Okay, my rant is to the only two family members I chose to tell about my upcoming WLS...

I have been preached at to lose weight for health reasons for as long as I can remember and now that I am taking a HUGE step forward I get snide looks and "please tell me you are not serious." You would think I said, "Hey, I am going to have a sex change operation this month."

Why are they so quick to be against my decision when they have been part of my misery for a long time and know how I have been hurting with all this weight on me (physically and emotionally)??

Grrrr....so frustrating...wish I had kept my mouth closed...

People attack what they don't know. They have no investment in being informed, or prepared, like you do, so they won't understand, so their reaction will be of disbelief and horror. Invite them to do their research, but should they choose not to, then maybe gently suggest that until they do, they may wish not to comment.

I understand girl. I'm a year out and only select people know.

It because some people ERRONEOUSLY believe WLS is the easy way out, having been post op for 5 months, I can tell you it's never been easy. Good luck on pushing through your decision.

I think Lellow and HotButterFly hit the nail on the head. People who are not educated on WLS only seem to recall hearing horror stories and not so much the successful, happy ones. Then you will always get the ones that say well all you have to do is diet and control your portions or that WLS is a cheat, an easy way out.

There is nothing easy about WLS. Most people think you just go and have it done like a gallbladder surgery and its over and your skinny. LOL.

My Wife's girlfriend told her "I don't believe in WLS. Only way to do it is the natural way by exercise and dieting. Other methods are simply cheating" Her words exact....

I was attracted by the Title of your Post...Loose weight Fast!

My health problems were severe, my family history bleak...loosing both my Brother and sister to problems directly related to obesity....

I was told by my PCP to loose weight Fast...or else! And that was not an exaggeration on his part...I actually sat in his office and talked about whether I had made arrangements, was my Wife taken care of financially, etc...etc....

So in the end...I don't give a Rat's you know what, people can think whatever they want......I'm alive, and have never been better in over 35 years....it saved my life....

And yes...once I got through that initial first few months of adjustments...both for me and the band...it did become easy...and still is....

I don't need to make excuses or apologies to anyone for going through this...the proof speaks for itself....

Edited February 3, 201412 yr by B-52

I think Lellow and HotButterFly hit the nail on the head. People who are not educated on WLS only seem to recall hearing horror stories and not so much the successful, happy ones. Then you will always get the ones that say well all you have to do is diet and control your portions or that WLS is a cheat, an easy way out.

There is nothing easy about WLS. Most people think you just go and have it done like a gallbladder surgery and its over and your skinny. LOL.

My Wife's girlfriend told her "I don't believe in WLS. Only way to do it is the natural way by exercise and dieting. Other methods are simply cheating" Her words exact....

Wow, Jim......your wife's friend clearly hasn't had a life long struggle with food addiction. Those types of comments always amaze me; the ignorance of it. As Bob Dylan wrote in The Times They Are a-Changin.... "don't criticize what you can't understand". But people do.....all the time. How could someone say they don't "believe in" something that they have no clue about? Say that you "don't like the idea of it", but.... Okay, I'm going off on my own mini rant....I'll stop here

Edited February 3, 201412 yr by mrsto

My reaction was to hold up my hand before they could say more and say, "this is my decision that I didn't come to lightly...I did the research, am confident with my choice and am moving forward with or without your support..." they did back pedal a little when I said that because they new if they said anything else that was negative, it would make them look bad.

I may not be confident all the time and I come to this forum for support, but they don't need to know that!

This forum is like an alcoholic going to AA. You get the understanding, compassion and support from people who share the disease; fight the same fight, and know exactly what you're going through......because they're living it.

This forum is like an alcoholic going to AA. You get the understanding, compassion and support from people who share the disease; fight the same fight, and know exactly what you're going through......because they're living it.

Exactly..couldn't have been said better.

My reaction was to hold up my hand before they could say more and say, "this is my decision that I didn't come to lightly...I did the research, am confident with my choice and am moving forward with or without your support..." they did back pedal a little when I said that because they new if they said anything else that was negative, it would make them look bad.

I may not be confident all the time and I come to this forum for support, but they don't need to know that!

I've been a member of this forum for well over two years and I just have to tell you - yours is the absolute best response I've ever read. Very, VERY well done! Congratulations on your decision and even more so on your commitment. I am so looking forward to reading every step of your successful journey.

Hi. i have a secret wls group on Facebook. mostly people from ohio.no one can see the group even exists if you are not a member. if you would like to join add my personal page ( a friend has to add u) then i can add u to the group. ill delete u of my personal page afterwards. but its a nice group and good handful from cincinatti/ fairfield area. hope you join us. my name on fb is kay kay benson. my email on fb to find me is cynthia.k.benson@facebook.com

I've been a member of this forum for well over two years and I just have to tell you - yours is the absolute best response I've ever read. Very, VERY well done! Congratulations on your decision and even more so on your commitment. I am so looking forward to reading every step of your successful journey.

Thanks DL!! :-)

I decided I would't tell anyone - solves a lot of issues. My wife know obviously and so does my mother in law and sister in law but no else.

My mother would be very critical and not understand so I haven't bothered to tell her - saved a lot of hassle.

I think Lellow and HotButterFly hit the nail on the head. People who are not educated on WLS only seem to recall hearing horror stories and not so much the successful, happy ones. Then you will always get the ones that say well all you have to do is diet and control your portions or that WLS is a cheat, an easy way out.

There is nothing easy about WLS. Most people think you just go and have it done like a gallbladder surgery and its over and your skinny. LOL.

My Wife's girlfriend told her "I don't believe in WLS. Only way to do it is the natural way by exercise and dieting. Other methods are simply cheating" Her words exact....

Wow, Jim......your wife's friend clearly hasn't had a life long struggle with food addiction. Those types of comments always amaze me; the ignorance of it. As Bob Dylan wrote in The Times They Are a-Changin.... "don't criticize what you can't understand". But people do.....all the time. How could someone say they don't "believe in" something that they have no clue about? Say that you "don't like the idea of it", but.... Okay, I'm going off on my own mini rant....I'll stop here

No she's never had a weight problem but she has another friend who does and she got a weird reaction from her as well. She never called to see how she was doing after right after surgery. We see some jealousy going on.

By the way I love Dylan