Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss: Do People Treat You Differently Now?

Andrea:
As I’ve lost all this weight there’s been quite a reaction and again, it’s almost on a daily basis that people make comments still at this point. It’s been two years. People are very careful to say you were pretty before, because they don’t want to hurt my feelings, but now you just look so happy and restful and healthy.

One of my favorite comments that people made was, they would come up to me and say, “Wow, you’ve lost a lot of weight,” and I would look back and go, “Uh huh, yes,” and my friend said, “Say thank you.” They didn’t really ask you a question, but say thank you.

My coworkers have been supportive. I had respect before; they’re still respectful, they just feel that I look a little more light-hearted and happy and more energy to do things.

My family, I think it’s been hardest for my children. I have a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old and they have been pretty supportive the whole way. There’s a point where it’s been a little hard for them.

My daughter had said, “You are a stick mom. You’re a skeleton,” which I am still very healthy; I am not that thin, but I think it was the hardest for her to adjust to the change and she said to me once or twice, “You don’t look like my mom anymore,” but it’s like an adjustment period for her and we’ve talked about it and we still do things together and I still am her mom.

My father and sisters and brothers have just been very supportive. There’s an interesting point, when you are losing a lot of weight you get a lot of compliments from other women and then after a certain point, you don’t so much anymore and I’ve sort of enjoyed it to a point. It’s not necessarily that they are envious but there’s a point where they see that success and it’s just a different feel and reaction from other people.

The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Occasionally there are comments that, “Oh you had a band put in,” and I think they think that, what I used to think, that it might be a cop-out but that, “Oh, of course you lost the weight. You had this done,” and the band was extremely important. It’s a tool – a very, very necessary tool that I needed. However, it’s something that I had to make a commitment and make lifestyle changes for, so it’s a combination of those things.

To Find A Weight Loss Information Session Near You, Click Here

More on This

Post Weight Loss Plastic Surgery

Kelley Howard: My Lap Band Surgery in Mexico, Part 6

Bariatric Surgery: Freeing the Prisoner in Your Own Body

Order Matters: Breast Reduction and Weight Loss Surgery

Add a CommentComments

There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!

Do you really want to post anonymously?

Are You a Member? Log InConnect your comment to your member profile. It only takes a second!

 

Not a Member? Join Now!You'lll be automatically notified when someone else comments on your post.

Tell us what you think Write your comment here *

Leave this field blank

Receive email notifications of new comments Email Addresss

Sign me up for EmpowHER Updates

What code is in the image? *

Enter the characters shown in the image.

By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy

Tags:

• Bariatric Surgery