How many of you out there were told by family and friends, "you don't need that surgery", "why are you having that surgery", "why not lose it the natural way", or "you aren't that big"? I have made the conscious decision not to share my decision to have the gastric sleeve surgery with people for that very reason. I have only shared the news with my sister and brother in law. It's amazing how critical people can be. I am scheduled for surgery Nov. 13th and I start my clear liquid diet tomorrow. I never thought I would be so excited to start a clear liquid diet. Please share how family and friends reacted to learning of your decision to have surgery.

I have told everyone, friends, family, random strangers. I have recieved nothing but postive feedback from everyone I told. The only people I haven't told are my husband family because they have been super critical and judgemental of my weight in the past. We will see my husbands mom for the 1st time in 5 years in June and I will be 15 months out. I have no intention of telling her just gonna tell her it was diet and exercise.

I have told everyone, friends, family, random strangers. I have recieved nothing but postive feedback from everyone I told. The only people I haven't told are my husband family because they have been super critical and judgemental of my weight in the past. We will see my husbands mom for the 1st time in 5 years in June and I will be 15 months out. I have no intention of telling her just gonna tell her it was diet and exercise.

I did end up telling a few co-workers. Most people are supportive but about half did initially say they thought I didn't need the surgery. They have never seen me when I wasn't overweight, so they rally don't have anything to compare my current weight to.

Same things im getting from my friends and family. I just block them out, i am doing this for me, to be here longer, be healthier and get to have energy to play with my children and be healthy for them, and teach them healthy habits also. they tell me its dangerous and this and that. ofcourse anything can happen. i just hope they pray for me and wish me all the luck, and help me through my journey.

I wish one person would have told me that! lol!I just get agreed with which makes me thinks I am waaaay bigger than I thought!!

I have told everyone. No one said that I didn't need it, should do it the old-fashioned way, or that I wasn't that big. But three coworkers expressed concern over the risks, not really being non-supportive or judgmental. I was scared to death to tell my grown sons, but they were totally supportive and accepting when I did.

My husband has been my rock. Tells me everyday how glorious I look. Has changed his eating habits and lifestyle to be more in sync with mine. Prepares all his own food. What a man!

But bottom line, to heck with what "they" say. Do what you need to do for you.

I chose to not share this info with anyone at all for this very reason. You can see my stats 5'7 and 195lbs at time of surgery. I chose this for my own reasons and my own life. My husband and my two best friends knew before hand and are still to this day the only people who know. They were all supportive and know me well enough to know that I wouldn't mess around unless I had done my research. mums the word. I've also been following up with my PCP so he knows and he too is secretly excited for me after he had been prescribing me various diet pills over the years

I'm sure even posting this email some numbnutt will post that I'm stupid for doing what I've done however this was a gift to myself and to my family so that I can live longer/avoid diabetes and heart problems due to the my heaviness. DO a quick gutt check with yourself and see what you really want and why you are doing this. It is a bold move and alot of work, know what you are looking to get out of it as well.

Best of luck!

I've heard the "but you're not THAT big" part..well, I suppose I don't appear that big to some people, I'm only 5'1. I refer to myself as the little-big girl...I've had to defend my decision to more than one person, sometimes makes me wish I wouldn't have told anyone. What they don't realize is that I'm more afraid of living the next twenty/thirty years feeling the way I am (or worse) than of dying on the table attempting to improve my life.

i tell people generally, but had originally planned on only telling close friends. I decided to tell them after realizing that if I didn't I was going to need to lie, which is not part of my make up. (half truths are as much a lie as a lie to me).

I ended up being happy I did tell people because I had major complications and those dear friends who supported me, but also felt I was "not big enough, or fine the way I was" helped my family during my very long hospital stay. Had I not told them I think they would have been angry with me (as I would have been with them) so I thank goodness I chose honesty as the best policy.

I don't care what people, strangers and friends, think about what I did The people in my life support me, those who don't aren't worth having in my life. I'm old and cynical that way But we also had scheduled charity events that had to be cancelled while I was in hospital and for those I felt better telling the truth about why I had to cancel than lying and giving half truths would have made me feel.

Im on my second day of liquid diet and I'm excited too..not as hard as I thought it was going to be...but yes on Tuesday I mentioned that I'm having surgery and this guy I didn't really know said that it was "the easy way out" and I just laughed and told him that we don't have to talk about it anymore and that was that...the comment about not being that big...I got that from my very own PCP and a coworker but you know everyone has an opinion and it doesn't bother me one bit cause the only opinion that matters is yours..life is short who gives a **** what people think. :-) you go friend! Be confident and believe in your decision and move on.

I worry about this too. I am 5'5" and weigh about 215 right now. i have hypertension and sleep apnea. i also have a family hx of cancer and hesrt disease. I have only told my husband and daughters (13 and 11). I haven't told my mom, sister or the in-laws yet but plan too. I want to be a little closer to actually having surgery before I tell them though. I am struggling with whether I want to tell anyone at work. I have a very close co-worker who is also over weight (obese) and I actually worry about how my decision might affect her. Will it make. Her feel bad or uncomfortable...