Lapband to RNY bypass on 12/20 - how do you tell people?

[losingitforever 5]

Hi all. I am new here but wanted to say I appreciate having this forum to have a place to ask questions and get support.

I had lapband in 2011 and lost 125lbs and actually kept it off for 5 years, then got pregnant and band prolapsed and have had trouble ever since. Gained nearly all the weight back but have now been approved to get band removed and have bypass next Friday!! Exciting but also a bit scary.

I wasnt sure when (or if) this would ever happen... and now have a new set of colleagues who dont know about my lapband journey so I didnt tell any of my colleagues at work about bypass. Now I am on calendar for this Friday. I am taking 2 weeks off for Christmas but I know I will be losing weight rapidly when i get back. How did you tell your colleagues, or did you? If you did, how did they react?

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[Puffy-no-more 141]

Following!

[Flo-grown 195]

Hi, I was sleeved 7/31/19. I only told my husband and two sons and my daughter in law. I did not tell anyone at work as I don't feel its anyone's business. Every one at work knows I have been dieting for the longest time so no one really questioned the rapid weight loss. If I'm asked, I'll tell them I changed the foods and portions I eat along with lots of excercise which is true. Good luck with your surgery and on your new journey and whatever you decide to tell people.

5'4"
Starting weight 297
VSG on 7/31/19
Surgery wt: 266
CW 215
GW 135

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[GradyCat 3,697]

I never told anybody. When they noticed I lost weight, I just said I was dieting and exercising, which was true.

[elcee 3,343]

Some people that knew i had a band I told. Others I haven’t. It’s none of their business how I lose weight.

[JohnnyMadison 15]

Tough one because it's nobody business but it's also not anything to keep shameful about. The first time around, with VSG, when I lost 135#, I did tell people and I didn't care. I even told my boss and his wife ended up having it done as a result of my feedback through him. Plus talking about it openly and living normally as a WLS patient helps destigmatize some of it. So there are two really good reasons to share plus people are often not judging us as much as we think. But YMMV and I loved all the support I was given along the way. I didn't want to become that person on my FB feed whose obviously had WLS and is going through dramatic transformation but then only speaks of "lifestyle change."

For revision, I am not sure if I will tell people since I was revised for GERD only and kept 115# of the 135# off, mostly gained 20# after having to have my left hip replaced twice (recalled implant) and the inactivity that resulted from that (previously had been running 20 miles per week). I have a 28 BMI and if I go below a 20 BMI, which is about 30#, then I would say something but as for now I simply told work I had a hernia repair and surgery for GERD. Hopefully I don't lose more than 25-30# so I have to make this decision.

[NYJenn 1,464]

Never told anyone I worked with

[JRT Mom 920]

I told almost anyone who wanted to listen because I'm an open book like that. Everyone at work knew I was having trouble with my band since they'd see me pick over food and then run to the bathroom to throw up. Now that I have a bypass I can calmly eat my food without all the drama!