I was talking about the lapband with my sister today when my 8 year old niece asks me "why I didn't just do zumba and eat healthy to lose weight". I am not sure if it was a good idea to share this with a child, my hopes is that her and her brother sees the struggles that I go through with my weight and won't have to deal with this themselves.

The nurse told me during my consultation it isn't a good idea to share with everyone about my upcoming lapband... She says that ppl tend to put lapbanders under a microscope once they know...

Who do you all share with? Have you found alot of ppl that doesn't understand why we have came to this decision is negative and/or non supportive?

Everyone has been very supportibe although there have been several familiy members that have told many people (not out of meanness but because they are proud of my success). I am pretty open with everyone about the band. I think there are so many people out there that mistake us for bypass patients. I have educated a lot of people on the band. I pretty much dismiss any negative comments. We did this for ourselves, our families and our health. It was my decision and I have to live with it. I am proud of my band!

Everyone has been very supportibe although there have been several familiy members that have told many people (not out of meanness but because they are proud of my success). I am pretty open with everyone about the band. I think there are so many people out there that mistake us for bypass patients. I have educated a lot of people on the band. I pretty much dismiss any negative comments. We did this for ourselves, our families and our health. It was my decision and I have to live with it. I am proud of my band!

It seems you are doing an awesome job. Thanks for the reply!!! I have never been more certain about a decision in my life, (other then my marriage). I agree and think ppl do get the 2 confused. I am just going to keep on keeping on and disregard any negative I receive while on this journey. Thanks again for your reply!

I wanted to keep my surgery fairly secret.. in case I wasn't successful, but before asking if he could say.. my oh so Dear Husband told everyone at his work. He works at a rumor factory, so there goes any hope of privacy.

Fortunately, I've never had any negative comments to my face. In fact, I usually get compliments and positive remarks. I don't tell every last person I talk to that I had the band, but if I sense that the person is struggling with their weight, I'll share. I'm pretty sure I inspired 2 other people to get banded and another to get a different WLS (Sleeve.. although the person who was sleeved thought I had had RNY).

I wanted to keep my surgery fairly secret.. in case I wasn't successful, but before asking if he could say.. my oh so Dear Husband told everyone at his work. He works at a rumor factory, so there goes any hope of privacy.

Fortunately, I've never had any negative comments to my face. In fact, I usually get compliments and positive remarks. I don't tell every last person I talk to that I had the band, but if I sense that the person is struggling with their weight, I'll share. I'm pretty sure I inspired 2 other people to get banded and another to get a different WLS (Sleeve.. although the person who was sleeved thought I had had RNY).

so far I have only told immediate family and a couple friends that I have recently started going to the gym with. My husband is sister is very supportive. The lady I have been exercising with keeps telling me to think hard before I do it because she knows someone that gets sick whenever she eats. I don't think she understands that it's probably a productive burp where she is eating something she shouldn't or is eating too fast.

I try and keep things secret around here too but news travels fast, so I can understand how your news traveled through DH's work.

I just checked out your lapband profile and I am really amazed! I am 355 lbs now and my goal weight is 150. Coming here and seeing ppl like you really inspires me and gives me hope. Thanks for inspiring!

I kept my decision relatively quiet but did tell my immediate family. I did want to explain things to my neice that I did not make this decision easily and that I've had a weight problem my entire life. She has seen both my sister and I yo yo though I have always weight more than my sister. My neice is 14 and she is at a very delicate age when it comes to body image (though she takes after her father's side and is tall and thin).

I didn't tell my mother in advance, but I called her and told her as soon as I got home from the hospital. She's elderly and in poor health and I didn't want her worrying. I also didn't want her at the hospital. Other than that, I told absolutely everyone! I got mixed responses but most were positive. I did have one friend (a twig) who said I shouldn't do it I should just diet and exercise, blah blah blah..... I remember telling her, "Go gain 150 pounds, carry it around for a couple decades and come back and see me. Your opinion might count then!" Of course I said it in the nicest possible way! (LOL) I never really saw any point in trying to keep it a secret. Enough people were going to know that it would have made its around anyway. Besides, if you put everything out there, they won't have any reason to gossip about you!

I was talking about the lapband with my sister today when my 8 year old niece asks me "why I didn't just do zumba and eat healthy to lose weight". I am not sure if it was a good idea to share this with a child, my hopes is that her and her brother sees the struggles that I go through with my weight and won't have to deal with this themselves.

The nurse told me during my consultation it isn't a good idea to share with everyone about my upcoming lapband... She says that ppl tend to put lapbanders under a microscope once they know...

Who do you all share with? Have you found alot of ppl that doesn't understand why we have came to this decision is negative and/or non supportive?

I did not tell too many people, just a friend who had a gastric sleeve, and a sister-in-law, and my son.

My husband passed away last year and he would not have been supportive. He was of the "just eat less and get more exercise" school, but if I tried not sitting down with him to dinner, or giving him smaller portions to help me eat less, I heard about it and plans like Jenny Craig were out of the question. I would tell only people who would be supportive, or who have a right to know about your surgery. Everyone else can wait. Then, if they say "Why didn't you. . . .? you can ignore them as it is too late.

It seems you are doing an awesome job. Thanks for the reply!!! I have never been more certain about a decision in my life, (other then my marriage). I agree and think ppl do get the 2 confused. I am just going to keep on keeping on and disregard any negative I receive while on this journey. Thanks again for your reply!

I don't and will not listen to negative comments. I feel much better about myself and I think it probably comes across. Those with "negative" comments are mostly people who think the band is bypass. So, I try to educate them. You will be so proud of yourself! It seems you have the right mind-set to have a very successful journey.

I would say only tell the people you trust and confide in about everything else until you see how it goes. Later if you are strong enough to handle some ridiculously negative people, go ahead and shout it from the rooftops. But for now, be careful and protect your own feelings first!

I had had enough of other people's input when I last lost weight and their sudden silence as it crept back on so I only told the people I wanted to tell, i.e. my husband and our sons, my Mum and one very close friend. They have all respected by request for privacy and supportive of my decision.

Perhaps if I hadn't experienced discrimination due to my obesity I would have been more open to sharing with other people but then again, I didn't shout it to the world when I went on the pill or started taking blood pressure tablets!

Good luck with your surgery and life as a bandster.