Did you tell??

I told one only.  I'm a private person so nobody in my workplace knows.  Nobody's business.

I told everyone because the truth is so much easier to keep track of (you don't need a good memory). 

• If people don't know and you don't share, they will start making their own conclusions behind your back as the weight starts dropping off.  Some may call you a fraud when they do find out, some may have their feelings hurt that you didn't deem them important enough to share, while others may be starting an emergency fund for your family when you die of cancer.
• At work, if you're going to tell one person, you might as well tell everyone.  We all have 2 or 3 people that we share things with in confidence, and trust me, as soon as you're breathing, it will get out.  You will then be labeled a liar, and that loss  of credibility is a career-limiting event with that company.

There's no such thing as a secret. Your good friend didn't tell anyone, but you found out.

Word gets around. You've told your family and a couple of close friends. You might as well have taken an ad in the paper. Word gets around.

If you don't tell people, they'll find out anyway, and then think you are embarrassed and ashamed because you are hiding it. 

Even worse, if people ask you outright and you just say "Diet and exercise," they'll think you're a liar. Either tell them surgery, or tell them it's none of their business.

You will lose so much weight, so quickly, people will guess. Surgery is so prevalent now that it isn't a secret, or a big deal.

I told everyone. If someone asked how I did it, I tell them "Diet, surgery, exercise." But this is a phase. A couple of years from now, no one will ever think about it again.

^^^^ This

People talk.  That's just life.  They will speculate on your sudden weight loss and most likely figured out that you had surgery.

If you lie about it and they find out the truth, then you're a liar liar with pants on fire.  Integrity is gone.  Look at what happened to Starr Jones when she lied about her WLS.

You don't need to broadcast the details of your personal life, but I advise you not to lie when asked a direct question.  You can always respond "I'm not comfortable discussing my medical history - sorry" or some such response.

I told everyone I knew.  I don't care what they think.  I had WLS for ME, not for their approval or disdain. 

I told my husband, my best friend and my brother. I told my brother because we had both looked into wls 10 years ago and attended seminars together. If people find out later on then that's fine. I just didn't want to hear all the negative crap and stories about a friend's cousin's uncle's brother's exwife died bla bla bla. Also, I work with all men and they just wouldn't understand. Especially me taking off work for it. 

I told my family, some friends, and many of my coworkers. In the case of family and friends, I figured they'd find out eventually, and I wanted their support for my husband and me, especially if there was any kind of negative outcome. In the case of work, I knew that if I was gone for two weeks, then started dropping weight like crazy, they'd either figure it out, or they'd worry that I was very ill. I work with nurses; they're perceptive like that, lol. We're a pretty tight-knit crew, and everyone has been very supportive. When I was on my horrible pre-op diet, and the administration catered food/sweets or a stressful night made me want a soda, my coworkers helped me stay focused.

It is a personal decision. What is right for one person may not be right for another. I don't judge.

I was open about my surgery. I have a lot of friends who battle health issues due to their health. By sharing my story openly, I give them the opportunity to ask me questions. I have had around 10 friends who had surgery after me (I do tell them to do their own research and I never tell them what they should do).

Congrats on your decision to have this done! It's been a roller coaster but I'm so glad I did.

I posted the same question right before my surgery (on 6/6). I decided to tell my family and close friends. At work, people started noticing my weight loss (around 50 lbs) so I think everyone figured it out anyway, but I decided not to say anything there.

I chose to only tell people I'm very close to since I know they'd be supportive (which they have been) and I knew I would need the support. I'm glad I did since there have been some difficult times and having someone to just listen has been so helpful. Not to put down this community - it's been a life saver - but there's nothing like having someone there who knows you.

In the end, it's a personal decision. Focus on you and what you need for support and how you'll likely feel about it. Not everyone will be supportive so if you're the type of person who can ignore the comments, judgment, etc. then go for it. I admire people here who made this decision and were completely open.

Best to you in whatever you decide

There are definitely wide and varying opinions on this topic. What I chose to do worked for me and may not work for everyone else.

After I was approved and had the surgery scheduled I announced it on FB and basically said I chose to have WLS for my health and so that I can live a longer life. I said that I would love everyone's support but if they didn't agree with my decision I would prefer they kept their opinion to themselves because it would be hard enough as it is. I had a lot of helpful and positive comment and nothing negative.

I just felt that if I was going to be losing a lot of weight and anyone asked me how I did it I didn't want to lie and say diet and exercise.

Since then I don't tell every single person I meet because that would weird lol. I don't talk about it a lot except on here obviously and with my DH and my BFF.

Pre-op I only told my close family (partners, parents, brother) and my 2-3 closest friends.  I didn't want to listen to anyone try to talk me out of it, or give me their opinion, or tell me horror stories, or whatever stupid things people do.  

Post-op, I "shared it with the world" i.e., posted to Facebook, 4-5 months after surgery?  I wrote about it here -- https://www.myvsg.net/2-uncategorised/259-facebook and here's the followup post I made -- https://www.myvsg.net/2-uncategorised/261-facebook-followup

My friends were amazing and everyone has been SUPER supportive of me.  Except for my former bff... go figure.  But there were other issues going on there so life has moved on.  

I needed to tell people because that's my personality.  I share major things that are happening in my life and this is a major thing.  

Oh.. and my surgery was in March, my parents included it in their paragraph about me of their Christmas letter that year with my permission.  LOL.  It makes life much easier knowing that this is public knowledge instead of having to wonder "wait, who knows about this?"