Advice and Preparation
Hello! I am gettiing my surgery on March 31st and I am so nervouse. Is there anything you wish you had started to do pre-op that you didnt? Also I am stuggling with the whole telling people issue. I do not know that I want a lot of people know about my surgery that are not close to me. How did you deal with it? What did you do when people who didnt know about your surgery asked how you lost weight? Thank you!!!
Welcome!!
I'm having surgery tomorrow so I'm not able to give any post-op help but I can relate to the not telling people thing. I have kept it from most people at this point. There is only 1 co-worker (out of about 20) of mine who know. My theory is if the have the guts to come ask me point blank if I had WLS then I will tell them the truth.... if they ask how I've been losing weight I will tell them that I've been eating way less and working out. I justify it in my mind that it's not a real lie- I am eating WAY less and working out.
I am a firm believer in the idea that it is MY journey and it needs to be about what I'm comfortable with, not everyone else.
Congrats on the surgery date and I wish you well! Time to update my blog for my final pre-op post and go to bed :)
I'm having surgery tomorrow so I'm not able to give any post-op help but I can relate to the not telling people thing. I have kept it from most people at this point. There is only 1 co-worker (out of about 20) of mine who know. My theory is if the have the guts to come ask me point blank if I had WLS then I will tell them the truth.... if they ask how I've been losing weight I will tell them that I've been eating way less and working out. I justify it in my mind that it's not a real lie- I am eating WAY less and working out.
I am a firm believer in the idea that it is MY journey and it needs to be about what I'm comfortable with, not everyone else.
Congrats on the surgery date and I wish you well! Time to update my blog for my final pre-op post and go to bed :)
Follow me on my blog!!! www.fittingmethin.blogspot.com
My doctor did not require a pre op diet. I wish I would have done it on my own just to get carbs out of my system. Cravings are a killer!
I told only close family a few friends and 2 co workers about my surgery (but now everyone at work knows). If people ask about it I answer them honestly. When an acquaintance or distant friend has commented on my appearance, I'm simply "trying to be healthier". I don't think everyone needs to know, because I am honestly eating healthy and exercising.
Though if I were approached by a larger person who wanted advice to lose their weight, I might let them know of my choice and why I made my decision.
Best of luck in your surgery!
I told only close family a few friends and 2 co workers about my surgery (but now everyone at work knows). If people ask about it I answer them honestly. When an acquaintance or distant friend has commented on my appearance, I'm simply "trying to be healthier". I don't think everyone needs to know, because I am honestly eating healthy and exercising.
Though if I were approached by a larger person who wanted advice to lose their weight, I might let them know of my choice and why I made my decision.
Best of luck in your surgery!
You don't have to tell anyone you don't want to. I was over 400 pounds and lost 260+ pounds my first year. With that kind of weight loss, I couldn't exactly hide the fact that I had surgery. That's besides for the fact that I tell everyone anyways. I wear wls on my forehead, so others that need it can see it works.
Good luck with surgery.
Good luck with surgery.
I'm keeping it from most people in my office until I actually have the surgery, so I don't blame you. I am dealing alot with "embarrassment" issues, but it's a personal issue, not one to make public. Just tell them in your own time :) Congratulations on the surgery and good luck!
~*~JEN~*~ 
HW: 406 SW: 358 CW: 231
HW: 406 SW: 358 CW: 231
I feel the same way I just got approved by my insurance and got a surgery date (that's will most likely be moved back ) April 18 and now I'm like oh geeze I have to tell my boss. I have to talk to hr about disability and I personally feel that it took me over 2 years to do this I have read all the pros and cons I found a Dr I trust and I don't feel the need make other people comfortable with my decision .
I finally told my boss and I was terrified. I work in a restaurant, which means gossip travels like wildfire. I was super nervous because my boss is the worst gossiper of all. I pulled him aside and told him this is life changing thing for me, I am not even telling my best friend from work so I would appreciate if you didnt tell anyone. So far no one has said anything. I think he has kept to his word.
Congratulations on the surgery date by the way!
Congratulations on the surgery date by the way!
Hello Okie!!! What surgery are you having? I had VSG in May 2010.
What you should know:
-If you've never been under general anesthia, you get this sensation of drowing/ gasping for air when you first wake up. You're obviously very, very drowsy. I was very mean too, lol.
-Your throat will be the first thing you notice. It will kill you for a few days. Hospital should give you sugar free hard candy to suck on that will help immensely. Popsicles are good too, if you get those in the hospital.
-Breathing exercises hurt like **** but they really do help!
-Pain medication might make you nauseated with how little you will be able to "eat," so be careful.
-"eating" (lack there of) SUUUUUCKS. It's terrible. But savor it! This is the time your restriction will be best. You will seriously feel like eating is a tedious job for the first few weeks after surgery.
-Don't sneeze. Just don't. It feels like you're being stabbed in the stomach each time you do.
-Expect to be lacking energy for the first few months after surgery. However, some people say they are more entergetic after surgery. Not me!
Who to tell:
-Close family
-Really close friends
-Overweight people wanting to know "how you did it"
Who not to tell:
-Obnoxious work-out-aholics
-Anyone with a loudmouth
I told my parents, grandparents, and sisters. Didn't tell my cousins, aunts, or uncles. They found out the day after surgery because my grandfather was admitted to the ER, and passed away a day later. Crazy cir****tances, but I probably would have had to tell them at some point during the year. They are all overweight and extremely jealous of my success. I guess it was probably more realistic to tell them at the time of surgery rather than at Christmas, 90 pounds later.
I told a few of my sorority sisters at my old college, and of course, now everyone in that town knows.
What to say when people ask:
It depends. I hate lying to people. Yes, I do put in work. Yes, I do work out hard. Yes, I do watch what I eat. Telling someone I have lost so much weight by WLS is dangerous. It kind of takes the personalization out of it: people have the mentality that the surgery lost the weight, not me.
In general, people don't ask how I've lost weight. They usually just say "you look so great!" and avoid weight all together. I usually reply, "yeah, new hair style, like it?" haha, but seriously, people DON'T talk about weight in our culture. It's like if they do say something, they're admitting that they thought I was a huge fatass before. And they're afraid to come off as rude.
Brave person: You look great! how did you do it?
me: Thanks! I've really been strict about what I ea****ching my portions a lot, and staying in shape by working out.
Not a lie, right?
What you should know:
-If you've never been under general anesthia, you get this sensation of drowing/ gasping for air when you first wake up. You're obviously very, very drowsy. I was very mean too, lol.
-Your throat will be the first thing you notice. It will kill you for a few days. Hospital should give you sugar free hard candy to suck on that will help immensely. Popsicles are good too, if you get those in the hospital.
-Breathing exercises hurt like **** but they really do help!
-Pain medication might make you nauseated with how little you will be able to "eat," so be careful.
-"eating" (lack there of) SUUUUUCKS. It's terrible. But savor it! This is the time your restriction will be best. You will seriously feel like eating is a tedious job for the first few weeks after surgery.
-Don't sneeze. Just don't. It feels like you're being stabbed in the stomach each time you do.
-Expect to be lacking energy for the first few months after surgery. However, some people say they are more entergetic after surgery. Not me!
Who to tell:
-Close family
-Really close friends
-Overweight people wanting to know "how you did it"
Who not to tell:
-Obnoxious work-out-aholics
-Anyone with a loudmouth
I told my parents, grandparents, and sisters. Didn't tell my cousins, aunts, or uncles. They found out the day after surgery because my grandfather was admitted to the ER, and passed away a day later. Crazy cir****tances, but I probably would have had to tell them at some point during the year. They are all overweight and extremely jealous of my success. I guess it was probably more realistic to tell them at the time of surgery rather than at Christmas, 90 pounds later.
I told a few of my sorority sisters at my old college, and of course, now everyone in that town knows.
What to say when people ask:
It depends. I hate lying to people. Yes, I do put in work. Yes, I do work out hard. Yes, I do watch what I eat. Telling someone I have lost so much weight by WLS is dangerous. It kind of takes the personalization out of it: people have the mentality that the surgery lost the weight, not me.
In general, people don't ask how I've lost weight. They usually just say "you look so great!" and avoid weight all together. I usually reply, "yeah, new hair style, like it?" haha, but seriously, people DON'T talk about weight in our culture. It's like if they do say something, they're admitting that they thought I was a huge fatass before. And they're afraid to come off as rude.
Brave person: You look great! how did you do it?
me: Thanks! I've really been strict about what I ea****ching my portions a lot, and staying in shape by working out.
Not a lie, right?
Message me for my Instagram/Facebook/Twitter details.
I LOVE your response about how to avoid the weight comment!
I am having gastric banding. I have had surgery two other times but they were not major. I am such a baby when it comes to my throat being in pain. I can break my arm, cut my finger, thats fine, but my throat hurting is going to be tough.
I think I am going to tell people as you did. My parents, god parents, and a few sorority sisters and friends know. My grandparents are way too judgy about those kinds of things. One side fo the family are the work-out-oholics and the other side is kind of the old redneck side who eat in one day what I currently eat in a week.
I am starting to the get to the point where I just wi**** were here, and I could start losing weight. i have just talked talked and talked about it so much I am just like come on!!
Who was your surgeon? Did you have the surgery in OKC?
I am having gastric banding. I have had surgery two other times but they were not major. I am such a baby when it comes to my throat being in pain. I can break my arm, cut my finger, thats fine, but my throat hurting is going to be tough.
I think I am going to tell people as you did. My parents, god parents, and a few sorority sisters and friends know. My grandparents are way too judgy about those kinds of things. One side fo the family are the work-out-oholics and the other side is kind of the old redneck side who eat in one day what I currently eat in a week.
I am starting to the get to the point where I just wi**** were here, and I could start losing weight. i have just talked talked and talked about it so much I am just like come on!!
Who was your surgeon? Did you have the surgery in OKC?
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