Hi you guys! I am new here and this is one of my first couple posts (first time posting in this section).

I currently weigh 270lbs and I am 5'5. I am 20 years old. I have been overweight my ENTIRE life. I was an active kid, I played many different sports and was always on the go, yet I was always overweight and I ate healthy also. Obesity runs in my family so I am not sure if that is a contributing factor or not. My grandmother got her stomach stapled in the 80's and my mother had gastric bypass about 6 years ago. So now, I feel like it's my turn to start living a happy healthy lifestyle and I am so very excited to get started.

About a month ago I attented a weight loss seminar by Dr. Dennis Smith in Georgia. It went very well and I have my heart set on getting VSG. I filled out my MANY pages of paper work and mailed it into the surgeon this week and I checked my tracking number and his office got my paper work last Thursday. It takes them about two weeks for the surgeon to approve you for the surgery because he won't just operate on anyone.

I hope I qualify by the standards of my surgeon. I just had a physical two weeks ago and my PCP said I am extremely healthy and nothing is wrong with me except for my weight so I feel that I am a good candidate for the weight loss surgery and I don't think I should get denied by my surgeon.

I am just getting so stressed out dealing with this and going to college and working full time. It's getting to be too much to handle. All I have on my mind is VSG. I just want to be 100% happy again. I mean, I am really happy now. I have a boyfriend of three years and we moved in together this past summer. We've had many talks of engagement soon. So I am living a great life, I just feel trapped in the body of a fat girl and I hate it.

Sorry for all the useless information. I feel better already for just saying what I had to say.

Thanks for listening!

None of that was useless, these little details help shape you in our minds. It is often hard to get that through the computer.

First off welcome to the website. You will finds tons of people at various different stages of pre and post op. You can find tons of information and it may help come up some questions to bring up to your doctor.

Congrats on starting the process. It sounds like you have a busy life and that could help to be a great distraction while all the hoops are jumped.

Keep us posted and good luck with getting the surgery.

We all here you on that. Your surgeon may have you run some tests to make sure that you are up for the surgery medically and emotionally. You are pretty so I wouldn't stress too much. I am 33 and 250 lbs at 5'5". My surgeon thinks that I am the perfect canidate for the surgery. Are you self pay or through insurance? You may have to jump thru some hoops for the insurance part. Welcome to the sight. I have not had my surgery yet, but I am very excited too.

I am trying to get my surgery covered through Aetna. I've called them and talked to them about all the hoops and all that good stuff. Plus once I hopefully get to meet with my surgeon, I'm sure his office is FULL of insurance knowledge. Thank you all for your replies!

Welcome to the site, keep us posted on your journey! Good Luck I am sure you will be excepted by your surgen but I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

I have aetna too. Go to aetna.com and search obesity surgery. It is article 157. It explains that you have to go thru a 3 month multi discipline or 6 month dr supervised weight loss. I picked the 3 month. I had to see a dietician 4 times and a physical therapist 3 times. I also had to have a phyc eval done. The office will guide you through all of it. You have to lose or maintain your weight during the 3 months and exercise usually 2 to 3 times a week.

Not useless at all. I am very hopeful for you that you can get the things you need and want to help you be happy and healthy.

Anna