I did my surgery in Japan, where there is a certain element of shame about opening up regarding surgery. Most people here never tell anybody.
I couldn't have survived doing that. I needed the help and support of others to be able to get through the whole process. I was not only open, I asked people for help and let them know what I was going through. And they were enormously supportive. I could never have gotten through the most difficult post-op stages without the help of my work colleagues.
Now, I have lost that community and am really struggling to keep motivated by myself.
One thing I have noticed about other patients in Japan is that those who have tended to open up about the surgery have achieved "better" results than those who keep quiet. I don't have any data to back me up on this assumption, but base the judgement on general observation (which is probably biased anyway, because the only post-op patients I meet are those who actively engage in post-op care and thus more likely to make the most of WLS in the first place).
I found very little negativity wherever I went, except during the first few months post-op when people wondered why I would want to cut myself up when I had a stomach that was working perfectly. Once they saw how healthy and happy I was, even these skeptics changed their opinions of the procedure.
I'd definitely make the same decision to be open and seek support, as well as recommend the same for others who are unsure about what to do. But, ultimately, it's the choice of the individual involved and they should go with their, er..gut feeling!!!!

I told a number of people and they werfe all supportive. Since I would NOT have surgery if I could go back in time - would not have to make the decision today.

I am less than two days away from my sinus surgery, and becoming anxious about a ton of things.  I have to put together work for my substitute teacher to do with the kids for five days.  I also have to get my bedroom tidied, so I can exist in it without feeling like crap.  The floor is littered with junk.  I just spent the day cleaning and doing schoolwork for my classes as it is.  Now, I must attend my outpatient treatment group, and I am exhausted.  The thing is, I also have to attend group tomorrow night, and I don't want to.  

The other part of my anxiety is that of relapsing on my pain meds, because I only have about 37 days of sobriety as it is.  I had a little fear when I had my WLS and my hernia, but I had years of sobriety then.

I just needed to share what is going on right now.  I am making a ton of meetings, and enjoying my new IOP group immensely.

Hugs,
Trish

I only told close family and friends and most were supportive.  Only my daughter was not.  As people have asked me (like people at work), I'm telling them the truth and everyone is VERY encouraging and supportive... at least to my face anyway.

I was very open about my surgery, and still am.  I am discouraged because my weight has stalled, but that is because when I relapsed on alcohol 14 months ago, I stopped doing the healthy eating that went with the surgery.  I basically gave up on myself overall.  Now that I have a month of sobriety, I hope to get back the gumption I had to follow the dietary guidelines given me when I had my surgery.

I have been blessed by only having had about two people rain on my parade, but I basically told them I would not listen to their negative talk and to just stuff it.  That ended any negativity.

Trish