I am a teacher and dance team coach. I will have to tell the parents of my dancers "something" bc I'm returning to coaching just four days after surgery. I don't really want to disclose what type of surgery I'm having with them. Any suggestions? Same with when school starts and I have to sign out early for follow ups with my doc. I need a story to "stick to" for nosy parents and coworkers...

People are quite nosy, and their nosiness will increase when you start losing weight too. I told my co-workers I had to go for surgery to remove my gall bladder (since I had to come back to work 2 days post surgery). I also started telling them way in advance of my surgery that I started seeing a nutritionist and exercising to lose weight.

Good luck on your journey..this is one of the best decisions you've made! Keep us posted on your progress.

Gallbladder is good. Or you can tell them that it's "female" and leave it at that :-)

You could say that you are having a hernia repaired/removed because that would be a possibility during the surgery.

I have arthritis and I told people I was having surgery to help my knee. It was a stretch but not an outright lie in that the weight loss will help my knee. I've since told some people about the lapband because I find it difficult to not be truthful and especially when I'm one on one with someone and they really seem interested in how I've lost the weight (it's coming off pretty fast and I think that has alot to do with it), I usually 'fess up. I do have to say that I haven't gotten any negative reaction so far.

I am a teacher and dance team coach. I will have to tell the parents of my dancers "something" bc I'm returning to coaching just four days after surgery. I don't really want to disclose what type of surgery I'm having with them. Any suggestions? Same with when school starts and I have to sign out early for follow ups with my doc. I need a story to "stick to" for nosy parents and coworkers...

You could blame it on your thyroid or galbladder, but my mother always warned us against telling "white lies" regarding our health and that of our family members. I would suggest just saying it's a personal health matter that requires diligence and attention. If they question how you seem to be melting away, let them know that your current health situation required you to make drastic changes in terms of eating and exercise. Don't say it's something that it's not...karma is a mofo and you don't want the thing you blame it on to manifest and actually become an issue.

I have arthritis and I told people I was having surgery to help my knee. It was a stretch but not an outright lie in that the weight loss will help my knee. I've since told some people about the lapband because I find it difficult to not be truthful and especially when I'm one on one with someone and they really seem interested in how I've lost the weight (it's coming off pretty fast and I think that has alot to do with it), I usually 'fess up. I do have to say that I haven't gotten any negative reaction so far.

I have gotten 90% positive reactions when I tell people about my decision to get the band. Yes, some people are just nosey and I see no harm in telling them. Besides that, True Results has "hired" me as a part-time employee to "recruit" other bandsters. I have to be honest, the money involved is GGGGRRRREEEEEAAAAATTTTT!!! So if you tell you story and the person goes through with it - you could be $500 - $1,000 richer per person. Just a thought. Most of the overweight people I tell usually respond "wow...I want to do that, too..."

I guess I was kind of lucky in this department. I did tell a very few friends and family a few months back that i had put a team together (doctor, psychologist, dietician) to take control of my health...which was true. I even told them I was going to NYU because they had an amazing program for weight loss (not every who goes there opts for surgery)...which was also true. I knew I would be on a liquid diet, so that was easily explained as being doctor supervised to help me shrink my stomach and the doctor and dietician would help me introduce solid foods again slowly...which is also mostly true. What I did not count on was a trip to the emergency room about a month before the surgery. It turned out I had several large stones, air in my kidneys and a kidney infection that spread to my blood and i needed emergency surgery does to make it through the night. I was pretty sick and admitted for 8 days. I'm doing fine now and have added my urologists to my weight loss team and all my changes in eating habits and weight loss are easily explained by the need to prevent future stones from forming. I don't think anyone will be surprised by my behavior as this was my fourth time in the emergency room in 12 months for kidney stones. So I guess I agree with the others, pick a story that is as close to the truth as you can, that way it will be easy to repeat and remember without telling the whole world the "real" story. Time to take care of us and not worry about others advice or opinion on all of this.

Just a side note for lap banders with kidney stones - if you can be diligent about getting in all your fluids between meals and eating a measured amount of Protein, studies show you could (no promises) be less likely to develop stones. Unfortunately, for our gastric bypass friends, due to absorption issues, it is likely they will develop stones more easily after their surgery.

I would just say, I had some personal medical issues I had to deal with.

If they ask what kinda of issue, I'd say personal issues. They should get the point.

Do not feel obligated to tell anyone, anything. When you start losing weight, simply say, I've been working hard with diet and exercise trying to get healthy. There's no lie in that.

Thanks for the advice. I agree it's better to be truthful. However, since its an elective surgery, I'm afraid people won't be quite as forgiving when I need to take it slow the first few weeks...

I guess I was kind of lucky in this department. I did tell a very few friends and family a few months back that i had put a team together (doctor, psychologist, dietician) to take control of my health...which was true. I even told them I was going to NYU because they had an amazing program for weight loss (not every who goes there opts for surgery)...which was also true. I knew I would be on a liquid diet, so that was easily explained as being doctor supervised to help me shrink my stomach and the doctor and dietician would help me introduce solid foods again slowly...which is also mostly true. What I did not count on was a trip to the emergency room about a month before the surgery. It turned out I had several large stones, air in my kidneys and a kidney infection that spread to my blood and i needed emergency surgery does to make it through the night. I was pretty sick and admitted for 8 days. I'm doing fine now and have added my urologists to my weight loss team and all my changes in eating habits and weight loss are easily explained by the need to prevent future stones from forming. I don't think anyone will be surprised by my behavior as this was my fourth time in the emergency room in 12 months for kidney stones. So I guess I agree with the others, pick a story that is as close to the truth as you can, that way it will be easy to repeat and remember without telling the whole world the "real" story. Time to take care of us and not worry about others advice or opinion on all of this.

Just a side note for lap banders with kidney stones - if you can be diligent about getting in all your fluids between meals and eating a measured amount of Protein, studies show you could (no promises) be less likely to develop stones. Unfortunately, for our gastric bypass friends, due to absorption issues, it is likely they will develop stones more easily after their surgery.

I was banded at NYU. Who was your surgeon? I had Dr. Ren-Fielding.

I'm freaking out about this same issue. Not banded yet, but trying to plan for what I'll tell people. One part of me wants to just be truthful, as I'm a bad liar and everyone will probably find out anyway. But, I also don't want to bring on everyone's advice and opinions, which will likely happen if I'm truthful.

Pretty confused about this ...

I feel ya but I work in a dr's office. I didn't want to say anything I might have to have removed down the road. The girls that work for me saw me go on a protein diet a few weeks ago. I told them I drink a shake for breakfast, lunch and eat a resonable dinner. I wanted a week off per my surgeons guidelines so its female related. I had a couple cysts removed from my ovary. I feel horrible lying to people!!! However this is very personal to me and its my choice. Good luck!

I know i was so excited that i was making this lifestyle change since it took me so long to make the decision and finally say okay it's not a easy way out type of thing.. One co worker who had hers done heard me telling people and told me i didn't need to tell anyone if i didn;t want to because she had gotten some negative responses at work... i feel the type of response you receive when you share you.. with co workers or whoever reflects the type of person you are... not to mention in my workplace rumors can spread like wildfires and i would rather them hear it from the source and not some messed up rumor that i was on drugs... I would agree and say you could say you personal reasons and do not wish to discuss it at this time ( usually people get so wrapped up in their own life that they forget about that other time) and i also know some who have said they are having gallbladder surgery. goodluck!

I had her hubby, Dr. George Fielding. I have not has the pleasure of meeting his other half. I think I always come into the office on her surgery day. He and everyone else speak so highly of her. I actually haven't met the other doctors either now that I come to think of it!

It is truly none of their business.