterwards there will be many more. I'm a little nervous about putting this out there, but I hope y'all will be there for me.  I appreciate all the love, prayers and support you might be able to offer.

How's that sound?

Age: 55.  5' 8" SW 345 lbs.  RNY on 2/29/16 at UVA w/ Dr. Hallowell.     
Month 1 - 3/29/16: 319 (25 lbs. lost) | Month 2 - 4/27/16: 314 (5 lbs. lost) | 
Month 3 - 5/29/16: 303 (12 lbs. lost) | Month 4 - 6/28/16:  293 (10 lbs. lost)
Month 5 - 7/28/16: 289 (4 lbs lost) | Month 6 - 8/28/16: 282 (7 lbs. lost) |
Month 7 - 9/27/16: 278 (4 lbs lost)

Citizen Kim
on 2/12/16 2:10 pm, edited 2/12/16 6:43 am - Castle Rock, CO

Take out the "I hope you know"  so it just reads "This is not the easy way out".

Take out the "I hope"  and say "I know y'all will be there for me"

Take out "might be able to" and say I appreciate all the prayers and support you offer"

 

Anyone who comments or questions negatively is an ass and should be defriended immediately    noone needs that negativity in their life.

If you choose to go public, be strong and proud - you don't NEED permission from anyone to make this decision! 

Proud Feminist, Atheist, LGBT friend, and Democratic Socialist

Gwen M.
on 2/12/16 2:53 pm
VSG on 03/13/14

"For the past 6 months I've been working on a goal to get approved for gastric bypass surgery. After many months of research, support groups, dietician and doctor visits, plus water aerobics I'm happy to say that I've been approved. My surgery is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 29th. I'm really excited to be moving forward with this and I'm grateful to have this opportunity to improve my health. I've been implementing lots of changes prior to surgery, and afterwards there will be many more. I'm a little nervous about putting this out there, but I know y'all will be there for me.  I appreciate all the love, prayers and support you might be able to offer."

This is how I'd edit for posting.  I don't think you need to say anything that comes across as a justification for why you're having surgery.  

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

TrulyPhoenix
on 2/13/16 4:15 pm - Calgary, Canada

I think it's great!  I know a lot of people think it's defensive and you should remove the 'not an easy way out' part, however it allows you to get ahead of those types of comments and address it immediately in a positive way.  Plus when people see how excited and happy you are about your decision, and everything you've already done to ensure it's the best decision for your health, then they shouldn't be anything but supportive and happy for you!  

My facebook is mainly all family and people who have known me for a long time, so I'll probably make a similar announcement later this year.  I'm like you, I'd prefer to get it out there so everyone knows the truth and I don't have to deal with rumors or having to answer the same questions over and over about the obvious weight loss.  I may already have to deal with this in a few months at my family reunion, as I'll have lost at least 100lbs by that point and not yet had surgery.  I've had nothing but support on Instagram with my open weightloss journey, so I'm hoping for the same outcome with facebook when the time comes!

Best of luck!

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