Not sure if this is right for me?

[Jmadyun21]

I see a lot of people saying they got this surgery to save their lives. I don't have any serious health conditions but im currently 274 pounds at 5'7. And im almost 23 yrs old in college. I don't know anyone my age that has this surgery.. no one to relate to or talk to.. My weight just have been going up this year like crazy. Just last week I was 269.. like what the heck.. I gain weight so fast.. And I cut out sodas.. even been exercising intensively.. how did I go up? Story of my life. Earlier last year 2013 I stayed at 220 for a long time.. so I pretty much gained like 50 pounds.. just eating normally. I got over 110 pounds to loose to be considered healthy for my size. Its been a tough rode trying to do it by myself. As much as I wanna loose the weight ( like who wouldn't) im wondering is this surgery a good decision. You only get one body.. is it really worth it? once its done its done! I cant turn back. That's whats scary!

[ximmia]

You've come to the right place. There are several others on the boards your age and younger who are in differing stages of the sleeve process. A couple of things to look at can be the length of time you've been overweight, what you have tried at the past and how long you tried and your overall health in general. It can be worth it. 100%. But it's not all roses and ponies. It's a lifetime commitment. All day. Every day. It can change almost entire life structures, in both good and challenging ways. I'm a lot older than you (I'm 41) but I've been considering surgery for 10 years and I've been morbidly obese since I was 17. If there's anything specific I can answer, feel free to ask. Di and Rebecca are the two that come to mind, but there are others your age here as well. Look under groups here too - there are groups for sleevers for every age and everything else. Good luck and let us know if we can help.

[Thick2Fit Rose]

No one can make the decision for you. You have to decide what's right for you, I'm 28 and I don't have MAJOR health issues besides obesity. My cholesterol is good, no diabetes, no high blood pressure etc. but as you get older you will get theses issues because of your weight. So for me it's a preventative measure. Diabetes runs in my family and so does high BP. I'm a ticking time bomb. My feet hurt, my back hurts and I'm always tired along with other issues of being obese. So just because today you don't have a major health issue doesn't mean you won't get one. If you can lose weight on your own, maybe you shouldn't have the surgery. For me, i know I need help.

[hcr00n89]

Hi! I felt the same way...I am 24 and it took me 2 years to finally make the decision to have the surgery. I will be sleeved on the 26th. I weigh much more than you do but in the end, you should be thinking about what is best for you to be healthy. I do not know anyone my age who has gotten the surgery done but coming to this website gave me a great support system.

Should you do the surgery? That is something only you can decide. Again, like I said before, it took me over 2 years to make my decision. It wasn't until my last physical over the summer that my doctor (who is the most conservative person in the world) suggested that this is probably the next route to go. I have tried every diet imagined and have not been successful. For me, my number one goal in life is to be a mom. With my weight, I have developed PCOS which has made me almost infertile right now. I am hoping (from what I am told) that this surgery will help me overcome my PCOS so I can have a family. In the end, I am doing this for me. I am 24 years old and other than being overweight, I am healthy. I want to be healthy for me, my future family, and I want to live life. I have so many thing that I want to do in life that I feel that this surgery will allow me to do so.

So only you can decide. I would first find out if your insurance covers the surgery (that was a major thing for me) and then do research. I wish you the best on this journey!!

Helen

[elongwa]

Not sure if you have done so yet or not, but you probably want to start with your primary care physician to discuss different options, maybe run a few tests to see if there is a hormonal reason for your weight gain.

I am in my 40's and I noticed that each 10 years (20/30/40) I would put on a mysterious 10-20 lbs that just wouldn't go away, my body would hold fat in different places, etc.

This was a journey of discovery, research, and finally a decision to invest in myself and my future health - each of us come to this decision in our own way and for our own reasons.

I wish you the best of luck in your journey and these boards are a GREAT place to start!

[mokaza]

Do you live at school? The food choices are not the greatest at college dorms. I wish I had the option of the sleeve when I was in my twenties. Diet and exercise never was enough. I would lose and then gain it back. This is not a quick fix. Think about hard before you decide.

[lornadoone629]

I agree with ximma and the others. You have to be ready and know that this is right for you. I'm older than ya'll (almost 55) and wished that I would have had it done ealier in life to have avoided these health issues that I have now. Also, your skin is more resilient now and more likely to rebound than mine. I actually looked into this in September of 2012 and went to a seminar on the sleeve, but decide to give it one last try on my own. I finally went to another seminar in March of last year, started the process in April and was sleeved on 8/5/13. I KNEW it was my time and what I needed to do. I finally had no doubts, fears or concerns. It was my destiny at that time. I have no regrets................ good luck in whatever you decide.

[Kelly67]

While I am 20 years older than you are we are exactly the same height and the same weight. I have been obese since my early 20s and while dieting and exercise helped me lose 20 or 30 pounds at a whack, it always came back. I didn't have any major health issues either in my 20s but I certainly do now. Severe asthma, sleep apnea, extremely high blood pressure, and I'm a borderline diabetic. I can only give you my perspective. I wish I had done this 15 years ago. I am so disturbed that my health is so bad in my 40s and if I continue this way I won't live to see my children get married or have children of their own.

Only you can make this decision for yourself, but to make the best one, talk this over with your doctor and your family. Also do as much research as you possibly can.

I have not been sleeved yet, and to be honest I started the process 2 years ago and stopped because I felt I could do it on my own. But I realized I can't. I just can't. So I finally made the decision to follow through and do this one thing for myself. I finally meet with my surgeon 4 days from now to set a date. Will it be tough? Yes. Will it be a permanent life change? Yes. But the benefits outweigh everything. I wish you the best and keep coming here. This place is a wealth of info and support.

[bgedang]

One of the girls that works for me had the surgery and was 302lbs and 5'9" and is 24 years old. She had the surgery when she was 23 and has never looked back. Although you may not have health issues now, I would speak with your doctor about what you are at risk of in the future due to family history, and obesity issues that can arise. Good luck to you!

[ezrider04]

Hi, I'm 23 yrs old and I just had the surgery done last week. I have been thinking of getting this surgery for a while because I've been obese for most of my life. It's a huge decision to think over because it will change the way you live forever. I decided to do it because lots of diseases related to obesity run in my family, like diadetes, high bp and high cholesterol, and because my joints are beginning to hurt. I think its a difficult choice at this age because we have to give up so much when we're young, but I decided it was worth it because it was those things that got me to my current weight. I can't give any long term advice, but I hope this helps.

[Jmadyun21]

do you feel like your life has changed drarastically already or has it not set in yet. Do you have any regrets so far? and how is it affecting your social life? Thanks for the advice!

[broncos_fan]

Samething happened to me with the weight gain and it was my thyroid

[OAM]

I wish this surgery was an option when I was younger! It sure would have saved me from some major grief!!!! I get that seeing that word "permanent" can be a scary thing. But it doesn't compare to seeing the word "obesity" in your medical charts. But when you think about it - the permanency is the desired outcome we are all looking for. So many of us fear stretching the stomach back out and ending up where we started from. So it does require commitment to really make it permanent. Do lots of research. I hope you find your answers soon!

[amygayle]

I wish I knew then what I know now. I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I am now 37 years old and was sleeved in early Jan. I wish I did this back then, however, you have to make an educated decision and be mentally ready for the lifestyle change. If you're not ready for that, then don't do it. I think it is natural to have fears and concerns and worries. I am almost the same as you. I started at 276 before surgery and I'm 5'8". Keep doing your homework. I was a "healthy" fat person in my 20's and now that I'm in my 30's I am starting to have some pretty major issues.

[cbrydges7]

Im 22. Made the decision at 21. I've always had weight problems. No serious health issues besides Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Look through alot of the forums on here and watch videos on youtube. it will help you make a decision. and if you dont feel any help, call and set an appointment up with a bariatric surgeon and just see what they say.