Hello, have a question for fellow reasonably young people :)

Hello everyone. Just wanted to introduce myself and ask a little question : ) I just turned 25 and have been going through the whole pre-surgery process since the end of August. I have 130 pounds left to lose and at the moment I am awaiting approval for rny/sleeve to see what insurance will and won't cover, and as soon as we hear back from insurance they'll schedule my pre-op appointment and surgery will be here before I know it.

Soooooo... I've been going over this in my head lately--the risks, the money, the emotional and physical drain, etc--and I'm starting to worry that I'm being selfish and vain about this decision. I may weigh 250 but other than gerd I don't have any co-morbidities that the surgery would alleviate. No diabetes, no sleep apnea...but I so badly want a healthy, normal life and I'm terrified of losing the weight, gaining it back, and then suffering from comorbidities and ending up back where I started.

So can any of you tell me why you guys decided to take surgical action this young? Am I being vain and selfish??

~kikuri

Heck no!  Vain and Selfish, is wanting to be healthy selfi****hink not!  Being young, we bounce back quicker, have less complications, we have better results and have a better chance or keeping the weight off!  So no I dont think your being selfish... and vain... who doesn't want to look better!?  Best wishes!

If you're feeling selfish for having the surgery because you dont have any co-morbidities, DONT! Instead be glad that you dont and think of this as a way of ensuring you go through life w/out them!! I personally dont have any co-morbidities either although i do have a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, so i kind of see it as defeating the inevitable! I do suffer from PCOS and am infertile due to this...im hoping this surgery will turn things around for me in that area.
Besides all that I think that WLS is one of those things in life that you just cant help but be a little selfish about, after all you are doing this for YOU and YOUR life =)
Good luck with everything, u and I are at the same place in our WLS journeys, im awaiting insurance approval too =)
keep us posted!!!

-blanca

hi kikuri.

wellcome to the board!!
i`m 10 months out. i had surgery when i was 22, 1 month away of my 23`s.
i`ve never in my life thought that i was gonna have wls. i weighed 250.  i thought i was not that heavy. but i definidly was!!!!`as you,  i had no health issues. (thanks god). 

i remeber very well my 1th appoiment at dr davi`s office. there was a lot of people heavier thatn me. and i thougth he wont´ do my surgery.  but when  he saw me the  1th thing he said to me was. : "i`m glad you are here at such a young age. so you won´t have all the health problems that i see everyday. you are gonna save your life."·  and i was like. WHAT?? omg!!!! are you serious? so i had surgery and everyghing its beeen wonderful so far. no dumping not eating problems. no sickness. nothing it`s been awesome!!
I WILL DO IT EVERY YEAR IF I HAD TOO. AND I DEFINIDLY LOVE LOVE MY RNY

if you have any cuestion or wanna talk. let me know.
take care and hugs
marana.

Thanks so much for the responses! I've spent the afternoon playing phone tag with the doctor's office, who is playing phone tag with the insurance company for me. I have a surgery date set for 12/19 for the rny--insurance is currently mulling the sleeve over and will get back with my doctor's office either by end of business today or tomorrow morning! So one way or the other I am having surgery 12/19, just not sure which one until tomorrow. : ) I'm thrilled and terrified simultaneously; it's an interesting feeling..

 i definately agree with what everyone has said, don't wait until you have the co-morbidities to have the surgery.  i have zero health problems but i just got home from the hospital from my RNY.  I see how my mom lives with diabetes and how many pills she has to take every day...I don't want that.  So no you are absolutely not being selfish.  I would say it would be more selfish to treat your body badly and not do something to help yourself live a longer, healthier life.  best of luck to you!!!


~Emily~

I have been there.....trust me....and trust yourself. I know for me things just got worst as time went by.....for 5 years I keeped on gaining little by little, then life was horrible.....every sickness came along. Don't wait, or at least don't stop the motion of getting approved. Think about it. Ask yourself the question do you want to live like this the rest of your life, being unhealthy. I didn't. I love my surgery....love it and thank God for a second chance. I hope this helped.

You are being proactive in your health by choosing to have life saving surgery.  I say go for it!  Great Job!

I agree with everyone else, go for it! Be PROUD that you're doing something constructive for yourself instead of something destructive.
I didn't have any co-morbids either except GERD, PCOS and arthritis...all of which were/are caused by my weight. (I'm currently 3 mths post-op) My family has a long long long history of heart disease of all kinds, cancer, and diabetes...I had this surgery to prevent all of these.
Be thankful for this gift and appreciate it for what it's worth. Work your tool!
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

I think its a reflection of our (retarded) health care that we often thin****il I have something really bad, I shouldn't treat it." My feelings are, if you're overweight, co-morbidities are just a when mostly, not to mention all the other stuff ascociated with weight- the stress on joints, etc etc. I think being proactive is commendable.

I'm 21 and I recently had a band placed. I definitely don't regret it, even at a younger age. My age has helped me so much with recover and adaptability I find, which I'm very greatful for.