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Keeping it a secret? Anyone else



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It is important to have someone there after surgery. Be honest with her, you are an adult and you are the only owner of your life. Don't let her fears to rule your life.

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My mom was not supportive at first, but I finally told her how much I weighed and that I have to do something or she will outlive me. That changed her tune and quickly. So far, I have only told my mom (and dad) and my husband that I have started the process. I have several family members who had varying procedures and none of them have kept off the weight (did not follow the eating plan) so I do not want the negative feedback. I have told some online friends, but only a few.

I think it is up to each person who they tell.

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I didn't tell anyone but my mother, and that was only because I needed her to pick me up from the hospital, and watch my son. She was very supportive, but believe me if it was up to me nobody would know. It's my business, nobody else's. I have no regrets. I just tell people I'm watching what I eat. When I go out to eat with friends, I lie and say "Man, I shouldn't have ate before I came", after only eating a few bites. It will be hard with her living with you, you may have to come clean. My own mother (although supportive), was acting like the flippin food police! Are you sure you can eat that? Can you eat that now? Uhg, I finally had to tell her to cut it OUT!

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I lie and say "Man, I shouldn't have ate before I came", after only eating a few bites.

Oooh I love it! Thats a good excuse, especially when the waiter asks if there is something wrong with the food.

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If anyone asks how I lost all that weight, I tell them, "Clean living, diet, exercise.... and bariatric surgery." Usually gets a laugh – and most people are fascinated by it.

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I am keeping mine a secret from my dad. My spouse knows. My best friends know. Everyone else just knows I'm having my hiatal hernia fixed. That is true, I am, and I've always had stomach problems. I think it's private and I don't want the world knowing about it!

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So my mom came out for thanksgiving and I decided to try to have the talk with her again....it actually went well this go round. She's still not Pro surgery but she understands that I do need to do something. She told me that her not wanting me to have the surgery is more about fear of something going wrong, which I can totally understand. We joked that I'll be there guinea pig and go first and maybe she'll go next lol. I feel much better now.

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I decided not to share my decision with anybody except husband and few friends. My children (all girls) would tear me apart (2 in college and 25yr old in army).

I'm a LOW BMI'er 36 and African American. Most would think I'm just right/phat/thick but they don't have understand the comorbidities I struggle with daily.

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I decided not to share my decision with anybody except husband and few friends. My children (all girls) would tear me apart (2 in college and 25yr old in army).

I'm a LOW BMI'er 36 and African American. Most would think I'm just right/phat/thick but they don't have understand the comorbidities I struggle with daily.

I think a lot of people don't understand comobidities if they have never been In the situation. Good for you!

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I was not wanting to tell my mom. She is 88 and very opinionated, especially where I am concerned. My sister told me I needed to tell her because if anything happened or she found out later, she would be devastated. She surprised me with her support, however, I told her this was very private to me and I did not want her to tell anyone. I would like to be the one to share my journey with who I choose which is very limited. She assured me she understood. My mother then shared it with my brother and sister who I would NEVER have told. I am really upset with her and sorry I told her!

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I was not wanting to tell my mom. She is 88 and very opinionated, especially where I am concerned. My sister told me I needed to tell her because if anything happened or she found out later, she would be devastated. She surprised me with her support, however, I told her this was very private to me and I did not want her to tell anyone. I would like to be the one to share my journey with who I choose which is very limited. She assured me she understood. My mother then shared it with my brother and sister who I would NEVER have told. I am really upset with her and sorry I told her!

I am sorry you had that experience. Doesn't it just piss you off when people do that? My father in law is like that. I was pregnant when I got married and we asked him (as a courtesy) not to tell anyone. He went ahead and told "only" his mom, who told everyone she knew. He knew she would do it too. Then he has the audacity to turn around and say he's the best secret keeper there is (i.e. "I was the only one Billy Joe told about what happened to him in Vietnam, because he knew he could trust me..."). Some people have no consideration whatsoever for others.

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It's very hard being related to some of the people we're related to. Some of them are people we would have NEVER chosen to have in our lives. But because of blood we're stuck with the relationships.

So has it ever been. But that doesn't make it easy.

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I told a few people that I was thinking about it and they made rude comments all of them. So my mom and daughters are the only ones who know. I told everyone else it wasn't covered by insurance and I'll just have to stick to my diet. It really is hard that my family won't be more supportive. At least I know I am doing this for me and I have tried my best for three years but am not able to get this weight off. I am so ready for this new journey to begin. Only a few months to go.

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I had a "secret lap band" in 2008 and it was REALLY hard not telling people. only my parents and husband knew of the surgery. The fact that everybody knows me for my hefty eating habits made me self conscious during holidays and dinners with friends and family. This made me try to be discrete and I would eat more than I should have with did not help me in the long run. My band slipped during my last pregnancy (less than 1 year post-op) and I've had reflux issues and weight gain. Now I weigh more than I did at 9 months pregnant and I'm preparing for a revision surgery to get the sleeve after the band comes out. I don't want to hide this surgery, I don't want to come up with excuses for not eating, not being hungry and actually even eating more than I should. Who cares what people say, EVEN IF IT YOUR MOTHER, we are adults and this is a medical decision for our health.

Edited by chunckylady

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    • LeighaTR

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      · 0 replies
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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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