I have kept my surgery a secret from everyone at my job and TODAY people are starting to ask me what I've been doing and how much weight I've lost. (I am 8 days post op) I told them about 10 pounds..which is true since my surgery but I've lost 24 from the day I started pre-op diet until today. I feel like the questions are going to keep coming since I have lost about 1 lb a day so far and I'm not offering any information. I've heard the office talk about others who HAVE had the surgery and it's like they were a failure because they couldn't lose the weight on their own and had to use something so dramatic. Surely nobody would REALLY come out and ask me if I had surgery but I still don't want to tell anyone. I haven't lied, it's just none of their business..Has anyone else experienced this feeling of not wanting to share they had surgery?

At the end of the day its all about what you feel comfortable with. I told a handful of people at work, but I'm sure the information has flowed through the grapevine. And at this point I am so happy with the progress it does not even matter what people think.

I have kept my surgery a secret from everyone at my job and TODAY people are starting to ask me what I've been doing and how much weight I've lost. (I am 8 days post op) I told them about 10 pounds..which is true since my surgery but I've lost 24 from the day I started pre-op diet until today. I feel like the questions are going to keep coming since I have lost about 1 lb a day so far and I'm not offering any information. I've heard the office talk about others who HAVE had the surgery and it's like they were a failure because they couldn't lose the weight on their own and had to use something so dramatic. Surely nobody would REALLY come out and ask me if I had surgery but I still don't want to tell anyone. I haven't lied' date=' it's just none of their business..Has anyone else experienced this feeling of not wanting to share they had surgery?[/quote']

Yes. If anybody ever ask you, look at them like 'how dare you even ask such a Queston' and then say you have just made life style choice changes in eating and exercise.

I have everyone at my job buying Protein shakes...i told them i was losing almost a 1lb a day be replacing 2 meals...lol

LOVE IT!!! Maybe I should become a BeachBody Trainer before my sleeve so I can sell them shakes and capitalize on their desire to be thin.

I am in the camp of "Tell everyone you know!" Being overweight my entire life, when someone close would lose weight and I would ask "How did you do it?" and they just said "Oh I just ate less and exercised more." I would want to throw up! I have tried that repeatedly throughout my entire life and it hasn't worked for me. It would leave me hopeless and defeated to hear comments like that. There are others LIKE ME....others who have tried EVERYTHING and can't seem to lose the weight. I don't want to be dishonest with them and pretend that it was that easy! I tell everyone that I had surgery, that I tried EVERYTHING else and I just couldn't lose the weight on my own so I made this decision for me. I think it validates others who are struggling but just can't seem to lose the weight. AND it opens doors for others to talk to me, maybe about surgery, maybe just about my preop diet, maybe about first steps to make, or maybe it recommits them to try harder at what they are already doing to lose the weight. As someone who was always seeking what worked, I would have been disappointed by someone who lied about having the surgery so I tell the truth about it. To each his own, but that's my take on it.

I agree with ShellBell. Think about how many times you felt hopeless when you asked how someone lost weight and they said simply eat less and exercise more. So frustrating! I say tell them. If they are really interested. I wouldn't announce it on Facebook or at work, but if someone asked me I would tell them I had WLS.

I would have been disappointed by someone who lied about having the surgery so I tell the truth about it. To each his own, but that's my take on it.

This is a difficult topic. Even though WLS has been around for 20+ years it is still not socially accepted as a normal form of treatment. Therefore, people are going to criticize us.

I am new to this so I may be wrong, but these are my thoughts, fears, and insecurities as I struggle to work through this. Earlier, someone said the reason people are criticizing is because the co-workers were "Jealous". Unless their co-workers are overweight, I doubt they are jealous. I believe skinny people think we are weak, undisciplined, unsuccessful, and don't deserve respect. As well, they may not want us to succeed. As we lose weight we become "Achievers" but if they find out we had surgery, in their minds it only confirms to them that we are weak... Therefore they will talk about us to make themselves feel better.

I am NOT planning on telling anyone except those VERY close to me, spouse & parent, because I think they will judge me. I have thought about if I should tell the overweight person and it is a tough situation. If I don't know them I think I would tell them to do what I do and if it is difficult you should talk to a Weight Doctor that specializes in Bariatric. If I know them I would have to trust them a LOT to tell them. as you can see I am not comfortable and a little scared to tell people.

There is no "EASY WAY" out of obesity, and VSG is not going to be easy, but I hope it is the tool that helps me stay consistent.

I certainly respect your opinion....I guess I've never thought that much about negative thoughts other people have about me. I can see how you might think others might think of you that way......perhaps it's because I don't have that many thin friends! LOL I'm pretty comfortable in my own skin, as big and stretched as it is, so I guess I just have never been bothered with worrying about how they see me. Perhaps they have talked about me behind my back, and will continue to once I lose the weight, but I know if they are THAT type of person, they would probably find something else to talk about me for. If you feel that way, I agree you should tell just the people you feel really close to. This is YOUR journey, and each of us will have to travel it our own way. Wishing you the best!

I could be completely wrong, I have not had my VSG and I am thinking about all these things.

Have you heard anyone that has been successful not telling anyone? If it eventually gets out and everyone knows, maybe I should just tell everyone.

I feel like its nobody's business even your boss's. you are not required to tell them what you had only HR. and they are not allowed to disclose it. I am absolutely not telling anyone at work. They think I'm having some fibroids removed which I am. So I'm not saying anything else. They also know I'm seeing a nutritionist and also training for a triathlon so that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Just my immediate family and closest friends know. My date is August 7

I told only my husband, 2 very very close friends & my HR rep. No one in my famil knows.. Didn't want the negative comments. Needed this journey to be as positive as possible. And it's been just that. When i was out of work for 5 weeks, my family didn't know i was out. when my short term disability was approved, all my supervisor knew was just i'd be out for personal reasons. Due to HIPAA regulations, no one at work is permitted to ask me the reason i was out. Though they may still ask personal health questions about others, they know me to be a very private person and never asked my why I was out.

Some did comment acquisitively about my losing weight, but I just gave they a crazy look. After about 4 mons the compliments started. Some a little too overwhelming. they tell me i've kept it off really well & tell me how great i look. some folks ask now how i managed to keep the weight off. I tell them with exercise & eating healthier.

I have kept my surgery a secret from everyone at my job and TODAY people are starting to ask me what I've been doing and how much weight I've lost. (I am 8 days post op) I told them about 10 pounds..which is true since my surgery but I've lost 24 from the day I started pre-op diet until today. I feel like the questions are going to keep coming since I have lost about 1 lb a day so far and I'm not offering any information. I've heard the office talk about others who HAVE had the surgery and it's like they were a failure because they couldn't lose the weight on their own and had to use something so dramatic. Surely nobody would REALLY come out and ask me if I had surgery but I still don't want to tell anyone. I haven't lied' date=' it's just none of their business..Has anyone else experienced this feeling of not wanting to share they had surgery?[/quote']

I only told people that I could trust to keep it hush hush at first, but now I tell anyone who asks what I have been doing to drop the weight. I have also told my friends that I think that they could benefit from the surgery. I am not embarrassed about the surgery, but I am a promoter if it would help someone that was in the exact situation I was in. In realty though it is no ones business except your own. Some people will not understand no mater what you do and how you educate them.

When I go back to work I'm going to say I eat cheesecake three times a day and that's my "diet". Lol.....can't wait to mess with their minds!

LOVE IT!!! Maybe I should become a BeachBody Trainer before my sleeve so I can sell them shakes and capitalize on their desire to be thin.

Lol good idea....but honestly i know a few people that lost quite a bit adding Protein shakes and hitting the gym....i have only been at my new job for 3 months so i will def. Never reveal my surgery to those strangers.

I'm 8 months out- only my parents, fiancé, his parents and a few other family members know. My kids do not know. My response has been- I eat clean- always have my protein first, then veggies then carbs and I follow portion sizes. And that I exercise every day. I am not one to blast a lot of pictures on Facebook- I have 3 kids and a cute dog for people to look at lol. I took a picture with my almost step daughter on July 4th- it's almost a full body shot. I put 5-6 other pictures on Facebook that day as well and I have been getting messages from sooo many girls wondering what I've done. (Mostly the ones that "think they're fat"- ie my college roommate who maybe weighs 140 soaking wet, or a friend from high school or my BFF's older sister).

I have told a lot of people about my surgery but I tend to have a bit of a big mouth. It is perfectly ok if you choose not to tell people it is your choice. You can simply tell them you are watching what you eat and exercising. Good luck on this incredible journey.