Does this classmate have the same opinion about Bypass surgery or Joint Replacements? How about costs associated with Diabeties or High Blood pressure? How about costs associate with smokers? Economically, patients who have WLS end up costing thier insurance carrier LESS than they would have had they remained obese. Insurance carriers have made this judgement and are more readily accepting of WLS as a valid option.

I would take up that argument in class and challange anyone to oppose.

OMG The stigma is SO real! That is why I am so selective in who I am telling. They do not understand that this is a tool and not the "easy" way out. It is hard freaking work.

But the stigma against bigger people is there in general. We all do not have to be a size 2. Hell, I have no desire to ever be under a 8/10 honestly. People can be idiots. Let them talk while you get more healthy.

It is easy to be critical of others if you never take a cold hard look at your own problems. Not all addictions or character flaws are so visible as food. I have a favorite story I like to tell about a family member-one of those practically perfect family members who was a gifted learner and always so quick to point out your flaws. Our family likes to snow ski and of course from her point of view if we could do it she could learn too. She was a great tennis player and very fit. HOWEVER, she did not easily learn how to snow ski. It rapidly became apparent that she would not be a gifted learner in snow skiing like she was in so many aspects of her life. Rapidly she decided that she didn't like snow skiing and was ready to quit. Woohoo did we have fun. We teased her mercilessly. Saying "Welcome to our world where it doesn't come easy and you have to gut it out and learn with sweat and perseverance" "Better to be a slow learner than a quitter who only sticks to what comes easy" We were very proud of her in the end. Her pride wouldn't let her give up after that. She became quite a respectable snow skier and was ever after not quite so quick to judge someone who was struggling with things in life that she herself found easy. I have seen many a skinny girl criticize a fat girl for overeating as she herself was in a shoestore buying yet another pair of shoes she did not need nor could afford. The point is we all live in glass houses

In one of my Master's program classes last night (Healthcare Administration), a girl was complaining about how someone at work told her she was getting the lapband surgery. She said she asked the lady if she had tried fixing her lifestyle issues first. I was sitting behind her and wanted to say something but I didn't. The majority of the class seemed to encourage her sense of judgement and it seem this type of elective procedure is looked upon as an added exacerbation of over-utilization of healthcare as being part of our deficit issues the US. Just made me a bit mad, feeling judged...and I know that I will not be sharing my decision for this surgery with just anyone.

I actually love it when things like this happen. I am three years out from surgery and many people that I know casually at work and school have no idea that I used to be overweight or that I had WLS. (I have been open and honest from the get-go, so anyone who knew me at the time of surgery knows.)

I like to let people run their mouths and badmouth WLS, and then inform them that I had it. I also like to tell them how much I work out, how much I squat and deadlift, how often I run, how I track my calories every day, and how healthy I am. I f**king double-love it when I'm wearing shorts or a tank top when this happens, so they can check out the cut muscles in my arms and legs. LOL

Exactly, Sunshine. People are so quick to judge what they don't know or understand - it's very easy to judge fat people when you've never been one and don't struggle with addiction issues. Good on ya for doing all the hard work to get yourself to where you are today; one of the things I'm most amused by is when people hear the protocol I had to go through just to get the surgery and how much time I devote to planning my meals, working out, etc. now. They're shocked to discover that it's not the quick fix they assumed it to be.

I feel that being more open about having surgery can help lessen the stigma attached to it. If people ask me how I lost weight, I let them know that I have done a lot of mental and physical work, including surgery. I want to let people know I had it because I think when people realize they actually know someone who had WLS, they might be more understanding and less judgmental of the process, the procedure, and why people make that choice. I don't necessarily feel I should have to educate the masses about it, or be the WLS spokesperson, but I have no problem sharing my experiences.