I am 21, 6'4 and a little over 400 pounds. I've always been big and tall, since I was elementary school and I have really never minded being a big guy. The things that I do mind is being unhealthy, out of shape and it's getting to the point where being this big is really inconvenient being a college student like going out, doing things, and even going to class(these seats/desks aren't exactly designed for bigger people). I hate sweating all of the time, and I love working out but it's just really difficult so I've decided that it's been long enough and I want to get this taken care of while I'm young and in school. It sucks being bigger than almost everyone on campus and it would be easier to meet people and not look so intimidating lol.

I don't like the idea of doing surgery but the diets just don't work for me, I've tried many of them. The things that worry me about the sleeve is that it's permanent, and being as young as I am it seems like that losing 70% of my stomach is drastic and I'm worried about the long term effects because the sleeve has like a 3 year history or something like that. The sleeve seems to accomplish exactly what I want it to, I always felt that I had a bigger stomach than most because it takes a lot to get me full or even content and it's not that I like eating, it's that I'm constantly hungry.

So I guess my questions are: Would it a good idea for someone my age? Is there anyone else out there that had it done at a young age? Is there any info of possible long term issues? My insurance covers from like 70-90% of the procedure depending on where it'd done. I'm sold on the positives of the surgery but just trying to get as much info as possible. Sorry for the long thread! Thanks for any advice you may have.

I think if this surgery can save you life. Pray for guidance and go for it. I have heard 12 year old was the youngest age. Only long term affects I am aware of is taking vitamins for life. Hope this helps.

Actually VSG surgery has been around since 1976, it has recently become a more accepted form of WLS and has only been adopted by many insurances in the last few years. Although it is true there is limited long term data on the VSG Because most early sleeves were converted to RNY.

VSG was originally used as an intermediary procedure for patients seeking RNY when it was determined that the individual was too high risk for the RNY procedure.

That is why the sleeve is commonly referred to as a mini bypass.

I can tell you that the most common regret from sleeves is not doing it sooner.

I actually dont know what you mean about the 3 year thing. The stomach is reduced by 70-85% and it is for life. The point of the sleeve is a permanent life long tool to assist is losing a larger amount of weight and also to maintain that. It is a medical fact that once you become overweight and lose the weight, you have a widely harder time trying to maintain that the rest of your life than someone who has never been significantly overweight. You, like alllll of us here, would struggle all your life. This is the tool that will help you keep it in check if you help yourself to go through with it, eat healthy and take care of yourself (like making sure your Vitamins are ok).

I don't recall who but I do believe a few members here are around your age. I think you have made an excellent choice to fix your weight now because you will be soooo much better off and happier in your life.

Welcome! I too am looking into the surgery. My sister is getting hers done very soon...it's just a matter of waiting for approval from her insurance. She's 20. She's really looking forward to it. I think you'll do great

I think you are on the right track coming here to these boards. Read thru some of the sucess stories and they will help guide you to your final decision. I am going thru all the hoops that the insurance company requires and am looking at late August early September for my surgery date. I think it's natural to go thru the is this the right thing for me and being nervous about it and then you read some of the posts here and you get the excitement that you can feel the members here have with their decision. Only you can decide don't let your family and friends infuence your decision it's YOUR journey to take or not take. Best of luck!

I don't like the idea of doing surgery but the diets just don't work for me, I've tried many of them. The things that worry me about the sleeve is that it's permanent, and being as young as I am it seems like that losing 70% of my stomach is drastic and I'm worried about the long term effects because the sleeve has like a 3 year history or something like that. The sleeve seems to accomplish exactly what I want it to, I always felt that I had a bigger stomach than most because it takes a lot to get me full or even content and it's not that I like eating, it's that I'm constantly hungry.

Here's the thing ... yes you are young, but do you want to go through say another 10 years of failed dieting to get right back to the point where you are now? Don't get me wrong - it is absolutely and totally possible to lose weight without surgery, but to me once you've tried everything this is really the only thing left. It's not a cure, but it certainly is a tool to get the weight off. It took me a while to decide I needed to do the surgery -- I know darn well I know how to lose weight, but I needed something that forced me to stay on the right path.

I am 21' date=' 6'4 and a little over 400 pounds. I've always been big and tall, since I was elementary school and I have really never minded being a big guy. The things that I do mind is being unhealthy, out of shape and it's getting to the point where being this big is really inconvenient being a college student like going out, doing things, and even going to class(these seats/desks aren't exactly designed for bigger people). I hate sweating all of the time, and I love working out but it's just really difficult so I've decided that it's been long enough and I want to get this taken care of while I'm young and in school. It sucks being bigger than almost everyone on campus and it would be easier to meet people and not look so intimidating lol.

I don't like the idea of doing surgery but the diets just don't work for me, I've tried many of them. The things that worry me about the sleeve is that it's permanent, and being as young as I am it seems like that losing 70% of my stomach is drastic and I'm worried about the long term effects because the sleeve has like a 3 year history or something like that. The sleeve seems to accomplish exactly what I want it to, I always felt that I had a bigger stomach than most because it takes a lot to get me full or even content and it's not that I like eating, it's that I'm constantly hungry.

So I guess my questions are: Would it a good idea for someone my age? Is there anyone else out there that had it done at a young age? Is there any info of possible long term issues? My insurance covers from like 70-90% of the procedure depending on where it'd done. I'm sold on the positives of the surgery but just trying to get as much info as possible. Sorry for the long thread! Thanks for any advice you may have.[/quote']

I can remember my doctors pushing surgery when I was in college, I thought that it was such a drastic step and was convinced I could do it on my own. Five years later, I am only too ready to be sleeved after trying everything under the sun. So now I'm 27, just got approved by my insurance and am looking at a June/July date. I can honestly tell you that I was not ready for surgery at 22, but I absolutely am now. Everyone has a journey, and if your journey brings you to the sleeve right now, embrace it. But remember you have to be ready for this. I'm wishing you lots of luck!

Personally, I don't think that you are to young. It's great that you are ready to take control of your life! In my opinion, you are only prolonging your life by making yourself healthier, opening up more doors of opportunties, and getting rid of undue stress. I have done research on my own and also my regular M.D. did, who wasn't biased at all. She gave me her blessings and said that I was making one of the best decisions that I could about my life. Good luck and I will you well.

Do it now! Do it before you have a wife and kids who you will needlessly worry by having surgery. Do it before you have diabetes and high blood pressure which makes healing from surgery do much harder. Do it before your skin loses its elasticity and you are left all droopy. Do it before you take your first real job that may have crappy insurance. I am 33 and I still consider myself young but I wish I had done this sooner because every year I got bigger and bigger!

Hi snrussell09!

I agree with what's been said. I am almost 27 years old, and even though I've only been morbidly obese for about five years, it's been long enough for me. I had the Lap-Band done in 2010. Big mistake. It just didn't work for me and I was unable to eat healthy foods due to vomiting. So here I am two years later, and two years older, wishing I would have taken the "drastic" step in the first place. The big appeal of the lap band is that it's reversible. Unless something bad happens with the band, you'll probably have it your whole life. Why not do the sleeve and up your chances of keeping off the weight for the rest of your life?

I think you would be a perfect candidate from what it sounds like. You also have youth on your side. You may not have been born with a naturally quick metabolism, but I guarantee once that weight comes off, you'll have tons of energy and be able to exercise even more!

I am having my surgery in August with Dr. Rodriguez in Tijuana. Best of luck to you, and congrats for taking the first steps to a healthier life!

Erika

Thanks everyone for all of your replies, I definitely appreciate them all. I got caught up in school in work so I didn't get to reply but I've been going to the several appointments that are required to get insurance approval and I have my final appointment in a week, then they send it off to the insurance company and have a date penciled in for early December if everything goes well.

I just went to a nutritionist and she basically went over the pre-op and post op diets and the entire process and I feel like the nurse and surgeon didn't go into this kind of detail so I now have more questions about the actual food intake part of the surgery. She was saying that the new stomach would only hold 2-4 ounces of food, so you would have to eat 3-4 meals a day while snacking in between while having the Protein shakes and that I would need 80-90 grams of protein a day, due to my height. The limitations of food after the post-op diets seem different than what I have read here or what the doctor laid out. I have read about people eating sandwiches and things like that but the nutritionist said I wouldn't be able to eat a sandwich(either from some place like Subway or a regular one you make at home) because it would either be too much or I wouldn't be able to to tolerate it.

So it seems like I got different information from the actual doctors office during the one on one, the other visits with the nurse and the nutritionist and then what I have read, I'm just worried about what I will be able to eat and I won't be able to eat(not the amounts) once the surgery and post-op diets are completed. Is it just different for everyone? Can you eat normal foods and can you eat out at a restaurant or do you have to pretty much cook everything yourself to meet the restrictions? I'm excited to be closer in the process and I will be out of school in December so I should have time to focus on the diets at home.

I sure wish I would have done this earlier. I am ONLY 30 and my knees sound like a 70 yr old! My back kills me 24/7. I have high blood pressure and now here I am 9 years after researching WLS wishing I had done it then. I am scheduled for surgery Monday, so I've only read about the postop diet. You have to get out of your mind how much you eat now. I can eat a foot long sub no problem. Now, figure out how big 2-4 oz of that sammie would be. Not very big at all. You have to eat your protein first and foremost. So, you're eating bread, veggies, meat and some dressing and that isn't the healthy choice. Start with your lean protein and you will probably be stuffed to the gills afterwards. It is like people say, the sleeve is merely a tool. We still have to fix our thinking by ourselves. After over a week on my preop diet, my stomach is already so much smaller from their torture that 1 cup of protein shake has me really full. But I have to constantly fight my demons that I AM NOT hungry and I am not going to die if I don't get that candy bar. Keep researching and talking to others with experience and you will happen upon your answer. But it is true what people say...the older you get, the harder it is to lose.

Actually VSG surgery has been around since 1976, it has recently become a more accepted form of WLS and has only been adopted by many insurances in the last few years. Although it is true there is limited long term data on the VSG Because most early sleeves were converted to RNY.

VSG was originally used as an intermediary procedure for patients seeking RNY when it was determined that the individual was too high risk for the RNY procedure.

That is why the sleeve is commonly referred to as a mini bypass.

I can tell you that the most common regret from sleeves is not doing it sooner.

FYI, the sleeve was started as the first step of the duodenal switch, not the RNY. Drs found many of those who did not go on to get the second part of the surgery still lost weight. The sleeve was developed as a stand alone surgery from there. People have had their stomachs removed for many reasons for many years... most live a happy, thinner life afterwards. My Doc said if I did not lose enough weight on the sleeve, or gained a lot back, I could always get it switched up to the DS. The DS is very drastic, and high maintenance... but has the best weight loss statistics. I have had the sleeve going on 2 years, and it has been a breeze for me in most ways. I have had a weight gain bounce.. of about 12 pounds... but my life and health are SOOO much better, and quality of life is where its at. Go for it.

Snrussell09, you will only be able to "eat" tiny amounts for several weeks and it won't be solid food. It will be months before you can eat food you used to, but then, again, only tiny amounts.

We who have fought the food monster our whole lives must start thinking of fueling our bodies, not feeding them.