Friends opinions?

 This is my first post, however I have been following the discussions for quite some time. I am scheduled to have my vertical sleeve gastrectomy on aug 1 and am extremely excited! Unfortunately, due to some "concerned" friends who say I should just lose the weight on my own there seems to be a little rain on my parade. I was just wondering how do people usually deal with this? I am not doing the surgery for my friends I am doing it for myself and I sense some jealousy.
Thanks guys!

 I havent told any of my friends I had surgery to keep it easy. Just eating well and working out like crazy. 

Folks cannot completely understand unless being in your shoes. Smile and tell them thank you so much for caring.

Remember, when you drop pounds super crazy fast their tune will change. Most folks cant argue with the results!

Romea, to even be considered for WLS under a 40 BMI means you had to satisfy your primary and a surgeon AND your insurance company that you had qualifying comorbiters.

Your "concerned" friends do not walk in your shoes but in their own. They don't know all your health problems and even if they did, they don't understand the need for surgery.

As LW's we all get the "but can't you lose it on your own?" Or You should just lose it the "HARD way" and not taking the "easy way" out. We all get some who rain on our parade. What you need to do is look at them and decide if they are truly concerned or acting out of possible jealousy.

Sometimes we lose our pre-op friends. But find new ones. A GOOD friend will accept your reasons and accept you regardless of size.

Liz

I'm one of those who has been completely honest about my surgery.  Some "friends" have problems with it but it is their problem.  Good friends will work through the jealousy and should support you once they realize you are healthy.  Some will always have their own demons.  I say, to each his own.  Be proud and confident of your decision to take control of your life. 
I know many people don't come forward about their surgery but I figure it becomes obvious as we lose weight and I also don't believe we should have anything to be ashamed of. 
Congrats!
Janet

I have always been honest about my journey. We've all been where you are. What I finally decided was the only person that was living hostage in this unhealthy body was me. Opinions are like hinnies everybody has one. What people don't realize is we have tried everything if we have gotten to this point. I had tried everything too. This is no easy way out! I had a bowel obstruction 3 days after surgery and nearly died. This is by far nooo easy way out!~ I wish you the best as you embark on your journey. Those that are truly your friends will stick by you through thick and thin!~

You know its a lot of hard emotional work coming to this decision, that you did not come to lightly. I have had to distance myself from all those naysayers, that keep trying to either say I can do it on my own, or I will just gain all the weight back. Of course these people don't understand my PCOS makes that nearly impossible on my own, and I havent been smaller than a size 14 since junior high. Feel good about your decisions, and don't let them bring you down. You are doing this for you, not them. You are doing this for your health, not theirs. Good luck. You are just about a week after me. I am having VSG on July 25 th. This should be an exciting time for us, as we are embarking on our new healthy life.

Yay surgery buddies! Are you excited?!

I am really excited, and so scared. I've never had any type of surgery so that why I'm scared but i know it will all work out great. I'm so ready for this. How are you doing?

 Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement! I was diagnosed with stage 2 hypertension at 16 years old and most of my friends do not know that. I am 22 and in nursing school right now and want to make this change for my health and my future. After the negative responses from 2 of my close friends, i have held back from telling anyone else until after surgery. I can't wait to come off my blood pressure medicine and feel healthy! I am happy to do this as a LW because I feel like I am preventing myself from going down a long road of health problems later on in life. I am so excited I can hardly think of anything else! On the 25th I am supposed to start a liquid diet, which I am not as excited about. My boyfriend had the sleeve done in January and has lost over 100 lbs! It is encouraging to go through this with someone else who has been there! Thanks everyone! I have many more questions I will post later! 

I haven't told many people, in part because I'm afraid I'd get reactions like you've gotten. If I was able to get super-motivated, maybe I would be able to drop a good part of the weight on my own. I've done it before. But what I've never done is KEEP it off, even for a brief while. That's why I decided to have surgery.
I had to self-pay (my insurance excludes any bariatric treatment, so even if I'd had a BMI of 60+ and 5 comorbities they wouldn't have paid), so I didn't have to satisfy anyone but myself, my husband, and my surgeon that I needed it. But I have the support of my primary care physician, which tells me I'm not completely bonkers to do this at my weight.
A lot of people have the impression bariatric surgery is very risky so it's a bad choice for low-BMI patients. I certainly used to think that way. We think it's only for people with a HUGE amount to lose. Your friends may have the same impression and not realize the guidelines are changing as it becomes safer. Hang in there, and congratulations on your journey!!