Daily Post--5/8/08

Have you told everyone about your surgery? If not, what do you say to those you haven't told about the WLS?

I have not told any one at work. When I'm asked what I'm doing, I tell them the trust and just leave out the surgery. I say I am working with my pcp and a nutritionist to improve my health and to lose weight and then I tell them how much my health has improved.

Before surgery, I didnt tell anyone where I worked that I was having surgery. Now I dont work there, and at my new job I have told a lot of people. Vivienne

I have told all of my immediate family, and my mom has told the extended family. There are some friends that I have not told yet, as we live so far away, that I am waiting to see them in person and then tell them how I have been successful on losing weight. I have co-workers who tend to tell anyone who will listen, and I really do not care, as I am now able to help others as they know, so will ask questions.

YES! I tell anyone who will listen...I am an open book and feel that there are so many ppl out there who are curious about the surgery and don't mind being the person to come to ask questions....So for the ppl who I have not told...my mother or daughter tells them cause they are so excited for me and my progress

I have only ever been selective about who knows: 1. before my surgery, because everyone has an opinion and "knows someone" and I didn't need third hand watered down information. 2. at work, before my surgery, because I work in a hospital and I didn't want to take the chance that my time off would be denied because this is elective surgery. All I told them before was I was having "gastric surgery on my stomach". Now that I know for sure for MYSELF what's what, I don't care who knows. If there's anyone on this list that is pre-op, I would strongly suggest you be selective about who you tell before your surgery. Everybody knows someone who had the surgery and yeah, it's nice when that sentence "I know someone..." ends with a happy story, but a lot of the time it doesn't. It's been my experience that when it doesn't, the surgery is usually blamed and we all know the surgery can't fail you, but you can fail the surgery. So, my two cents is surround yourself with positive, supportive things and get your information from a credible source, not "I know someone". I know this post is a little off track, sorry.

For the most part I tell anyone when the subject of weight loss comes up. Everyone has been very supportive! On occasion if I talk with someone I don't know very well or maybe don't care for all that much, I don't mention my surgery. If they are snobbish people I don't want to give them anything more to feel superior for. Bad thinking, I know, but it's how I feel.

I have told all of my family and co-workers and anyone who asks. I am so happy with the way the surgery is turning out. I have a new life, and I wish that happiness on everyone. I'm not ashamed of what I did. I reclaimed my life. So I'm always willing to talk about it and answer questions if someone is interested.

I tell everyone. SOmetimes I get a sympathetic "OHHHHHHHHH" like I had some incureable disease or that I was on my death bed, but for the most part I get a GODD FOR YOU!

I tell everyone. No reason to hide anything. It is who I am now and I am proud of it.