Telling Friends and Family about Getting Banded.

[Qtjan5 17]

I am one who is very open about having the band. I have learned that, yea, people may have concerns or negative reactions, but its your life - if this is what is best for you, who cares what anyone else thinks. I have found that having support from my friends and family have helped me succeed on my weight loss journey. I have also found that most people are supportive of the decision and are very happy that I felt comfortable telling them. The more more educated people become about bariatric surgery, hopefully less negativity will occur. Good luck!

[rbmk14 59]

Did anyone not tell anybody? I'm in the process of getting approved and will get my band sometime this summer, but I've only told one person. She's a friend of mine and happened to say something about her aunt who was banded so I felt comfortable telling her. My mom is very unsupportive about anything regarding my weight loss, though, and my sister is a dietician and very judgmental. I don't want to tell them, and as of right now plan of having the surgery without telling anyone except for that one friend. She has expressed interest in the process of me getting it and has always been supportive. My insurance also requires me to stay overnight the day of my surgery, so I was planning on driving myself home from the hospital and just going on about my life. Has anyone else done this?

[Qtjan5 17]

Did anyone not tell anybody? I'm in the process of getting approved and will get my band sometime this summer' date=' but I've only told one person. She's a friend of mine and happened to say something about her aunt who was banded so I felt comfortable telling her. My mom is very unsupportive about anything regarding my weight loss, though, and my sister is a dietician and very judgmental. I don't want to tell them, and as of right now plan of having the surgery without telling anyone except for that one friend. She has expressed interest in the process of me getting it and has always been supportive. My insurance also requires me to stay overnight the day of my surgery, so I was planning on driving myself home from the hospital and just going on about my life. Has anyone else done this?[/quote']

I do not suggest trying to drive yourself home the next day as you will be uncomfortable. It is worth telling at least one person who can be with you and help you home when you are discharged.

[corcor 0]

Hello all. I am new here and I came across this thread. I am also having trouble telling my family about my up-coming wls. As of right now, only close friends know that I will be having the surgery in the next couple of months. I have brought it up as "what if" to my family and they responded very negatively and I would laugh so they didn't think I was serious. Even when our Governor Christie from NJ (whom I'm not a fan of) came out, my mother said with disgust that all he needed was Weight Watchers and to walk daily. In my head, I was like if it were only that simple. I would love to tell my family but I know they will judge me and see it as taking the "easy" way out. Maybe years down the line, I will be comfortable to tell them but for right now, I'm glad I have my friends, support group at my doctors and here as my support. Good luck to everyone :-)

[GodsTyro 63]

For me, most of everyone I know, knows I had it done. All my friends have been supportive in getting it, but when I said what I was getting done I also explained the procedure so there was no mis construed notions of expecting me to lose 40lbs in 1 month- which is not going to happen unless I get the gastric bypass.

The only one that wasn't super supportive was my brother, but I understood from his perspective and chose not to discuss it further after telling him. his reasoning is the people he knows on a daily basis that has got it done have either regretted it or had complications from it. But his 2 people go against my 10 people that I know and had great results with it. As I told my brother, no matter what surgery it is there is risk involved but at least with the lap band if I had complications (which I never have) it's removable. Also told him without knowing if those people actually followed the rules they are suppose to there is no way of knowing if his friends complications are due to their own fault.

I got banded November 2012 and don't regret it or regret telling anyone, they know I kick my butt at the gym 5-6x a week and that it just helps with the weight loss to have the band, but I've been blessed to not have folks assume the band is what is doing all of the work. I have yet to be in the green zone, but I am also down 72 lbs (now at 243 from 315). Once I am in the green zone finally I will be more interested to see how quickly weight falls off.

[CHEZNOEL 4,061]

Tell the people you want to tell when you are ready. No... I don't keep it a secret, but there is a huge lack of understanding about the band that makes some people think it is easy easy way out. Nothing could be further from the truth. You will work danged hard to be successful. I would recommend that when you decide who to tell before surgery, take them with you to the seminars so that they can become educated as well. It is a personal decision and one that I am very happy with. Most people don't know about the band. My family and two closest friends plus a few thousand on LapBandTalk are the only ones! LOL!

[#bandy 2]

I decided to only tell

My husband and mother. I didn't feel it was anyone else business. I was just banded 3 days ago so not sure if that will change once I loose the weight. I just didn't want to be a conversation piece or everything be about my band or how much I've lost. When my son is old enough to understand I plan to tell him also. But for now it's my business. As overweight people I'm sure most of us are embarrassed by the fact that we are "fat".... But hopefully not for long

[rmalikone 108]

Told my adult children and of course my wife was told. The wife was not totally on board but she learned that I was moving forward and surgery was to extend my life (hopefully) for the both of us!

As for my reasoning; will I guess it was fear of failure! Overweight people have failed dieting numerous times!

I also didn't want to go thru - Oh you ain't that heavy, you carry it well, just lose 10 pounds and you will be OK.

Which none of that is true and I needed to get my health in order - sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high triglyceride's, and arthritis. At 57 I needed to do it now!

Not anybodies business but I will determine if I will or won't tell as time go's by.