New here! Waiting for date, been told age will hinder!

Hi denzel
I didnt take it as criticism, Not at all, Im very confident in myself and find that a lot of people tip toe around the thought that I ate too much and got fat. And I embrace it, which is probably why I need the surgery! and now I'm ready to make a change for the better.
Thankyou, I've tried to get as prepared as I can for this kind of thing, I think the hardest thing is trying to figure out what I will manage to eat the first few weeks. My dietician specialises in surgery cases, and my mum commented how much more support I seem to have than she had.
I actually got my date today! 14th October! Which is 2 days after my birthday, no cake for me! Heheh

Rabbit56 wrote:

Thanks for your reply denzel
I make no excuses for my weight, I was quite healthy until around 17-18 when I found my freedom and junk food. And I should have known with my mum's same issues, I could very easily go the same way and I couldn't stop eating.
I have a good support system, dietician, psychologist, endocrinologist and my medical and surgical drs behind me. As well as a brilliant partner. I will definitely be reading extra! Thankyou :)

I am terribly sorry Rabbit56, I think you may misinterpreted my post as being critical, instead it was intended of being supportive of you having decided to have the sleeve, and informative - providing you with info to take to your GP.

I didn't think that you were trying to find excuses for your weight, I just found it sad that it your obesity was already causing you obesity related problems at such a young age.  I think that there is going to be an epidemic of young folk in their 20s where the effects of having being brought up in a high-carb lifestyle have caught up with them.
And I think that it is great that you are going to be changing that and by having the sleeve you are going to reverse that and go onto a much more healthier and happier future :)

Really good, also, that you have a strong support system behind you so you won't be left floundering after you have your surgery.
Is the dietician experienced in bariatric surgery?

All good!  Bring on the big day! (when is it?)
All the best,
:)

I totally get that! Some people have gained after children and needed to get re sleeved so I definitely wonder if this will work out for me.

It's was so amazing to see the change that this surgery can make in a persons life that I just had to try it. Because I was young, lucky and followed the instructions to a tee so far I'm having a dream run. I'm also hoping that it means I will be less likely to need skin surgery, as the last time I lost weight I didn't really have issues with the amount of loose skin I had.

I also second the bit about seeing a psychologist because the first time round I went off the rails pretty bad trying to get a handle on all the new attention. Having people treat you differently when you are essentially the same person on the inside was rough, I partied a lot, made some bad decisions and had some not awesome life experiences that even though they have shaped me into the person I am now I wouldn't wish on anyone.

All the best for your journey and I'll keep an eye out on the forum to see how you go😊

Thankyou sarahrose29 that must be a pain! Luckily I could transfer my family plan for my single cover. 

Thanks Lmw93579!
I know I'm doing it for the right reasons, and I kind of had the same lightbulb moment, after my mum did it and I was diagnosed diabetic. my mum wishes she had done it years ago, after being so down being overweight. I'm at my heaviest at 122kg and if there's a way I can be happier and healthier then I'm doing it. I guess I'm worried after reading a lot of people had the surgery after weight gain from kids and lifestyle changes that comes with it, and I haven't had mine yet!

Rabbit56 wrote:

Hi guys!
I have just had a gastroscopy pre op to check everything before the big day, I am pulling my hair our waiting for the date!
My mum has actually had the surgery a year ago now and has had some amazing results.
I've disclosed to co workers and friends what I am doing and I keep getting the same reaction, why, your too young, you can do it the proper way ect. My specialist and surgeon are happy to go ahead but even my Gp is worried I am making a hasty decision. I am 22, and I have diabetes, high blood pressure, and I am overweight, I guess I'm seeing if there are other young people out there that have had surgery and what life has to hold after it! I do want kids and to lead a happy healthy life!

Welcome Rabbit66,

Thank you for introducing your self.
This is a great forum, with some fantastic, knowledgeable and supportive folk.

Wow.  22. 
I guess that you, through no fault of your own, have come a by-product of the high-carb lifestyle, and I am sorry for you.
Diabetes (I am guessing not Type 1?) and high blood pressure...if there aren't some interventions done, you are definitely on a bad trajectory and not going to improve - can only get worse.

So - all going well, and sometimes it doesn't - a gastric sleeve WILL IMPROVE your health and future if you work with it. And by working with it I mean portion control and healthy eating.
Read, read, read, and read some more.
Research until you think you could perform the surgery yourself!
Here are some good resources - skip down to those that compare dieting with weight loss surgery - "Interventions - Bariatric Surgery".  You may want to print them off and give them to your GP.
http://compare-phc.unsw.edu.au/content/systematic-reviews
Worthwhile, also, in seeing a psychologist.  Having a sleeve done also means a lot of change in your life - socialising etc.
Check out the "Resource" section here.

All the best,
:)

Hey Rabbit56

Welcome:) I am 31 and had the surgery in March this year. So a bit older than you.

At 23 I lost 38kg through diet and exercise kept it off for a little while but have steadily put it all on and more. I had looked at surgery around that time but was looking at the band and decided it wasn't worth the risk. Since then I've continuously lost the same 10 or fifteen kgs again and again. In the last 5 years I had managed to get to 85 kg only once, I'm pretty short so that's still quite a bit overweight.

I got engaged in November to my partner of 7years at my heaviest weight and it started me thinking about the life we would have together and that I really needed to start thinking about the our future and being there for the children we are planning on having (eventually). If I kept on like I was what problems would I deve in the future that might mean missing out on their lives. A bit morbid, I know but that's what I was concerned about.

Then in February I had my lightbulb moment, I met a sleever. Her story could have been mine. Struggled all her life with her weight, endless cycle of losing and gaining, then she had the surgery. She likened it to flipping a switch and suddenly what had seemed like deprivation before now was just normal eating! I made an appointment, read everything I could agonised over how to pay and whether it was the right time. Then I had the surgery two weeks after meeting with the surgeon.

I think even up to after the surgery I didn't actually believe it would truly work. It was painful (I'm a terrible wuss when it comes to pain), it took time to recover and I still have down days every now and then but I think it's the best decision I ever made!

I used to go out heaps in my twenties and that slowly dwindled the closer I got to thirty. I used to think it was just because I was getting older. I now recognize it's cause I was too tired lugging all my extra weight around and not being comfortable in any of my clothes. I didn't really start out with any comorbidities so I can't speak to those changes but I know lots of people have had great success with the help of the sleeve. I am much fitter and healthier then when I started this journey and I hope to stay that way!

I probably wasn't ready at 23 to make the changes I needed for long term sucess and emotionally I wasn't in the right place. At that point I didn't even know it was an option and I couldn't have afforded it anyway. If you've seen your mum go through this journey then you have a much better idea of what you're in for! And I'm sure you've had time to think it through.

As for all those saying you can do it the "proper way" I have come to see this totally differently. I now understand how they do it. Their body didn't work the same way mine did! Now I have had the sleeve I can see how they feel, I can just stop eating. I couldn't before and if I dieted I felt deprived. It doesn't make their comments hurt any less but I have realized that I now have a tool that puts me on a much more level playing field with all those people. I'm much more likely to suceed and keep it off this time

The most important thing is to ask yourself why you are doing this? You WILL have to give some things up once you have done this to make it work but if the pros outweigh the cons for you, you feel like you can commit to the changes and you have the means to do it then I say why not!

Hi Rabbit,

I haven't had my surgery yet (still need to wait about 8 months for my PHI to kick in) but I'm 25 so not too much older than you.

Looking forward to reading about your journey :)

Hi guys!
I have just had a gastroscopy pre op to check everything before the big day, I am pulling my hair our waiting for the date!
My mum has actually had the surgery a year ago now and has had some amazing results.
I've disclosed to co workers and friends what I am doing and I keep getting the same reaction, why, your too young, you can do it the proper way ect. My specialist and surgeon are happy to go ahead but even my Gp is worried I am making a hasty decision. I am 22, and I have diabetes, high blood pressure, and I am overweight, I guess I'm seeing if there are other young people out there that have had surgery and what life has to hold after it! I do want kids and to lead a happy healthy life!