Work and their reaction

[BUNNYRIOJA]

I am really very embarassed to admit I will be taking the surgical route especially with my work mates. I'm not sure how my boss will react (not the most approachable easy person to deal with) did other people tell their work mates & did you disclose what your surgery was for?
Thanks (rather embarassed to ask really)
Bunny

 

[rosejohnson]

I haven't told my boss or work friends yet. I am still off sick and I go back in 2 weeks, I will wait to see how I feel and whether I want to tell them til I go back. I had to hand a sick note in and it just said 'post op bowel surgery' so quite ambiguous really.

Rx

 

[BUNNYRIOJA]

Thanks Rose, I was just worried what would be on my sick cert from Docs, glad that I'm not the only one who feels like this
Bunny XXX
Hope you are doing well after your surgery

 

[quetiapina]

Hi Bunny, I have told everyone as I'm not spending £5,500 on something and not tell anyone. Seriously - since I made that choice I have felt the need to constantly back it up with "It's not the solution, it's a tool to work with" etc. I do get paranoid that people think it's really easy when you have to work hard with it. That is the down side of telling everyone.

The only group of people I have not told are the other patients at the Weight Man. Clinic I go to. I feel very guilty that I was able to get it together to have op when so many people there are refused (Wales does not do WLS as a rule) and have tremendously high BMI's and such difficult lives. It makes me so sad.

Hope you find a solution to yr prob x

 

[PinkyButtonz]

Hi Bunny,

I don't work. I haven't had op yet, but don't feel the need to tell anyone I'm having it. In the past when I have been on diets, it has put far too much pressure on me. At every opportunity I was ask how much I'd lost. I could tell most people were just waiting for me to fail.
Also sadly there are to many judgmental people out there who think surgery is the easy option.

Just speaking from my own experience.

 

[ChrystalK]

Hi Bunny

I have told my boss at work but she is very approchable and I knew I would need time off to attend the appointments. Apart from her the only other people that know are my husband, mother and sister. I have made a decision not to tell everyone else, as I really don't want to keep on explaining my reasons for having the operation.

At the end of the day it is totally your decision who you tell.

 

[djbp98]

Hi Bunny, personally I haven't kept mine a secret, I did at first, but once I'd told a couple of people I got a 'bugger it' attitude and haven't been worried who I told. I have been very surprised at the reactions I've had....they've all been really postive and lovely and soooo supportive. I think there's so much publicity now about wls it seems more acceptable. Good luck with what you decide to do hun. I think I've been very lucky and I realise not everyone has had the same reactions that I've had. x

 

[Mixman]

It's up to the individual but I told everyone. That way everyone knows when I am not eating much and why I don't want bacon butties all of a sudden etc and the reason for my 6 weeks off.

Plus any reason I have a reaction to any food I have they know why!

 

[Sambucca]

Ive told management at work as I do believe in honesty is the best policy. Ive told a couple of trusted friends at work too. They have all been very supportive.

I really toyed with the idea of telling everyone at work before I went off for my op, but decided in the end that I didnt want any judgemental comments before the surgery. I will be happy to tell everyone afterwards and I think the rapid weight loss in the early days is going to make it obvious that I have had something done. I'm hoping that my colleagues will be supportive and kind - that's the kind of environment I work in fortunately. If anyone disapproves - thats their problem.

 

[32bme]

As i work alone and am part of ateam whom i dont see a lot i ahave made a decision not to tell anybody as they seen my weight go up and down in recent years they will think there she goes again .
The difference is now it will go down and stay down with hard work and the band.
Not planning to take much time off if any as having a weekend op will see how i feel on Monday and if not up to work will phone in for a couple of days.
Not told my line manager either. Never been off work in all the time i have been here so not too concerned if i need to be off.

 

[phatmomma]

I recently started a new job (beginning August) and within the first two weeks i told my supervisor and my manager. Purely because i'm hoping to have my operation within the next 6 - 8 months and didn't want to look like i was starting work then going off on a big sickie. My supervisor was very understanding and when i told my manager she too was okay about it, although by the end of the 3rd week she said i wouldnt need surgery all the walking over the hospital she had me doing....

Last week i told one of the sisters (nurses not nuns) who has been doing the Cambridge Diet that i intend to go for wls early next year and told her what type, her words were "your very brave". I did tell her it was not for general knowledge, not because i am embarassed because like someone else said i've had enough of that failing on diets before. I am keeping it low key purely because my place of work is a ward with 170+ staff i don't know them all obviously and it's not their business. Afterwards if anyone asks i'll happily explain what i've had done and show my battle wounds

If people don't like it, they don't have to ask me about it. It's my life and i intend to live it as long as i healthily and physically can. xx

 

[Mixman]

Another thing with telling everyone is that people are fascinated and I've become a bit of a work celebrity.

People are talking to me that have hardly talked before because they have 'heard' about me

 

[Lostinmy30's]

My boss knows already but shes really approachable and I wanted to take advantage of any cancellations appointments that come up! I am a team manager and would hope any of my team would feel comfortable in telling me should they be going for WLS but most of us are good pals and share everything anyhoo lol. Another advantage is that I work from home in a virtual call centre so I'll be back at work before most would be able too..I work some days in my jim jams as it is ....You know yourself though how it will be received and really you don't have to tell if you don't want to - unless your off for over 6 months after - then they might ask for access to your medical records...

 

[gaelic girl]

Hi Bunny
Although i work for a council i manage a childrens home so its a small close team so i told them all including the teenagers i work with. They were all extremely supportive and a bit like Mixman they asked loads of questions. I go back to work on Monday so it will be interesting to see what reaction i get then. As far as sicklines go you can tell your doc what you want put on it, mine have all said post gastric bypass surgery as i was happy to let the world know xx

 

[indianlight]

When I had my band I told just a few people, but it didn't really matter as I was in a redundancy situation at the time. But now that I've had a bypass I haven't told anyone more than knew about my band. The problem I have is everyone at work knows that i have had surgery twice now (band removal then bypass), i'm not sure how to explain the weightloss, I get the feeling at some point i'm going to have to come clean.
My view is that its my life, if someone had an abortion/miscarriage would they feel they had to tell everyone? I don't. However, my OH is of the opinion of truth is the best policy and cos of that I find it very difficult to hide things and every time I evade questions i feel soo guilty..which is crazy!!

But, I do think the choice has to be yours and only yours. Work can't make you tell them what you are having done, and the hospital is always discreet...good luck!!