I was banded in Nov. and have only told my kids and a couple of very close friends. I'm curious about you guys. I felt like I wanted to lose some serious weight first. I was hoping that when someone asked me that I could be candid. At this point no one has even noticed that I have lost anything so I have kept my secret.

Has anyone else kept their surgery a secret?

Thanks for all the replies. It's interesting to hear the all different reasons for what we do. I wasn't sure why I didn't tell anyone until I heard from you guys. Now I know it's because I don't want to be in a fish bowl. Maybe when I have really started to loose some of this weight, I will be more open. I don't know....but thanks for sharing how you handled it.

I'm a teller. It just doesn't make sense to me to keep this secret since it isn't a secret that I'm fat. I don't wear a shirt with the slogan "as me how I lost my weight" basicailly bacause I haven't lost any weight.

I do feel somewhat like a fool and a charitan, because I haven't lost weight, and I am right back to where I was after my first fill. 5 fills and 2 unfills and weird things where I thought I was getting filled but I wasn't. (inexperienced interventialist radiologist)

i've told only one person... a friend who lives 3000 miles away, and no one else. i don't plan to tell anyone, and no one has asked "how" even though they have noticed a weightloss. i've struggled with telling, or not, and i still vote no for me. might change in the future, but alas, i doubt it.

best of luck in your decision to tell, or not.

Its amazing how our personalities are guiding our who to tell list. I blurt out also because of my excitment, and my mom who is married to a body worshiper ugh. I wanted them to know just to shut Him up lol. I havent told my mother in law, we are very close and she is a health bug. twenty yeares ago she made comments about my gaining, then she grew up. She is very sweet to me. She lives in CA and will visit this summer and I want to surprise her. Its going to be a blast, Im sure she will cry with tears of Joy for me. I told her a year ago that I know someday I will be thin again, I just didnt know when. Thats about when I started research on my bandaid.

I'm still trying to decide who I'll tell. Not banded yet but hope to be real soon. I'm kind of hesitant about telling some people like co-workers because they may think I'm just taking the easy way out, plus if they don't see results like they expect I don't want to have to explain. Or if (God forbid) I screw up & don't lose it will be embarassing. I will definately tell close friends & anyone that seems interested in WLS for themselves. Who knows, I may start telling strangers if all goes really well!!

I'v told EVERYBODY! and i'v had nothing but support!

I too have told anyone who cares to listen. I have had only support and I find that support very helpful. If I feel I need more support I can talk to anybody. I don't feel people are watching what I do or don't eat, the same as I don't watch what others do or don't eat.

maybe to some people its in that same scenario as being gay or having cancer. u either dont care if people know, or u feel like its a private issue. some people want to get the glory for making the committment or to say "look what i did!"... some just want a little recognition for losing weight but dont need people to know the ins and outs.

ive already been asked what ive been doing different when someone noticed that i had lost weight in my face. I said i was cutting back on my eating, drinking more Water, and walking more. ALL TRUE!! no need to lie. just depends on how much information you want to volunteer.

I didn't tell anyone at work, and a limited number of personal friends and family. The family I told were all supportive. The only downside about that is that they are WAY interested in my eating. "Is that going down OK? Does that hurt? Did you have to throw that up?" It feels like being someone else's science project. I find I don't want to talk about everything that is happening inside my body.

At work when people ask me what I am doing to lose so much weight, I say "eating less and moving more." I don't want to become the subject of office gossip. My fat feels too personal to me.

Once I am successful with the band, I may tell people who ask who are heavy and could benefit from the information, if they ask, but telling thin people has no appeal.

Not banded yet but have only told my husband, daughter, and close friend. No one's business. I'm not ashamed just not ready to share that much about myself.

PJ

This subject is very interesting to me as I too have decided not to tell the world of my decision to be banded. Right now I'm waiting (not too patiently) to find out if my insurance will cover the procedure. I have told my husband of course, but no one else. Not even my sisters or my Mother. I lost 50+ lbs several years ago using a WL drug, but it came right back plus 20. During that time I was everyone's topic of conversation. I can't go through that again. For me it's personal.

I am bi polar on this subject. Everyone in my personal world knows and has been incredibily supportive.

As for work, I am in sales and I stop by the office 2-3 times per week. I'm not close tho anyone in particular so I fibbed in the beginning. I had to "leak" I had gallbladder surgery because a nasty rumor about Cancer was going around. I've been fibbing little evasive fibs since MAy and certainly cannot come clean at this point.

So I'm having fun with the girls at work - I respond with very sinple phrases - thanks for noticing, i'm working hard etc....

My friends, family and neighbors have been my rocks!!!! Thank goodness for the support.

Good luck - if you decide not to tell have some amo ready.

I'm a blabber mouth!! Told everyone. Now I sort of wish I would have been more selective about who I told. The thing I hate most is having to respond to all the uneducated comments. People talk about the band as if THEY are the ones who have done all the research. They know someone with the band so suddenly they're an expert. At my first post-op social gathering (8 days out) some knew and some didn't. So my band and I were the talk of the night. My favorite dummy comment was said right in fornt of me but to everyone else as if I wasn't even in the room..."now she'll only be able to eat 2 or 3 bites at a time for the rest of her life." Another friend said, in a very disbelieving tone, "why'd you have that done?" This is a girl who's never been fat a day in her life. Did I really want to explain to her my lifetime struggle with weight, food, scales, sizes, dieting, etc.? NOT REALLY!! So the moral of my story is this...those of you who are pre-band and haven't decided to tell of not to tell, really think about how many questions you want to answer. If I had it to do over again I would only tell those who NEED to know.

I told my family, extended family, co-workers, the entire front office staff (I teach), the counseling department, my ortho, my periodontist, and my mailperson.

I only told my S/O...no one else knows...except you guys:nervous