Weigh****chers- comming out a a WLS person

I had my surgery on the last week,  last night I went to my Weigh****chers meeting and had lost 17 lbs and everybody seemed very impressed.  I have not told anyone at weigh****chers about the surgery.  I told them I was feeling under the weather last week (true I was in the hospital) but did not tell them about the surgery.  I enjoy my Weigh****cher meeting and go with my Dad.  Has anyone told people at Weigh****chers about having the RNY,  did you get shunned etc.  After the meeting I felt guilty about not letting them know about the surgery.

I used to go to WW before I lost my full time job and couldn't afford it. I told my WW Leader via email as I still hear from her weekly on a group email she sends. She was thrilled and told me that many of the people there have had WLS and to not think I couldn't go back. She encouraged me to do so as she said we still needed support and to learn new healthy eating habits.

Keep going!!!

I plan on going back as I get closer to goal so I won't have to be a paying member once I reach goal and have the support.

I have not attended a WW meeting but have heard that many WLS people go for the continued support.

I think times have changed - when I had my surgery, WLS'ers were not always readily welcomed but now that the surgery is much more common and understood, it seems that they are more willing to accept us as attendees.

You have no need to make a public announcement but can tell your leader if you don't want to feel guilty about not letting them know - although you don't owe ANYONE your medical history!!!

I think WW is great for support but their diets are NOT geared for RNY'ers - we have to eat much more protein forward than their guides and diets suggest.

WW is about support and losing weight. I don't think I would share the surgery with the others. As long as you are keeping track of your points why not just share that portion of your journey.
You may be an inspiration to others that are not on the right track, they will see your success and it could motivate them.

I personally subscribe to the "do no harm" school of thought so far as divulging your surgery in any situation. 

In this case, you are in an environment where people have a big emotional stake in weight loss and advise and experience has a lot of value. I think it IS slightly harmful to allow those folks to believe you had that level of success without surgery. Because frankly, would you have had that level of success in THAT time period without surgery? 

That's not a critical statement but think of it from the other side. If you saw someone drop 20 lbs. in a month at a WW meeting and they led you to believe that it was through only diet and exercise, would part of you feel less successful, like a slacker, like you were doing something wrong because you have not achieved that same rate of success? Would you then, further, stress yourself out about it, modify your diet/exercise routine, especially considering when you see that person each month they are losing jaw dropping amounts of weight.

Sometimes keeping our surgeries to ourselves can be emotionally harmful to others. This is one of those instances that I think has the potential to do so.

Just my two cents. 

Yes Nik that is why when I do go back I'd be closer to my goal and I don't want to give people there the impression I did it all through WW. I would let them know I had WLS and that I was there for support in losing the last and to keep myself in check once I'm on maintenance. I would not do the group celebrations where they say how much so and so lost unless I told them about surgery as well as I feel that would not be right either.

I went to WW after my RNY I really like the new points plus it is more inline with a post op Gastric bypass diet plan than the regular points system was. I went for the support and accountability. I did not tell anyone about my RNY but I was 4 years post op at that point.

I also go to those meetings.  I had sugery on 8/29 and missed only the week I had surgery.  At this time, I have not told anyone at the meetings but I have not been celebrating with every 5 pounds that I loose either. 
I have been going to these meeting starting in March and I lost 50 pounds before surgery following my nuts, guidelines.  I do plan to celebrate when I get to 199 pounds which would be a 87 pound lost. ( plus under 200 pounds).  I look at the meetings this way.  They are there for support for my weight loss journey.  I don't feel guilty but I don't share that I lose 5 pounds that week.  If people ask, I tell them I had a good week and leave it at that.  I would continue to go and support your dad and remember we can never get too much support.