Who have you told about the LapBand? I personally am not telling many about my surgery. Out of my family only my parents and one of my aunts know and I also have one friend that I have told about it. People have so many different opinions of it and of course there's always the "It's the easy way out" (which is not the case at all) and the "Why can't you just do it the normal way?" which are really my reasons in not telling others.. Changing life-long habits is hard and the last thing I want to deal with is people criticizing and questioning me, so they just won't know.. Which leads to my next question.. What do you tell people when they ask you about how you lost the weight? Obviously there's always the diet and exercise, but do people really believe it? I'm in college and will be having the surgery over out Christmas break, in which I won't see any of my friends for a month so I'm guessing they will probably notice, and I know my family will notice since I don't come home from school that often.. I guess in the end it doesn't really matter what you tell people and if they believe you or not, I was just wondering what yall tell people

I didn't tell anyone but family and my boss before the surgery because I also didn't want any negative comments. I knew I wanted to do the surgery so what anyone had to say would just make me mad. After I had the surgery I would slowly tell people that I liked about it and if they told anyone else it was fine. You are right this is not an easy way out at all. It still takes work and willpower but it does help alot. Good luck to you with whatever you decide to do.

I chose to only tell my parents, my sister, my hubby and my 2 children(who are over 19) about it for the same reasons you discussed above. Everyone else I just say I see a nutrionist and exercise. Which isn't a lie I do see a nutrionist every 6 weeks through my surgeons office and I do exercise. Good luck with your surgery.

Everyone know I had the surgery, and if anyone asks I gladly tell them. I am proud to be banded and losing weight.

I told my husband and 1 close friend. nobody else knows. that's how i plan to keep it for as long as i can. it's nobody's business how i've lost weight. i don't feel that i'm robbing anyone of the chance to hear pros/cons from a wls patient because the only people who have even noticed that i've lost weight are all thin and don't need surgery.

my plus sized friends are anti wls, so no need to tell them. either.

it's not that i'm not proud that i'm banded, it's that it's a personal decision and if and when i'm ready to spread the word, i'll spread the word. if i'm never ready to do that, then i never will.

i didn't want the added pressure of people watching every little thing that i put in my mouth and asking things like "are you supposed to be eating that???" again, not their business.

we each have to do what is right for us. there is no right or wrong answer.

good luck on your journey.

I had mentioned to another friend a while back that I was thinking about getting it and all that she would do is just say "No, don't do it" and blah blah but never would give a reason why. After that was when I decided to not tell people. I may tell people later but right now I feel as if it will be easier without others knowing and looking at everything I do and always asking how much I've lost.

I told all my family, my in-laws, and all my friends. I figure I'll need support through it all, and those are who I'm counting on for it! Plus, if my journey can help someone else who is battling with their weight, then that's a good thing!

Since the surgery, I haven't told many new people. I had one friend blurt it out to a lady I had only just met for the first time that day, and that felt weird. I've met a large number of people in the past few weeks, and I haven't told any of them - when there has been food served at events, I've just declined with "No thanks, I'm not really a big fan of this type of dish..." or something vague like "Sorry, I've got some tummy troubles and can't really eat that." I'm going to be spending time with these people for years (new job, new school), so I figure if I put out the vague "tummy troubles", they won't be surprised if my eating seems a little "weird" to them in the future...

I want to have a good support system so I have told some people that I am waiting for insurance approval and because my bmi is only 35. and I am not 200 pounds over weight, they have been saying I didnot need it. well, ,now I am not tellin any one else until the day after my surgery because this is a personal decision and no one is going to stop me. my husband supports me and that is all that counts.

I tell anyone that asks how i'm losing weight - including people at work. Betweeen that and the morning scale (every day without fail) i feel "accountable" to everyone - which is what is working for me - it has kept me from cheating many times. Everyone needs to do what works "for them". It's a personal choice. BEST OF LUCK TO US ALL ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!

Who have you told about the LapBand? I personally am not telling many about my surgery. Out of my family only my parents and one of my aunts know and I also have one friend that I have told about it. People have so many different opinions of it and of course there's always the "It's the easy way out" (which is not the case at all) and the "Why can't you just do it the normal way?" which are really my reasons in not telling others.. Changing life-long habits is hard and the last thing I want to deal with is people criticizing and questioning me, so they just won't know.. Which leads to my next question.. What do you tell people when they ask you about how you lost the weight? Obviously there's always the diet and exercise, but do people really believe it? I'm in college and will be having the surgery over out Christmas break, in which I won't see any of my friends for a month so I'm guessing they will probably notice, and I know my family will notice since I don't come home from school that often.. I guess in the end it doesn't really matter what you tell people and if they believe you or not, I was just wondering what yall tell people

When I got it done the only person that knew was my husband. A couple of months later i had to come clean to my kids( my daughter started thinking I was bulimic). The further out I am the more people i have told. There are still some friends that don't know but they are the ones that look down on WLS so I can't be bothered getting into an argument.

if you tell some ppl and they find out later will they be mad cause we didnt share this with them(i haven't been banded and i was wondering the same thing who to tell and who not to tell and what to tell ppl that notice my changes)

if you tell some ppl and they find out later will they be mad cause we didnt share this with them(i haven't been banded and i was wondering the same thing who to tell and who not to tell and what to tell ppl that notice my changes)

If people get mad, they get mad. I don't tell many people personal things to begin with so I feel as if I wasn't close enough to them to tell them, then I don't care if they are mad or not....

You have to do what works for you. It is a personal choice whether to share or not. I have told most all my famiy, including extended, and all my friends. Lots of acquaintances know as well. I have had almost all supportive responses and those few that have started into a convo that seems to be against it get cut off at the beginning with "I know I made the best choice for me and would appreciate you keeping negative opinions to yourself." That has seemed to work and nipped those convos right in the bud. I could care less if they get mad at me for saying that to them. I could get mad for them saying something negative to me, but don't. I just don't want the negativity about one of the best things I have ever done for myself.

In the beginning I told EVERYBODY!!! Now that I've lost my weight I still don't keep it a secret. If someone asks I tell them. Sometimes I tell people that don't ask! I'm proud of my band and my success and I don't really care who knows or what they think about it. I had a young, skinny girl (21) criticize recently "Why couldn't you just do it without cheating?" (or something to that effect). My response was, "spoken like a true Barbie Doll!" The only time I don't mention it is when I date someone new. I've scared off a couple men. Not sure if it was because I can't pig out with them or if they're afraid I'll get fat again. Their loss, not mine!

I told my husband and 1 friend who had gastric bypass. That was my choice...I was a low BMI person and I really didn't want to hear "oh you don't need to do something that drastic".

A couple people at work now know, only because I experienced a slip while travelling abroad for work.