Experiences going back to work after surgery
Hello all! I am going back to work tomorrow after being out for 6 weeks (teacher). Even though my boss and several colleagues are aware of the surgery, there are more that do not know. I'm already looking like I've lost a good bit of weight (about 60 pounds including pre-op). I'm dreading people asking me what I did...Did people come right out and ask if you'd had weight loss surgery? Is it being deceptive if I don't tell everyone that I had surgery (even though I'm not ashamed of it. It's just a very private thing. What were your experiences? Thanks in advance for your responses!
I was just about to post this same thing. I'm returning to work tomorrow after 4 weeks off. Only one person I work with knows what surgery I have had although I'm sure a number of people suspect what I had done. I doubt anyone will have the balls to come up and ask me though. I'm a pretty private person so even if it wasn't this surgery I doubt I would share. I wasn't nervous about going bac****il today. If people do ask I plan to just tell them I'm not comfortable sharing my personal medical history with them. Being a RN and working in healthcare makes that point a little easier to get across. Not all the time though. Share what you are comfortable sharing it's not deceptive at all.
on 8/3/13 11:20 pm
If someone knocks on your door, holds a gun to your head and says Give me all of your money and you empty your pockets and purse and give them all the money, are you being deceptive if you don't tell them that there is some money hidden under the floor?
It is none of their business and if they ask you do not have to tell them.
I think whether or not it's deceptive depends on what you say. If they ask how you lost the weight and you say "It's private, I'd rather not talk about it," that's not deceptive at all. If they ask and you say "I'm on a special diet" then yeah, I think that is deceptive.
You don't have to tell if you don't want to. I've frequently told people "It's personally and I don't want to talk about it" when asked about medical stuff. Not just WLS but other stuff. I have a lot of scars on my arms and when asked about them, I frequently say "It's personal, I'm not comfortable sharing" and they say "Oh, OK" and often apologize for asking.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I also struggle because the whole reason I started thinking of WLS is because I met someone who had it and was very open and honest about it which inspired me to research it and start the process! I feel like if I can do the same for someone else, that would be wonderful. I'm not ashamed of getting the help I need to become healthy, but when people don't know the facts, they tend to pass judgment. I'm sure we have all heard someone say that WLS is the "easy way out". Frustrating!
Ultimately, I am just going to see how I feel about it at the time. I am pretty sure that if I am out for a few weeks having surgery, then I come back and suddenly start dropping weight, people will figure it out!
Good luck in whatever you decide. You did this for you...others may judge, but that's ok!
I am a teacher too and just started going back to get my classroom ready for this year. I did not tell anyone before school let out in June that I was having this surgery. I have decided that if people comment on my weight loss I am just going to say thank you, if they go further and ask how I am doing it I will tell them I had WLS, so I am no volunteering the surgery information but I am not trying to hide it either.
I just feel like if people are losing weight rapidly and they just say they are doing it by diet and exercise that is not entirely true and it is unfair to say that. If another obese person were to see that I was doing very well with weight loss and wants to try what I am doing and all they think it is diet and exercise they would get discouraged over not losing as fast and have been there done that and don't want to be the cause of any one frustration with their weight.
I agree that if you don't want to share that you had surgery just say it is a personal health matter.
I have been very open about it with anyone who asks or just in conversation. I worked with someone who had it done about 5 years ago and she wasnt open about it and regrets not having anyone to talk about it or even know about a site like this one at the time. Now she openly shares with me stuff that she went through. I am proud of what I did and am doing and hope that I can help anyone out who is thinking about having surgery or just has questions to make someone more informed. The feedback I have gotten from co workers,friends,family and strangers has been great nothing negative. As I said in someone else's post I am not ashamed of what I did or am doing.
good luck on how you decide to handle the situation!
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