I've made the decision to go ahead with the Lap Band ... but have decided to only tell my immediate family ... (parents, brothers, and sister-in-law).<br /> Who have you told or planning on telling?

Tangerine -

I have decided to keep my surgery very private. I have told my husband and my best friend. The main reason I chose to keep this private is in 2005 I had plastic surgery - breast reduction, tummy tuck and lipo. I felt that that would be the "jump start" I needed to continue losing and keeping weight off. It wasn't. So I felt like such a failure! I just knew that people were looking at me thinking - "She had plastic surgery? Can't tell!". After much discussion with my husband - we decided it would be best to just be between he and I. I told my bf cuz I needed some female encouragement.

RTW

Surgery date: 01/02/08

I told family and close friends, and that is it. Once I had the surgery I told almost everyone. If I had it to do over, I probably wouldn't tell many people. With the band the weight loss isn't as quick as it is with gastric bypass. The band doesn't even really start working until you have it filled. But most people are familiar only with gastric bypass and expect you to start losing crazy amounts of weight right away. I can see people checking me out when I walk into a room, trying to determine if I have gotten thinnner. Two weeks after surgery I really didn't look much different! And before my first fill I could eat almost as much as I could before surgery so it was awkward at restaurants - I could tell people were watching and wondering why I bothered having surgery when I could still eat large portions! It may sound paranoid, but it's true! Keep it to yourself and only tell those who you need support from.

I decided to tell my fellow teachers on my campus, especially because so many of them have the same problems I do, struggling with their weight. It's been really a good thing for me, because they are VERY encouraging in the past six weeks, and several have become so extremely interested that they are thinking of having the procedure themselves.

I also chose to share the info with my closest colleagues in my specific teaching field...band directors from other schools, several of whom have also taken an interest, and one of which has even taken the first step by going with me to a support group meeting. It's extremely empowering to be a positive influence Healthwise, not only to my own children, but to my peers and students, as well.

I understand what kbinaz means, it could go either way. Believe it or not, those who have been LEAST supportive have been my own parents!! If there was ANYONE I wish I had not told, it was them, but someone had to watch my 5 and 3 year old while my dear hubby was with me for the surgery!! My mother actually semi-accused me of being selfish for wanting to continue to go support group meetings after the holidays!