Question:
Hiatel Hernia

I was thinking of telling my co-workers that I needed surgery for a hernia. Would that give me the 6 weeks I need to recover? Some of the folks here are trying to talk another lady out of the surgery and I don't want to be hounded about it.    — Katerina M. (posted on April 11, 2003)

April 11, 2003
I'd be inclined to say I was having elective surgery but I prefer to keep it private. For the people who I'm not telling that I'm having WLS, this explains my absence and makes it clear that I'm not ill so they don't need to worry. I think what you tell your employer officially and what you tell coworkers are two different things, of course. You don't want to lie to your employer, but it's none of your coworkers' business. Six weeks actually sounds a little long for a hernia; personally I prefer not to be dishonest but to be evasive if I want to.
   — sjwilde

April 11, 2003
Hi, I personally told my co-workers, because I knew that it would be odd for me to be losing weight so rapidly. Though that was my choice, and by speaking freely about it several other unhealthy people have researched and gone through this journey. I had a hiatal hernia which they repaired during surgery. I looked up info on recovery for a hiatel hernia and if you say you had this done by the open procedure the website said you would be in the hospital for 2-6 days and home recovery for 4-6weeks. I respect the fact that you don't want people to "hound" you for it and it is your privacy. My mother decided not to say anything to anyone about my surgery. She told co-workers who noticed my weightloss; that i had problems with my stomach and to fix it they had to remove parts of it which made it smaller, causing me to help lose weight...lol they never questioned it, oh well!! Good luck to you! Post-op 9mos -100 pounds
   — Sunny4x4chick