[lil red one]

found out late yesterday that my insurance has approved my surgery
now waiting on the date.
my question is this , how do you decide who you should tell about the surgery . been giving that a lot of thought .. my husband and son know of course ... should you tell everyone and if so why .. i know it's a strange question but i guess it stem's from not wanting people to think i am a failure or telling me that this is to drastic .. any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated ................. have a great day !!

[likearock]

First of all, congrats on your approval! Can't wait to hear when your date is!!

Secondly, I've only told my immediate family and a select very few friends at work. By select, I mean 7 people. I didn't want to tell everyone and then have some problem which would prevent my surgery. As the weight comes off, I will be excited to tell everyone. I wouldn't want anyone else that has struggled with their weight to not know about all the options they have!

[DocSanae]

Congrats on the approval.
Check out the threads in Family & Loved Ones, there are lots of experiences and thoughts there.

[lost]

Yeah !!! Congrads !!! I originally told 3 friends at church and of course my dh,and my parents, Told my sister that's it because I didn't want to hear about failed journey's ,deaths,here say,etc. well, my sister told my 3 aunts and guess what everytime I see them my aunts I hear around people regaining , death,here say and etc. (lol) so it's totally up to you but soon everyone will know with the weightloss in less you want them to think your sick,trust me people come up with all kinds of reasons your losing weight. Think it through it's up to you...

[MsRain]

Originally Posted by lil red one

found out late yesterday that my insurance has approved my surgery
now waiting on the date.
my question is this , how do you decide who you should tell about the surgery . been giving that a lot of thought .. my husband and son know of course ... should you tell everyone and if so why .. i know it's a strange question but i guess it stem's from not wanting people to think i am a failure or telling me that this is to drastic .. any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated ................. have a great day !!

I told my father, brother, sister, my co worker and my manager. And come to find out her manager had the surgery 3 years ago. So she had given me some pointers and things about what she has done. My father though told some aunts i think and more than likely my whole darn family knows now, either way i dont mind but i know when i see them around christmas they are going to ask me a bazillion questions lol. So its really up to you, if you feel up to getting asked questions of how, why and how much you have lost then go for it. Otherwise just keep to yourself until your ready.

[Katbeyer]

It all depends on who you are comfortable with telling. At work I was up front to everyone. Because I work at a hospital. Nurses are able to figure it out. Plus they do have access to my medical chart. ( its illegal for them to look at my chart but they can) anyway, I found out that there few a few people at work that had WLS done also, so they have been a great support.
As for family, I told a few on my side of the family - and have confidence in the gossip mill that they will all know soon.
My sister was the one that freaked out and told me of all the people that she knows that have died, gone bald, and lost their teeth. thanks for that sissy.
My dad does not know. I dont know why, I have not told him.
As for hubby's family only told my one SIL/BIL and I know they will not say anything.
Friends and neighbors - very few. Only my best friends.
Good luck

[MsVickie]

Well honey in the end this will be up to you to tell whom you want to know. It was your decisionto have it done and to get it approved. Its your decision now to let people know that you are doing it. I for one let everyone know any one that would listen to me say hey im having WLS! THat is how happy I was about it. I have seen others not tell any one what so ever. Yes I mean anyone what so ever. She went to the hostpital in the taxi....... and went home Via taxi. Had a best friend bring her child back to her and went on about her business. Eventually she told her sister but it was like 3 months later. The sister lived in a different state and was comming to visit so .....

Anyways... honey think about this one. Think about whom you wanna tell and what they are gonna really be like and are you really gonna care how they feel about it? Remember in this end you did this for you................ No one else but you. I did mine to live nothing more. The rest where just great side effects...aka compliments and you sure do look good now! Just think about it. In the end you will make the right decision.

[gailsiz]

YAHOOOO !! Congrats..

[Sksmoooth]

I have to agree with everyone else's sentiments here that ultimately it's up to you. I personally chose to tell a few friends and my family when I started the long process to gain insurance approval and then along the way decided I would go ahead and tell all of my friends and family about it. I posted something on my fb page a couple days before my surgery to update them and have been open with everybody at work, church and family about my surgery and journey along the way. My reason for this is Motivation. By telling everybody in my life what was about to happen I had given myself a great motivational tool to make sure I did what I was supposed to and had great success with my surgery, weightloss and heathier lifestyle and so far it has been working great for me. I understand that this doesn't work for everybody but it just might be helpful to you. Good Luck with your surgery and God Bless in your journey before and after, I'll say a prayer that everything goes smoothly and as planned.
Sam

p.s. It's ok and normal to be pretty nervous and anxious in the time leading up to your surgery especially after you learn your surgery date, EVERYBODY is!! Again, GOOD LUCK!!!!

[Perfesser]

The best way to keep a secret is ... don't tell anyone!! The fewer people who know, the less chance of getting all the horror stories. This is a very personal decision - only you can decide how or if to publicize it.

I told my wife. (I needed a ride home from the hospital. ) That was it. The first our families knew about it was when I showed up at a reunion 7 months and a 120 pounds later. My success paved the way for my wife, and she told anyone who'd pretend to be interested! She got horror stories, but she'd point to me and deflect them. We each handled it differently because our situations were different.

BTW - the folks at work kind of wondered, and I had to reassure them that I was losing the weight under my doctor's supervision and he was pleased with my progress. When they asked how, I'd describe losing the sugar and empty carbs, cutting the portions, not drinking with meals - everything except that one little surgical detail. When you start talking about stuff that takes effort, they quickly lose interest!

Always tell the truth, but you're under no obligation to tell the whole truth! When the new school year started 8 months post-op, I told anyone who'd stand still, but I was at goal then and it was obviously too late to tell me I was gonna die when I was the picture of radiant good health!!

CT