Teens and weight loss surgery..?

I've asked this a few times.. But I know new people join every day and I thought I'd ask.. I"m really curious what peoples opinions are on this.. if you had(have) an obese child (that had medical conditions and met criteria for wls) would you consider it..? if they brought it up to you what do you think your reaction would be?

I'm 16. I had the VSG 3 days before my 16th birthday back in august. i'm 7 1/2 months out now, down 82lbs (i'm at 203lbs now.. and i'm 5'2"), no longer type 2 diabetic.

any/all opinions are appreciated.. (:

www.ourfightnow.blogspot.com is my blog i've kept, since there isn't much out there on child/teen obesity/wls... if anyone wants to check it out just because their curious, or if they have an overweight/obese chidl.. anything. (:

thanks

 I think it is wonderful that you had the surgery, have been successful and are sharing your journey and helping others.

 
I work for a bariatric surgeon and he will do a sleeve (only) on teens but on a case by case basis.  Not all 16 y/o's are ready for surgery but then again, not all 40 y/o's are either. ;o)  The guy I work for won't do bands on anyone and he won't do malabsorption on a teen.  That leaves a sleeve.

Actually, our teen patients are usually more compliant than our adults.  I am totally supportive of WLS in most teens, being in school is hard enough without being obese.

Out of curiosity, what do your friends say about your weight loss?

That's great, I'm really glad he does.. Not many do. I had to travel over an hour to get to a surgeon that would.

I don't have many friends (being in school is hard enough without being obese.. couldn't agree more.. i lost most my friends do to the fact they're shallow and didnt want to be seen with me.) but the few that I still have are really supportive. I've made a few friends through the surgery, other teenagers that have ahd it... and one of my friends mom had the bypass.. so she was already sort of clued in on what i'd be going through..

one girl i used to be friends with got really jealous (she's morbidly obese.. she overeats.. a lot... is probably one of the most unhealthy people i've ever met) and stopped talkign to me saying i'm stupid and shallow and shouldn't care about my looks so much that i'd have my stomach cut out... although that's not the reason i did it at all, i let her believe what she wanted to believe and moved on with my life..

so that being said.. i have my good close handfull of friends that are supportive and happy for me.. and one is even looking into it for herself with her parents support, so i'm glad i was able to help her too. (:

 
You are likely finding that a lot of obese  people show a bit of jealousy as you lose.  It is not uncommon at all to lose friends after WLS.

yeah it didn't really surprize me at all.. however it did surprize me that my dads entire side of the family is totally against it and very un-supportive.. but theres nothing i can do about it. i'm glad my immediate family and the few close friends i have are supportive. but i did it for myself.. not to please anyone else. -- easy way to find out who your real friends, are, haha.

My children are only 3, 7, and 9, and very healthy at this point.  If weight were ever an issue and they came to me as a teenager, I really don't think I would allow it.  I have no problem with other people that have allowed their children, but it's just not something I would go for.  Maybe start with some counseling first, and go from there.

http://fordgrl73180.bodybyvi.com/

I have a  granddaughter who is almost 14 , 5'7" and about 260 lbs. I have often thought when she gets older about her having some sort of surgery , but honestly I don't think she would be compliant , her brain just doesn't work that way,
I am happy for you and other teens who have been successful , but like the rest of us you have to be commited , not just wanting to be thin, wanting to be healthy. that must be hard to do at the mall .
I don't think my granddaughter could do it

This is probalby going to sound stupid, it was only 2 years ago,b ut at 14 i probably wouldnt have been able to either. it took the doctors flat out saying i was going to die before i was 40 and me needing to wear a meddical id bracelet for it to really make sense to me.. to make it real that i needed to do anything and everything i could to get this weight off permanently.. which didn't happen untill literally a month before i started looking into wls.

.... i guess it's a good thing i dislike the mall then... haha. but i get your point.

Now that I have had surgery - I say yes, I would consider it for my teen - if they needed it - and were mature enough to handle it
Before I had surgery - I'm not sure what I would have said

I'm happy for you - as long as you are "following the rules" i think it's great