Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Hiding The Lap Band From Others And General Advice For A Newbie



Recommended Posts

Oh geez' date=' you are from NY. Are you a yankees fan? I'm from Boston!

Can this friendship ever have a future?????!!!!!! : )[/quote']

Hahaha! Maybe in the off season :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm 6 weeks post op. my hubby and three kids know. One of my Bffs know. I told no one else. I am at a weekly work luncheon, I entertain often, and we do go out to dinner. No one has ever been the wiser.

My mom asked me if I was on medifast. I said " I can't afford $300 a month, that's crazy"

This is about me not anyone else. Don't feel any guilt or hesitation. Make your choice and don't look back!

Pre-op 275.9lbs -surgery 10/5 265.0lbs -11/11/12 241.8lbs

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dreamers- I know EXACTLY how you're feeling.. Im going thru the beginning stages of the band for the second time! And struggling just the same.. People don't get and won't.. Trust me on that! I have spectacular friends!! And try, as they might, won't even understand the plunge I took w getting the band.. It IS struggle, but it's the struggle I , personally chose for my own livelihood.. My own health.. My own well being.. And I get it is hard to explain to people what you are doing by getting "banded" it's by far the "easy way out" and my ONLY advice for you is embrace it.. Because Its you are taking a plunge and really making your life.. And your health better. No one can take that from you.. So my second go around i feel like the only advice i wish someone would have told me when i first was banded was to not feel "quilty - for taking the easy way out.. yadda yadda.." Just own it, I feel like its really important to do that! Not sure if this applies to your life, but I at least hope you can keep that in the back of your mind. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi' date='

This is my first post!

I am getting banded on dec 17th - I have done a ton of research and am absolutely certain of this decision. I have also made the decision to not share the fact that i'm getting banded with EVERYONE. There are certain friends who would not only object, but hold it over me and make me feel inferior or like there is something "wrong" with me cos i need a band (i know, why are they my friends right? not the point though)

The extremely slow eating, tiny bites, possible "stuck" or burp/slime episodes..... i know these things happen if u aren't careful which i plan on being, but i also know it can easily happen if you're not thinking for a split second and swallow too much etc.

Does anyone have any advice on ways around drawing attention to the 'weird' eating habits i will have to adopt?

My circle of people know i am always on some kind of diet/food restriction thing.... so i was thinking of just playing this up and being like "yeah i just wanna eat waaaaay less and try to lose weight that way" OR always choose Soups or easy to swallow foods from the menu.

This won't be a common thing, it will be like, once every couple weeks or so for dinners.

Again, i really don't need people telling me to not be afraid to tell everyone, or that my friends are a**holes.... i just want to know tips on how to hide it from certain people.

Thanks in advance! I look forward to this whole journey![/quote']

Hello, listen it is entirely up to you who do you tell. There is as well a lot of jealous people that would like to bring you down because you will be loosing weight.

My advice to you would be that you say you are again on a diet and the reason you have to eat slow and chew really properly is because you read and bear in mind this is true : the food takes about 20 minutes to reach your stomach, that's why when you eat really quick you are able to stuff yourself and only realise you really full and feel sick afterwards. Well you have to chew it properly because lately you having a bit of digestion problems and your doctor pointed out that you don't chew enough. Easy :)

Hope everything goes amazing

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was not gonna tell my Bf because a few months ago she made a comment that she would never have surgery to lose weight and trust me, she is a big girl, but I decided to share with her this week because I had pretty much told everyone and love there support. I was surprised to hear her say that she had thought about it before herself and ask who I was going through. Sometimes people say crazy things and then when they step back and look at themselves they see how wrong they were sometimes!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Only negetive was a gastric bypass person I know who says everyone that she knows that has the band has gained there weight back, and I had to tell her the same is possible with any weight loss surgery if you don't change your life style and more so with them because there is nothing restricting them and the stomach can strech back out and they can eventually eat larger quantities of food versus a band

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I told some folks ...and the ones I knew would not be supporative I didn't tell until I was post op and losing. Since I was known to be a sweet eater and also a people pleaser the hardest thing for me was to say no to people who made it just for me. Did anyone else eat just to be nice?

I understand that some people we have to be around work,, socially are "sorta friends" but you just don't trust them to have your back so really tell them whatever you want. You seem to already know how/what they are so we won't tell you about that.

After you lose your weight just don't become like them . And if you see someone struggling with their weight be the kind of friend to them you want to us to be to you.

You are about to begin a new journey there will be days when you will wonder why you did this , sometimes because it is hard and sometimes because not being hungry makes passing up foods so easy.

This forum is full of great folks who have been there done that and got the T shirt , and then they will help you ... hold your hand, when you need it and smack your around a little if you need that.

Best Wishes it will be interesting to hear how your thoughts about yourself and what you value changes as your body changes... :rolleyes:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×