Did you tell your co-workers and friends you had surgery?

I told.  I didn't make an announcement, but if anyone asked why I was going to be out of work, what kind of surgery I was having, or how I was losing weight, I was honest and told them.  Telling lies and half-truths is just too frigging stressful for me, and people will figure it out in the end anyway.  I don't give a rat's ass about anyone else's opinion....didn't ask anyone for their opinion....didn't get any opinions.  Whatever folks might have said behind my back, they were supportive to my face.  The only person at work who ever made a "comment" was my boss, and he was just concerned about how fast I was losing and wanted to make sure I was okay.

I told everyone as well.  I was off work for 16 days.  

I waited till after surgery before I told anyone. I didn't even tell my parents. I didn't want to hear the dreaded stories about oh so and so gained all of their weight back or other horror stories. 

I told my parents about 6 months after I had it done. I wanted to make sure everything was going okay. They are both obese and focus so much on food. 

I think being honest with people you are comfortable with. I mean if you got pregnant and had invitro would you tell people? 

What others have said people will talk they always do. I would do it when you feel you are ready. 

Hello Nate -

I told my coworkers, friends, family, anyone that I spoke to regularly. I am not ashamed, and yes there will be people who think you are taking the easy way out, they clearly don't know anything about the process. I did not post it on social media, but I am not going to lie about it. The weight loss you will experience is great, and I am not going to say it's all diet and exercise, but even with WLS, diet and exercise are a huge part of being successful. This is a lifestyle change and not a quick and easy solution. 

Best of luck to you!

I have told everyone. I think is the smartest choice I have ever made. I will be off to 8 weeks.

I told my direct coworkers and let the gossip train due the rest. No one gave me a hard time. A few people missed the gossip memo and one said "you are such a testiment that diet and exercise work" and I said "no I'm a testament to rearranging your insides and diet and exercise work". It does seem dishonest to me to give people the wrong idea and I think my coworkers are smart enough to figure it out. Plus I like that since I have been so honest about it, people feel comfortable asking me questions and they have all been respectful and appropriate. (well except for the dr (filling in for my regular pcp) who asked if my husband was happier with me since I had lost the weight)

I struggled with this, but in the end, I realized I'm not a very private person and I just didn't care. "Diet and exercise" felt like lying by omission. I openly told everyone I see daily, and as for friends and acquaintances "back home," I told close friends and family and let the rumor train spread the knowledge the rest of the way.

I did have a perfect "out" though -- I lost a lot of weight pre-op, and when people asked what I was doing, I could tell them honestly counting calories, working out, and eating vegetables for the first time in my life. By the time I had surgery, I'd already lost 80 lbs so everyone I saw regularly was beyond the point of asking anymore anyway. Of course, then I had to contend with those who found out and said, "but you got this far on your own, why do you need surgery?"  

I was off work for 3 weeks but easily could have gone back after 2. My husband's surgery was 2 weeks after mine, so the third week was more to be there for him than for my own needs. But it's easier to plan for longer and go back early if you can than to need to be out longer than your coworkers are planning on.

I told people

What Grim said... people are not stupid, they will speculate anyway.

Now when I meet a new friend I don't say, "Hey I am Sherrie - I used to be obese but had WLS." But if I see someone from my past and they ask I always tell the whole story. 

I absolutely could not have lost it without WLS... I know I tried for 25 or so years.

I told close family, friends and the people I worked directly with.  I had to tell my close co-workers... I worked at the hospital where I got the surgery and as my fellow healthcare workers know, there are no secrets in hospitals (HIPAA be damned).

And I had to tell family and friends for safety reasons... I had three children at home at the time as a single mother, and if I died, someone had to arrange things for them other than their idiot father.

Audrey

I told no one..... I had been on my diet for almost 6 months beofre my surgery, I had lost a significant amount of weight.  When I scheduled my surgery, I told them I had to have my gallbladder out. (I work in the hospital I had my surgery in).  No one has questioned my diet or my weight loss. I went back to work in a week from my surgery date. Iwork in an office and do patient care, but no lifting or strenous work.  I felt good enough to go back, the diet was a little tricky.

To tell people or not to is a personal issue.  My co-workers were against me having surgery and were negative about it.  I just didn't want to justify why I chose surgery.  My weight loss struggles were private to me and I didn't want to share them.

whatever you decide to do will be the right decision!!!