Responses when I tell people
i never discussed my decision pre-op, only only selectively did so post op. When you don't tell, you don't have to deal with the feedback.
I truly can't think of a single negative or indifferent reponse I got from anyone I know who knows.
5'6.5" High weight:337 Lowest weight:193/31 BMI: Goal: 195-205/31-32 BMI
Oh yes!! I got all those plus the "I know people who died having that surgery". Of course they think all stomach stapling procedures are equal! I'm a nurse, and I've never heard of anyone dying!! Does it happen? Sure it does! So do airplane crashes.
I realized early on in my pre-op stage that those comments weren't worth entertaining.
Before surgery, I didn't tell anyone what I was doing.. None of their business. Afterwards, I only told a select few.
I did have complications from my wls but it was because the surgeon didn't listen when I told him of a problem(stiches breaking). Spent 10 months in hospitals and nursing home getting my health back.
Would I do it again? In a heart beat. Before hand, I was slowly killing myself. WLS gave me my life back. During my 10 months, I realized that it made me STRONG!!!! Wouldn't trade it in for anything/
ditto
Band-RNY revision age 50 5'4" HW 260 SW: 244 (bf healthy range 23-35%) bf 23.7% (at 137lbs) cw range 135-138.lbl with butt lift and mastoplexy March 23, 2018...2.5lbs removed.
Pre-op-16lbs (size 18/20...244) M1-16lbs (size 18...228) M2-15.6lbs (size 16/18...212.4) M3-10lbs (size 16..202.4) M4-11.4lbs (size 14...191) M5-10.8lbs (size 12...180.2) M6-8.4 (size 8/10...171.8) M7-6.4 (size 8...165.4 lbs) M8-11.6 (size 6...153.8) M9-5.6 (size 4/6...148.2) M10-5.8 (size 4....142.4) M11-4 (size 2/4...138.4) Surgiversary -1 (size 2/4...137.4) M13-2.6 (size 2/4...134.8) M14 (size 2/4...134.8) M15 (size 2...135) M16 (size 2...131.4) M17 (size 2...135) M18 (size 2...135) M19 (size 2...138) M20 (size 2...135) M21 (size 2...138)
People don't mention my weight loss anymore, but I've always been very open about my surgery. What worked best for me was to address every: "Wow, you look fantastic, what have you been doing?!" with an overly cheery and positive: "Yeah, I had weight loss surgery!" When you use that tone, it literally gives them nothing to argue with. How you feel about the decision is obvious. Normally, the response then became either an enthusiastic: "Good for you!" or they mumbled something and changed the subject. My husband loves to watch me give that response and then chuckle into his sleeve.
I have certainly had those people who told me about their cousin's aunt's sister's brother who gained all the weight back, or the remote connection they had to someone who died during the surgery, or most often how they didn't feel I needed it because I was 'never that big'. I've even had medical staff tell me I look more healthy or have been more successful than other patients they've seen (which doesn't make sense, because I'm only 13 months out so success is relative here).
VSG: 1/17/17
5'7" HW: 283 SW: 229 CW: 135-140 GW: 145
Pre-op: 53 M1: 22 M2: 12 M3: 12 M4: 8 M5: 10 M6: 11 M7: 5 M8: 6 M9-M13: 15-ish
LBL/BL w/ Fat Transfer 1/29/18