So, here's the deal. I'm extremely excited for my surgery that will happen in early april when I turn 18. I'm slightly embarrassed to tell my friends about it right now because I don't know what they'll think. I plan on telling them later on when the weight is off. I'll be missing my prom because my surgery is 3 days before so I most likely won't be well enough to make it. I know my friends will be asking me why I won't be able to come but I don't want to tell them that I'm having WLS just yet. So, is there any surgeries that are just as severe or even less that is related to (or around) the stomach area that I can tell them that I'm having? I can't think of anything because I don't know a lot about surgeries. Please help! Thank you!

Just say your having your gall bladder or appendix out if you really want to tell them anything...or just say you weren't feeling good and leave it at that. I know high schoolers are some NOSY ppl LOL I have 2 daughters so I KNOW!

Just say your having your gall bladder or appendix out if you really want to tell them anything...or just say you weren't feeling good and leave it at that. I know high schoolers are some NOSY ppl LOL I have 2 daughters so I KNOW!

that's what I was thinking, but I have no clue what any of that is about lol. I want to be able to tell them at least 3-4 weeks in advanced so when they are asking me to go dress shopping with them I have an excuse lol.

Just tell them you have stomach flu and make it simple, it will explain why you are not eating. They will likely not press for anymore information.

Sorry you will miss your prom, it is possible you can make it (I was in on a Thursday and could have been out on Saturday but opted to stay another day as I wasn't drinking Water (iv keep me hydrated so I didn't feel like drinking) otherwise I was fine to walk, drive, etc.

it is expensive gamble to get tickets and a dress. but if you do go just stick to water and no snaking.

In the end you might wish you'd been more upfront but I understand your current desire for privacy on this issue. Besides, high school is hard enough without adding more fuel to the gossip machine - girls can be so nasty sometimes. Anyway, I had a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis in 2007 and the VSG is also a laparoscopic surgery. Now, don't get me wrong, I had several more scars from the VSG because of where they removed my stomach and put the drain, but for high school kids I'm sure they wouldn't know the difference.

Mine was an exploratory surgery to see if there was an issue and yes, one was discovered/diagnosed. But if you've had female issues in the past, this is probably a good excuse. And to tell the truth without actually telling the truth you could always say you're having a laparoscopic surgery AND you've had female issues. People hear what they want to hear and will assume that you mean you had the surgery for the female issues.

Good luck to you - I wish I'd had this done when I was a teenager! I think of all those years I spent hiding myself and being insecure and it makes me sad that I didn't do it sooner.

~Cheri

I know this must be hard for you, but I am so happy to hear you are having the surgery. I wish I could have had surgery at 18. I really feel like morbid obesity took away part of my happiness in my twenties. It is so great you will be spared that pain. I think telling friends that you are having laparoscopic surgery sounds like a good plan. Hopefully everything will go perfect and you will recover quickly. Please come here if you have any questions! You are making a great decision.

Question when will you be telling you excuse? If it is before then you will need a good excuse. But if it is three weeks before the dance just got dress shoping and be very picky about the dress and then start telling your freinds that you are not feeling well and then tell them that u need your gall bladder out. Good Luck and much success

You could always tell them you have been having problems with your periods, and your OBGYN wants to do a laparascopic procedure to check things out. Those have to be done at a particular point in your monthly cycle, so it couldn't be moved away from conflicting with your prom.

Its so very hard when you're in high school - kids talk and kids can be cruel. You don't necessarily want to say you're having an organ removed because, what happens when you're in Chemistry and your appendix ruptures? Well, it can't if you've had it removed!

The best is to tell them that you've got other family plans. If you're worried about the whole surgery thing, then yeah - a laparoscopy would be the way to go - either for endometriosis or an ovarian cyst.

Its not a good idea to lie, because lies create more lies and that's just not a good situation - but i understand that people are inquizitive and you want your privacy. So if you can't be 'out of town for a wedding or family thing', then I guess something girly-part related would be a better idea. Just do some research so you can explain things - that way people won't be thinking you're doing something else girly related that can spread rumors....

I think that you should be as close to the truth as possible. Laparoscopic appendectomy is done low on your right side. One of my appendectomy scars is on top of my csection scar- very very low. So anyone who has had one before or has a working knowledge of human anatomy would catch you in the lie.

Same issue with saying you are having a female issue- any sort of female surgery would be done low on your abdomen.

Is there any way to schedule after your prom? I'd be really sad to miss it

If you want to go forward and keep the secret stick as close to the truth as humanly possible- tell people you've had stomach issues for years (not a lie- your stomach has given you all of these obesity issues!) and that the doctors will hopefully be able to fix what is wrong.

I completely understand where you are coming from. I am 20 and in college at UCSB, the campus made of gorgeous people who run around in bikinis!

I work at a dining hall so I have to tell my boss that I need a week off, I am getting my VSG during spring break so I should have about two weeks off total. I told her the truth and she was very understanding, but to my college student coworkers I lied.

I had told a friend of mine when I was just looking into it and she was so negative and judgmental, she called me lazy and said I was "cheating". After that, I decided to tell people I am getting my gallbladder removed and that I need to go on a special diet before hand to make it easier to see inside me.

Everyone has been ok with that so far. I said I am getting it done at home too, I am actually self pay in Mexico.

I do plan on telling people once it is said and done - I just don't want to have to deal with more judgment before I do it.

I am sorry you have to keep it a secret too, I know it sucks!

just tell them your stomach is giving you issues and you are having a procedure to fix it. be vague and say you don't know what they are doing exactly. that's what i am gonna say. i don't put misleading info in but purposefully leave info out

You could say you have stomach ulcers. The sleeve has been a surgery done on people with stomach ulcers for many years. This would be a good lie lol. I don't blame you for lying. High school is so awkward and I think I would do the same thing if I were you.