Embarrassed of my Band?

I am usually really open about my band.  All of my family and close friends now know.  Quite a few coworkers know.  Even some of the people in my running group who I BARELY KNOW, know that I am banded.  I'm an open book kind of person anyway, so being open about this is really nothing new.

I surprised myself yesterday though.

I was WAYYYY overdue for my annual eye exam, my contact prescription has been expired for about 6 months, so I finally made an appointment to see a new opthalmologist at my office.  This was a tough decision because the last time I went to this Opthalmology practice, I despised every minute of it... every member of the staff was rude, abrasive, late, etc.  So I decided I'd give them another try with a different doctor and I'm quite glad I did.  I loved him as a doctor, and he was easy on the eyes too (pun about him being handsome AND an eye doctor intended).

When the nurse took me back to a room, she asked for an update on my medical history and I blatantly decided not to tell her about my band.  First I asked if she meant medical history related to my eyes, she said no, any medical history.  I told her I went off metformin (which I had been taking for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, not the usual indication-diabetes).  She kept probing for any other medical update and I just refused to tell her.

I'm not sure why?

"My band has nothing to do with my eyes."

"It's none of their business."

"It isn't going to hurt to omit this."

All of those thoughts kept swimming in my head, so I was ACTIVELY choosing not to tell her.  I have only done that a few times since surgery-mostly with coworkers.

Just a strange thing to think about I guess.  I have no idea why I didn't want to tell her.

Comments

  1. I had two "I am just not going to tell you, it isn't any of your damn business" moments this week! I have never had one before and I totally understand what you are saying about it being different. I just didn't/don't get why I didn't want to tell?

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  2. I definitely have days when I don't feel like anyone knowing. My silicon zip tie, my business! I don't think I've told my dentist or eye doctor either. Can't imagine why they would need that information.

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  3. You know, when I went to the eye doctor I don't think I had to update surgery information. Although when I am at the eye doctor I was thinking eye surgery so I listed my Lasik. I don't have a problem telling people about my band. But I never thought to tell the eye doctor. Like you said, it has nothing to do with your eyes. If you don't want to tell someone, don't feel pressured. Just don't.

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  4. Okay...
    1. I liked your pun about being easy on the eyes (thanks for the chuckle...)
    2. At first I thought, "whoa, she should have told her about the band, because this IS part of your medical history"
    3. Then it HIT me I don't think I EVER told my eye dr. about my VSG. Oops.

    SO I guess I'm 2.5 years post-op and it still slips my mind to inform other medical professionals. I did tell my dentist because they went on and on about how good I looked. Now when I go they say "hi skinny" lol. I guess unless there is a MEDICAL issue then they probably don't need to know.

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  5. I'm the same way! I just recently became more open about it. But there are still people who are off limits for me!

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  6. I've written information in medical charts before and then regretted it/decided it was TMI, but that is just me maybe. The older I get the LESS likely I am to feel I need to give certain information - I guess I trust myself more to decide what is necessary information or not, and when I was younger I was a total open book. I can always add more information later, but once I've shared it and it is written in some file, I can't exactly "take it back". You could ask your band doctor if there is any reason your eye doctor would ever need to know (or your dentist, etc....but really, I can't imagine why they would?? They don't even prescribe medication or anything, where that could be an issue...and surgery would be done by someone else..?)

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