I'm pre-op, scheduled for surgery on 5/16, starting 2 week liquid diet tomorrow - Monday. I'm excited!

I'm a very private person and due to the people and culture around me, especially at work, I'm not telling that I'm having sleeve surgery. Or at least, I don't want to tell them. I'm going to have to say something about being out on leave for some time, but I don't want the judgement, critiques, comments, attention.

If you are private about your surgery...

What do you tell your supervisor and co-workers? Do you just take your vacation time and stay quiet?

How do you manage doing your liquids-only diet for 2 weeks, avoiding eating lunch out, etc? Do you just make excuses? If so, what?

When you get back after a week or two (or longer) - what's your story?

Have you been able to successfully keep your privacy about your surgery?

Thanks!

I have been eating healthily and exercising more for a while and have dropped 27kg in the last few months. I have surgery on friday. My managers know and 2 work friends. As far as everyone else is concerned im having 2 weeks of recreational leave. I dont intend on telling them anything further

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I'm telling people at work that I am having hernia surgery to fix my GERD. Some know I have had trouble with GERD in the past. As far as losing weight after, they have also seen me lose weight before, and then put it back on, so I am telling people about my fitness pal. I will not tell them about the sleeve because a woman at my work told people about her WLS and she was forever known as the woman that had bypas surgery even after she left the company. I'm not going to be that person.

Thanks, I was quite offended, not because I actually did have WLS, but because she just assumed because I was fat my surgery must've been WLS. She used to be overweight and lost on south beach, for all I know she lied too but I never questioned or judged her journey.

@@bac2u That's me too, I don't want to be known as the WLS girl, I want to be known as me, the woman who has, is and will continue to work hard at gaining and maintaining my health.

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Edited May 1, 201610 yr by numeby2017

If someone really wants privacy then just tell people you do not wish to discuss your personal life.

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Gall bladder surgery works! Same incisions, and after, all you have to do is say your stomach can't seem to tolerate most foods these days and if you eat too much you get sick. Voila!

@@Maggie Journey,

I agree you can just tell your coworker you’re dieting again which is why you’re on a liquid diet. If you feel silly saying that, maybe you could say your doctor has you on a long-term diet (or weight loss) plan that starts with liquids to clear your system (or whatever excuse you want to give!) and then progresses through pureed and then solid foods. That can give you a good excuse that will cover you all the way up until you are back to eating normal solid foods again.

If you have vacation time coming to you and you’re planning to take it for the surgery, I see no reason to say why you’re taking vacation. It’s nobody’s business. The only thing I would say is someone else’s business is if you need to take time off later if you ever feel sick suddenly. That may be something you need to think about ahead of time so you know what to tell your boss if you ever need to leave work early.

I too am very private. I lost about 20 pounds before I went on pto for surgery and had started working out pre operation. I said (which was true) for those who asked that I had hernia and Nissen fundiplication. The fundiplication for GERD required a liquid diet as well. I also said to those that even cared that I was working with my nutritionist to eat 6 small meals a day. Since I used to only eat at night and would binge on that food at night, the small meals that are healthy are retraining my body and metabolism. I also go to the gym now that half the company goes to so they know my lazy butt is exercising as well

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Edited May 1, 201610 yr by goplay94123

I went with the hernia surgery. Months prior to surgery I started talking a lot about having to go on a health kick, eat right, stop smoking and no alcohol.. I started drinking my Protein shakes at work , soon after other co workers were doing the same thing, they wanted to get healthy. When I had my surgery, no one really noticed anything different. I had said prior to the surgery that I won't be going out to lunch because I know I have no willpower and would eat too much or fattening foods. Now they don't even ask me to go out to eat, they know I bring my lunch or go home and that I'm really trying to stay healthy.

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I run a business and work from home, so I don't have the workplace issues that other people have.

As far as what to tell people during the 2 weeks. Tell them you are on a cleanse and about to start a low carb high Protein diet and you are wor king your way off sugar. No lies told.

Whether you have surgery or not, everyone will think that you did if you lose weight rapidly.

No people won't think you had surgery. Unless you hang out with a ton of fat people, surgery is not something that occurs to the average person.

If you eat right, and workout people will think that is why you are losing weight.

Only one person asked me if I had surgery and she was a large lady working at Torrid. No one that knows me thinks that, because I cook everyday. I make good choices when eating out and I live a very active life.

If you have a personality, people are more interested in who you are what you have to say than your eating and weight loss.

Edited May 2, 201610 yr by OutsideMatchInside

I may only tell my supervisor. The rest can kick rocks and speculate.

Reading all your responses I have never been happier working with a group of men Men are gossipy but my guys have been very supportive (I told them after surgery.)

I would just say you had hernia surgery (if that is getting repaired) It will be awkward if you have to ask for more time off for another surgery to repair it. Once you start losing weight say you are eating less and exercising more like some of the above posters said after all it's the truth. Hopefully after a month they will give up and move on to some other person to gossip about.

Hi,

I'm new as of today and only joined as I was searching the internet for exactly this type of topic. I have anxiety issues and I am worried sick about people judging me (+ terrified something will go wrong in surgery!). Only my mum knows I'm having surgery and it was her who actually made the initial appt for me. I'm only 19 so people will be sure to judge. I know for a fact that other members of my family will as they judge other people who have had it done... I worry about my work colleagues and my college roommates...

My mum is hypercritical as she says I shouldn't tell anyone, yet she says I care too much about what others think.. She says I don't need a cover story but I'm terrible at lying and I know if people ask me i will crack. I have informed my boss that I need time off as I have to have my tonsils removed. I think this cover will work for me as everyone who knows me knows I had so much trouble with tonsillitis as a kid and a tonsillectomy usually requires a liquid diet to start in recovery. I can say to people that this boost from having to only have liquids encouraged me to continue....

I told my manager and after that everybody wanted to know why I am going in for. They suspect is for bariatric surgery but none of them are saying anything. If they ask, I will tell the truth, after. If not. Not.Is nobody's business.