Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

What did/ do you tell people about your weight loss



Recommended Posts

I was banded on 10/15/09,I went through my 6 month pre op hoops with only the support of a very few and their word to not share the info with all. After my surgery they were free to let who ever they cared to know. So,I guess I am out of the closet ,I am obese and need a better tool to battle what I ve battled all my life. Actually its kinda freeing ,I don't care what others who truely don't care about me THINK about the method to my current maddnes.:tongue_smilie:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just tell people the truth. So far they have been very supportive. They want to know how they can do it! If they act "funny" I just don't discuss it with them anymore.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just tell people the truth. So far they have been very supportive. They want to know how they can do it! If they act "funny" I just don't discuss it with them anymore.

I agree with you there's nothing to feel ashamed of but you can try to keep yourself healthy and fit...there's nothing wrong in it...And I would suggest to try natural way to keep yourself fit there are many online help that you can take like this site Easy Natural Weight Loss...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank-you everyone who responded, some great advice. I'm one day pre-op and can't wait for the pounds to come off.

Congrats and good luck tomorrow......

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!!!!:tongue_smilie:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

since being banded on monday i am much more confident in telling people. last night i had some people over for book club and when i mentioned it everyone one was so excited and supportive. big grins. thumbs up. hugs.

the support and love is becoming overwhelming at times. i enjoy socializing but consider myself somewhat of a loner. as long as i have my daughter with me -- i am happy. it just never occurred to me until this week how much people really care about me. and i never really "needed" it --- but it is sure nice to have it now.

one thing i have realized is that i am probably the most obese person in my social circles. so i think my friends and acquaintances are supportive because they only see it about me and not about themselves.

and more to that point...they only person who is not supportive is my sister who i keep my distance from anyways due to her overall negativity. and yep, she is someone who struggles with her obesity.

still not sure what i will say at work since i work but i will deal with that as it comes. and that has more to do with the cut throat environment i work in with all guys.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have been open and honest with people who have asked "what have you been doing? you look great?!" I say... Thanks... I had a LAP-BAND® put on to help me get to where I want to be. Done. Why lie about it? Lying only gets you caught up in a web. I have struggled for so long... i'm proud to have my little helper and I'm proud of everything I'm accomplishing! :tongue_smilie:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree with you there's nothing to feel ashamed of but you can try to keep yourself healthy and fit...there's nothing wrong in it...And I would suggest to try natural way to keep yourself fit there are many online help that you can take like this site Easy Natural Weight Loss...

This person's profile looks to me like they are only here to advertize another weightloss GIMMICK. NO THANKS!! TAKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not banded yet, but this whole "who to tell, who not to tell" is driving me crazy. After a lot of thought, I've told my mom, my hubby and a few (3) very close friends, and my boss, because I'm going to need some time off work. They have all been very supportive. Anyone else I'm not planning to tell. If they flat out ask if I've had weight loss surgery, I'm not going to lie; but otherwise, I plan on just telling them I'm restricting my calories and exercising, which will all be true. Plus, I'm afraid that if everyone knew, I'd get a whole lot more questions about why I'm not losing faster, or how long is it supposed to take to start losing, or am I allowed to eat that, etc. Now I may feel differently once I'm banded, but for right now, that's the right choice for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I guess I did not know what I would say if it didn't work for me, so I kept it quiet. I am also in the process of losing my house, so it didn't seem appropriate to borrow money to do WLS, and not borrow to keep the house. People know the house is going bye bye but not about the surgery. It is a long story, but I feel like I did the right thing. For about a third of the price of an SUV, I can change my life forever. Amazing......

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have these same worries. Obviously I told my mom and dad, and my brother and sister both know. And I told my three closest friends at school. But beyond that...I told my grandparents and they just seemed confused. I don't want to spend my whole life explaining what LAP-Band is or why I decided to get it. Plus, I feel like the LAP-Band leaves a lot of the responsibility up to you. After all, its up to us to eat right, exercise, and take care of ourselves. If someone asked me how I am losing weight, I might tell them I had the band. Or I might tell them I have lost weight with Portion Control and exercise. Both are true, right?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started off by telling my husband, parents, and inlaws. Really, these are the only people who I feel like I really NEED their support on this. And, they have all been fantastic about it. Of course, they all have seen first hand how much I struggle w/my weight as well. I'm a yoyo dieter so they see how much willpower I have, but how it always all comes back, plus some.

After that, I started telling a lot of close friends and some not as close friends. This is where it got a little tricky for me. I'm the type of person who likes to be an open book and talk candidly about anything. But, I started getting a lot of stories and negative advice that I didn't want. I am not normally a sensitive person, but this negativity really started messing w/my mind because if this doesn't work, I'm really headed for some serious health issues. I don't doubt that it will work for me, though. My mom got lapband surgery and it has helped her overcome all of her obesity related health issues (the ones that I'm now starting to get). Anyway, I just can't deal w/all the negativity so I've stopped announcing it to the world. Enough people know already that it is not a 'secret', but I'm not gonna tell more people until its done and they start noticing weightloss.

I would have trouble NOT telling the truth if someone wanted to know how I was losing weight so well. I don't want to perpetuate the myth that it was just diet, exercise, willpower that you need. Once you are morbidly obese, the reality is that you have only a 2% chance of taking off the weight without surgery and keeping it off. I think people need to start understanding that it is just not a matter of diet, exercise, and willpower.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • KeeWee

      It's been 10 long years! Here is my VSG weight loss surgiversary update..
      https://www.ae1bmerchme.com/post/10-year-surgiversary-update-for-2024 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×