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I totally know what you mean! When someone noticed I lost weight from pre op diet I just told then why. It was a patient though not a co worker. A coworker will be one to talk crap if I hv a cookie. My dietician said once in a while I can have a cookie if I've had all my Protein and I'm exercising. Not like I want to gain or not

use this awesome tool. Just don't want gossip. I work in healthcare and lots of coworkers had wls and gained it back cuz they ate junk, everyone talks about them lol I want nothing to do with gossip. Even tho all they would say is how awesome I look and how I've changed my old habits to great ones ;-)

I work in healthcare as well. And for the same reasons will NOT tell them. Its my health and my business. We must have the same coworkers! Because since one of my coworkers told one person she was diabetic, they are all over her food choices and have comments every time she reaches for foods. They have also waited until another person walked away before sharing "you know she had that bypass right??" I don't want to be apart of the gossip.

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I'm 6 weeks out and my parents and boyfriend Are the only people that know and plan to keep it that way. I've lost 40 pounds so far and when people ask I just say I workout everyday and I'm eating healthier smaller portions which is true :)

I agree!! Smaller portions and more movement is the answer I will give! :-)

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I told my family and no one else. I told work I was having a procedure for my heart. Being out for a voluntary surgery would have gotten me fired. Given heart issues I've had in the past this wasn't that far off from the truth. I was out for a week and said that I was on a special diet because of the surgery. No one ever questioned it. It's now almost 7 weeks and everyone is used to looking at a smaller me and doesn't even comment anymore.

We all have different situations in life. You have to do whatever works for you. If you like me can't tell without risking something really negative then don't tell. If you'll get support then you are probably better off telling. Only you know what works best in your situation.

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Very few people know I'm having surgery. As the weight comes off i I don't plan to lie but I'm not making a huge announcement about it either.

I don't want people watching me and asking over and over how much weight I've lost. None of your business.

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Honesty is always the best policy! I am not ashamed of having surgery. Some people have told me not to do it while most are very happy for me. I didn't want to get caught up in a web of lies.

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Honesty is always the best policy! I am not ashamed of having surgery. Some people have told me not to do it while most are very happy for me. I didn't want to get caught up in a web of lies.

If I am asked I tell people. I have no regrets. Most dont know what a sleeve is. I teach nursing, a healthier me is important. I do not mind sharing. However I thank those who notice and I do not make announcements about it unless they ask.

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Oh, I put it all over Facebook that I had had surgery and since then have had nothing but positive support from people! If somebody is negative about your wls then they shouldn't be in your life.

Oh, and lies (even by omission) breed gossip! Instead of people saying 'good for her/him for doing something about their health' they'll be saying things like 'I heard she's having an affair and that's why she lost all the weight' or 'she's got cancer'. I'd prefer gossip that's true that could help another person than gossip that's all complete lies!

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Yep I've always been a prideful person but since I'm not religious it holds no negative connotation with me. Lucky for me I don't use others as a moral compass for guidance. Their principles and values are not standard for society.

Besides YouTube this is the only social media I participate in. Over sharing is not something I do and privacy is very important to me. But I don't think less of ppl that do or that I'm more moral because ppl will tell anyone their business.

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I hear a lot of chatter about "honesty" and "lying", etc. If someone asks me a personal health question, I am under no obligation to answer it. I'm not sure why it's even socially acceptable to pry into someone's personal medical situation. Weight loss is a medical situation - whether it be by surgery, medication, doctor supervised diet, or any other method. What if the person had cancer or some sort of serious medical condition they did not want to share, and that's why they've lost weight? Are they too obligated to go into their diagnosis and explain that's why they've lost weight, because "honesty is the best policy" and we don't want a "web of lies"? No. No. No.

I wouldn't ask how someone's boobs got bigger and expect they tell me they had augmentation. I wouldn't ask someone why they look 10 years younger and obligate them to tell me they had a face lift.

I put it in the same category as people who ask a newly pregnant woman if the baby was planned. Not an acceptable question, yet somehow is still asked regularly by many.

We live in a society of over sharers. I'm horrified with the things people share on Facebook and even face to face. It's created this expectation that all people are ok with leaving their personal life as an open book. There are still many of us that are private about our private lives. I don't appreciate the insinuation that because I don't want to share the intimate details of my internal organs that somehow I'm a liar or ashamed of my choice. Not the case at all. I just don't feel like other people need to know MY medical history.

Comments on weight loss should start and end with...."You look great!" That is an acknowledgment of the loss and leaves the window open for the person to go into how they lost it - should they want to. Not every person is an open book and it is never appropriate to put a more private person on the spot. Better to be safe than sorry.

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When I have my surgery' date=' I dont want to tell anyone (except a select few people). I just feel like its a really personal thing and dont think its anyone else's business. Did anyone else not want to tell anyone about their surgery? And what did you say when people asked how you lost so much weight so quickly??

I just know people are going to ask me and Im not quite sure what I will say.[/quote']

I was very open about the procedure when I started the process (taking classes, etc.) I was shocked at how few people supported my decision at the time....including my spouse and my siblings. However, after months of classes and discussion, the people who care about me most did eventually support me. I still think it is hard for regular-weight people to comprehend why one chooses this surgery. If my sisters gained the freshman 15 the first year of college, they lost it quickly the following year. That's how it has always been for them. I have always been heavy. My yo-yoing has gone from heavy to heavier. I have never been a "normal" weight for my height. After four pregnancies, hypothyroidism and moving to three different states within a five year period, I am just morbidly obese. My kids are young (2-10 y.o), so I want to be a healthy mom to them. I don't care what anyone else thinks about it. If they don't understand, I don't care.

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I told very few people when I had my surgery in June; only told family and a few friends. There were a lot of people who really started to notice and comment around 80lbs lost and after a while I decided what the heck do I have to keep secret - it is a wonderful thing I did for myself and I am successful at it. I think that's when it hit me though - I didn't tell a lot of people because like every other thing I had tried it had failed and I didn't want another failure on my hands and people wondering what happened. I decided then that when I hit 100 lbs. gone I would open up and let everyone else in to share my news. It was a great day when I put out there for everyone to see a side by side picture of 100 lbs. lost and tell them why.

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If I am asked, I will tell. No biggie. I always feel that the people that talk about others will do so regardless of what you say

If you are fat, they will talk about you. If you are losing weight, they will talk about you. If you sneeze, they will talk about you.

Who cares? They can be their miserable selves while they watch me shrink!

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You're right, you don't have to. But it can be very healthy for you to.

Often times us fat people hide behind privacy. You seem to get uncomfortable super easily. Hopefully that changes as the weight comes off. You will have a whole new look on life if it does.

No, it has nothing to do with my weight. I'm private about my marriage, my job, my financial status, my children, etc - none of which are related to my weight. I've been this way at almost 300lbs and at 160lbs. Why is it that because I'm different than you, then there must be a reason and hopefully I can get past it so I can be more like you?

You may think I get uncomfortable easily. You're entitled to that opinion, but I am happy where I am. I like keeping my private life private. Why is that a negative thing?

I'm not saying it's wrong to shout it from the rooftops if you're so inclined. Why is it wrong to not want to share?

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No' date=' it has nothing to do with my weight. I'm private about my marriage, my job, my financial status, my children, etc - none of which are related to my weight. I've been this way at almost 300lbs and at 160lbs. Why is it that because I'm different than you, then there must be a reason and hopefully I can get past it so I can be more like you?

You may think I get uncomfortable easily. You're entitled to that opinion, but I am happy where I am. I like keeping my private life private. Why is that a negative thing?

I'm not saying it's wrong to shout it from the rooftops if you're so inclined. Why is it wrong to not want to share?[/quote']

Well said! I 100% agree:)

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I don't think I will tell many right off.. obviously you know JPSnAZ, & my husband will know, maybe my sister & that's probably about it. I think once I have lost a decent amount of weight, it honestly wont be until I have lost at least 100 I am sure, I think I'll get to a point I can be more open about it. It's like a lot of things where keeping it a secret & not openly talking about it keep the stigma there is. I think it'll be like breastfeeding was for me, as first I wouldn't leave the house, then I wouldn't do it without a cover, now I'll bust a boob out anywhere. It's all about personal comfort & usually the more you do something (or more weight you lose) the more comfortable with it you become.

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    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
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    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
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    • BeanitoDiego

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    • ChunkCat

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    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
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