TinDE

I think "A lot" is an excellent answer; it's true without being specific. But if you're hoping to squelch them, you could try "Oh, you want to talk numbers? Let's start with your salary." That should give them a hint that their question was rude, and the number is none of their business.

"a lot" was pretty much my standard answer the first year or two after surgery. I didn't want them silently calculating in their heads what I must have weighed before. Now I often say "over 100 lbs" (although at over six years out, it almost never comes up anymore). To most people, 100 lbs seems like an outrageous amount of weight, so they're satisfied with that answer. The real answer is over 200 lbs. I don't think people without a serious weight problem could wrap their head around that. Plus I don't really want people to know that I once weighed that much.

I’ve been lucky that not a lot of people have asked but there is no reason you can’t just say your seeing a nutritionists and meal planning/ cutting portion sizes and calories, Protein first, etc and just leave out the surgery part.

"My, my. What a rude question!"
Good luck,
Tek

I just did my bypass Aug 26 !!!

My doc’s rule is six months. I was told it was because they want to make sure your pouch is healed completely and also dehydration is an issue since alcohol is so dehydrating.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Like the surgery isn't stressful enough! I wouldn't go uber either. Basically some stranger picking you up and dropping you off. I would rather swear a friend to secrecy before that. You could ask the facility what they do since solo adults are probably fairly common these days, they may offer a service or something, Another option is to hire a home care professional. Check Care.com I'll bet you'll find someone on there willing to help you out.
Also since you won't be getting help at home, have everything set up for yourself as much as possible before surgery...foods, drinks, meds, etc.
A LOT of us can lose the weight on our own. It's keeping it off that's the problem. We've all been yo-yo dieting for years or we wouldn't be here.

My first goal was 180. The last weight I remember when I was social and comfortable enough with my appearance that I went out and did things like bowling league. I just reached 180.7 today!!

I bought a couple of sweaters from Ann Taylor Loft on sale because I have nothing for the colder weather. The size small was not the NSV - but the freedom to not feel like I “shouldn’t” wear a sweater with horizontal stripes was a big one! I didn’t realize how much my mom had instilled that in my head until I was looking at the website and purposefully skipping the ones with horizontal stripes because it would make me look bigger. Well, I got it in the mail yesterday and I think I can now say wearing horizontal stripes will be part of my life! PS - I think anyone at any size should wear what they want and what they feel good in - but my mom hammered into me all of these things about being heavy from like middle school on (suck in your stomach, be in the back behind people so your full body isn’t on display, no horizontal stripes, etc.) so this is just 30 years of baggage I’m trying to unload. Wearing horizontal stripes is major for me.

I'm 59 and had the RNY last Monday.

Seriously try the Xylimelts! They were so helpful for me at night.

Today I had an A-HA moment. I went to get my hair done and the owner came up to me and said "You lost weight! You look great!!" and I *almost* said...yes I had surgery 2 weeks ago. And I caught myself. I thought *surgery* didn't do this. *I* did this. I've only lost 13 pounds since surgery. I've lost 45+ on my own since January. Actually I don't even know why I would tell her about surgery. I haven't told anyone except my kids LOL. But it was weird that it was the first thing I thought of. But I'm glad I realized it quickly and gave the credit to *myself*. I'm the one doing the hard work. Yay me!

OMG I'm 3 weeks post surgery (bypass) and have been having issues with this dry mouth thing too. I've been taking esomeprazole for years and I'm taking much less now so I don't think that has to do with it. I do have Biotene and will use it more often. It's painful! Woke me up a couple of times!

I totally feel you. Once the surgery subject comes up, your weight, your weight loss (or not), how good/healthy (or bad/unhealthy) you look and the story of every person everyone has ever known to have surgery (especially failure stories) become the main topic of conversation. I watched it happen to my brother and my niece and I opted out of that nonsense. Good luck with your surgery!

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Like the surgery isn't stressful enough! I wouldn't go uber either. Basically some stranger picking you up and dropping you off. I would rather swear a friend to secrecy before that. You could ask the facility what they do since solo adults are probably fairly common these days, they may offer a service or something, Another option is to hire a home care professional. Check Care.com I'll bet you'll find someone on there willing to help you out.
Also since you won't be getting help at home, have everything set up for yourself as much as possible before surgery...foods, drinks, meds, etc.
A LOT of us can lose the weight on our own. It's keeping it off that's the problem. We've all been yo-yo dieting for years or we wouldn't be here.

I'm glad your mother-in-law is supportive and willing to help you out. Hopefully she can smack some sense into her son while you're in the hospital.

Lol. Awesome!

Exactly. The surgery is a tool. You don’t give kudos to a gym membership or an exercise machine. They’re just tools too. If you don’t work hard & put in the effort they won’t help you at all.
Congrats on your weight loss so far. Fabulous!

I concur with what Arabesque said! You are doing the work with a new tool available to you. Congratulations and you are doing a great job!
I'm at that point when people ask me how I lost weight I just say
"Lifestyle change."

Today I had an A-HA moment. I went to get my hair done and the owner came up to me and said "You lost weight! You look great!!" and I *almost* said...yes I had surgery 2 weeks ago. And I caught myself. I thought *surgery* didn't do this. *I* did this. I've only lost 13 pounds since surgery. I've lost 45+ on my own since January. Actually I don't even know why I would tell her about surgery. I haven't told anyone except my kids LOL. But it was weird that it was the first thing I thought of. But I'm glad I realized it quickly and gave the credit to *myself*. I'm the one doing the hard work. Yay me!

Today I had an A-HA moment. I went to get my hair done and the owner came up to me and said "You lost weight! You look great!!" and I *almost* said...yes I had surgery 2 weeks ago. And I caught myself. I thought *surgery* didn't do this. *I* did this. I've only lost 13 pounds since surgery. I've lost 45+ on my own since January. Actually I don't even know why I would tell her about surgery. I haven't told anyone except my kids LOL. But it was weird that it was the first thing I thought of. But I'm glad I realized it quickly and gave the credit to *myself*. I'm the one doing the hard work. Yay me!

Today I had an A-HA moment. I went to get my hair done and the owner came up to me and said "You lost weight! You look great!!" and I *almost* said...yes I had surgery 2 weeks ago. And I caught myself. I thought *surgery* didn't do this. *I* did this. I've only lost 13 pounds since surgery. I've lost 45+ on my own since January. Actually I don't even know why I would tell her about surgery. I haven't told anyone except my kids LOL. But it was weird that it was the first thing I thought of. But I'm glad I realized it quickly and gave the credit to *myself*. I'm the one doing the hard work. Yay me!

Today I had an A-HA moment. I went to get my hair done and the owner came up to me and said "You lost weight! You look great!!" and I *almost* said...yes I had surgery 2 weeks ago. And I caught myself. I thought *surgery* didn't do this. *I* did this. I've only lost 13 pounds since surgery. I've lost 45+ on my own since January. Actually I don't even know why I would tell her about surgery. I haven't told anyone except my kids LOL. But it was weird that it was the first thing I thought of. But I'm glad I realized it quickly and gave the credit to *myself*. I'm the one doing the hard work. Yay me!

Today I had an A-HA moment. I went to get my hair done and the owner came up to me and said "You lost weight! You look great!!" and I *almost* said...yes I had surgery 2 weeks ago. And I caught myself. I thought *surgery* didn't do this. *I* did this. I've only lost 13 pounds since surgery. I've lost 45+ on my own since January. Actually I don't even know why I would tell her about surgery. I haven't told anyone except my kids LOL. But it was weird that it was the first thing I thought of. But I'm glad I realized it quickly and gave the credit to *myself*. I'm the one doing the hard work. Yay me!

Today I had an A-HA moment. I went to get my hair done and the owner came up to me and said "You lost weight! You look great!!" and I *almost* said...yes I had surgery 2 weeks ago. And I caught myself. I thought *surgery* didn't do this. *I* did this. I've only lost 13 pounds since surgery. I've lost 45+ on my own since January. Actually I don't even know why I would tell her about surgery. I haven't told anyone except my kids LOL. But it was weird that it was the first thing I thought of. But I'm glad I realized it quickly and gave the credit to *myself*. I'm the one doing the hard work. Yay me!