I am not sure if this thread is floating around or not. However, I am curious if you told your family,friends,co-workers that you were having the band done or had the band done or did you just keep it all to yourself? Are you private about the band or more open and upfront to people in your life?

My immediate family, A best friend and a couple of people that i work with know about my pending surgery.. One co-worker had the band herself and the other? A nosey woman who purposly "overheard" us talking. Sucks for me, because that woman has a big mouth and loves office gossip.

I am a private person for the most part and i really did not want people to know what i am having done. I feel that it is going to be hard for me now because that big mouth knows about it and she will tell people. So if i try to pretend it's something else, they'll know i am lieing and i don't like that, i don't want that.

I'm not embarassed to have the band or anything, but i just hate being put on the spot and they're constantly going to watch me and see what i'm eating at lunch..making me feel self concious asking how much weight i've lost.. I guess i don't know how to accept it.

My family is wicked supportive as is my best friend. I already have co-workers asking why i've been going to so many appointments. bleehhh. It's nobody's business but my own. But i do work for a large agency and i'm the receptionist, i can't just hide in the back or blend right in. People will begin to ask questions. Part of me really knows it's going to be impossible to keep a secret. Those of you who have not told anyone, Why is that?? And those of you who have... Do you regret it?

Sorry, A lot of questions.. I am just trying to draw some conclusions myself.

I first heard about the lap-band from former classmate of my husband's in pharmacy school. We were only acquaintances, but when I asked her how she was losing weight, she opened up to me completely. I was so glad she did because banding is changing my life. I have decided now to endure whatever judgements people might have of me (I've not encountered any yet.) to be able to share my experience. You never know when your openness can have an impact on someone's life.

only 4 family members know

I first heard about the lap-band from former classmate of my husband's in pharmacy school. We were only acquaintances, but when I asked her how she was losing weight, she opened up to me completely. I was so glad she did because banding is changing my life. I have decided now to endure whatever judgements people might have of me (I've not encountered any yet.) to be able to share my experience. You never know when your openness can have an impact on someone's life.

I will do this too when people ask me how I am losing weight. The thing I wanted to avoid is having people know from the beginning. I didn't want people watching me and what I eat, and asking if I've lost anything yet, etc. But if I'm losing weight and people ask me how, I'll tell them.

I think that the decision to have any kind of non-lifethreatening surgery is a very personal choice, the same as religion or politics.

It is no one's business what we do with our bodies but our own. And anyone who thinks this is the easy way out needs to be given a course in just exactly how our lives change. It is only a tool to help us reach the goal of a healthier life and hopefully smaller body, we still have to do the work.

If we are comfortable talking to people about it, great. If we are not comfortable then that is okay too.

And when anyone questions what we are having done, we don't need to lie, there are several things we can say... the old adage about curiosity killing the cat, and I sure wouldn't want that to happen to such a nice person as you!, or There is a relatively new law called the HIPPA act which prevents me from divulging any patient's medical information, including my own, can you believe that! What is the government going to come up with next!