Hey all, I have been a part of this board for a while now and never really posted because none of it has felt real. I first started looking into this last summer and began the process but somehow my doctors overlooked the 6 month weight management so I was all psyched to get it in december then through no fault of mine it was yanked.... Thus began so far the longest 6 months of my life. Yesterday I met with my surgeon and started talking about dates and it all hit me. This is really going to happen. I have stuck with it and am making my dreams a reality.

Everyone on here is what has kept me so positive so thank you to everyone!!!!

What I really wanted to know through this post is what are the best pieces of advice would you give to some one? Such as what to expect and what has been the biggest changes in your life and if you think 20 years old is too young....

Thanks!

If you have exhausted every option to lose weight and be healthy, then this is a great TOOL for weightloss, not a MIRICLE procedure. Ultimately, you have to do what's right for YOU. It looks like you've been doing your research which is great. One piece of advice Id give is to get your head right about the relationship you have with food. Divorcing food and sedintary lifestyles are essential components.

I wish I could have had this done at twenty, instead of thirty! If you've tried other options and they haven't worked, why wouldn't the sleeve be a great option?

The most obvious change is in how you're going to eat, especially immediately post op. But on this journey the most important thing I've learned is how to eat like a normal, healthy person. I now eat what I want, but in moderation. I no longer binge, eat emotionally or restrict myself to compensate for out of control eating habits - things that were ingrained habits and that I wasn't even aware I was doing prior to surgery. I learned how to drop my food issues.

My advice? I've been here a while and the reality is you are not going to lose weight every single time you get on the scale. You are going to have times where you don't lose, maybe for weeks at a time. The answer is not to freak out and start exercising frantically or cutting every single carb out of your diet. The answer is to take it easy and let your body lose in it's own time. It will happen.

Do not expect to reach goal by a certain date. Rather, expect to reach goal, period. Know that sometimes the journey is shorter but more often, it's longer than we expect. This isn't a race and you don't get a special gold star for finishing faster. Relax and let it happen. With only 15% of your stomach, it's about impossible NOT to lose the majority of your excess weight.

Finally, I do not advocate an all-or-nothing approach to anything, especially your diet post op. Research this now and talk to your surgeon about his/her requirements now, so you can get used to the idea. There is no denying that people that shave their carbs down to 50 or less a day lose weight the most quickly. They're also eating unhealthily, have trouble when they don't lose weight every day, and seem to struggle the most when they enter maintenance. Moderation in all things. Whatever you decide to do (and you'll have lots of company if you opt to go super low carb, so no worries there), do it responsibly and try to do the emotional work on what made you heavy in the first place while you're losing. Start tracking your intake now so you get in the habit of eating a well-balanced diet and being aware of what you're putting in your body. Accountability is key.

Best of luck!

~Cheri

Very simply .. Do it! You will not regret it. Age is totally irrelevant when it comes to fulfilling your dreams. You are never too old or young for this surgery

Good luck