I’m having the gastric bypass next month. I told my co workers what I’d be doing. Big mistake. One is trying to talk me out of it the others just want to know how much time I’ll get off. Not one shred of encouragement. I’m a nurse. I did have the sleeve 5 years ago. I was employed at a different hospital. They knew and the encouragement was good so I mistakenly thought this would be the same. How can I politely tell them to take a hike?

I would just remind them that this is about you and not them. Tell them that you’d appreciate it if they spoke nothing else about it unless you brought it up.

or you could ignore them. I am finding that people hate being ignored and it’s better sometimes than even giving a reply.

If they ask you how much time you’ll be taking off, tell them you already discussed it with your supervisor. It’s none of their business

Couldn’t have put this any better ??

Worrying about what other people think....ultimately...is on you. Don't give it your energy. Your energy is needed elsewhere:)

Edited July 18, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

This is particularly disturbing... assuming that your co-workers are also nurses. Where is their empathy? I can't believe that their main focus is on how much time you might get off. As for the "nurse" attempting to dissuade you from having the surgery, that's just bizarre. If this had been a procedure for a different disease, ie. a " real disease" , I doubt if there would be the same level of indifference.

It's hard to respect people who show such little concern for the health and well-being of others.

Just curious, but is the co-worker who is trying to talk you out of the procedure, also obese? Sometimes, it seems, people who don't have the courage to have bariatric surgery themselves or who can't afford it (if not covered by insurance), try to sabotage the decision of those who want the surgery.

To hell with your pin-headed co-workers. Where were they in 2013 when the AMA classified obesity as a disease?

It is also evident that you are basically a nice person. After all, you still want to be polite even when you tell them to take a hike! (Hey, that almost rhymes.)

Unfortunately even most nurses seem against bariatric surgery. There is such a huge prejudice against this still in the world. So sorry you told your coworkers.

I agree with Bryn. Just remind them it’s none of their business how much time you’ll get off of work. That’s between Human Resources and yourself. Hopefully they will find something else to gossip about in the meantime. Working in a mostly female environment can be so brutal. Full of catty and judgemental women, ugh.

Just focus on you and taking care of your health.

Best of luck.