Firstly I would like to say I'm not trying to exclude anyone, I have much respect for all of you who have made the decision to begin this journey regardless of age, cause that's just a number anyway.

The reason I'm asking is that I am nearly 25, I have the first doctors appointment to get a referral form to begin the process on Wednesday. After much research, I am determined and committed to getting this surgery. I wanted to hear some of the younger Sleevers experience, if you had trouble with doctors refusing you due to age or how your skin reacted after surgery.

My concerns are although I am very close to 40 on the BMI counter and have no other health issues besides my weight, they will refuse me. I am also in Canada, where they do not allow self pay. If I don't get approved or the wait is too long I will probably look into traveling to see a surgeon. I am SO inspired by your stories and appreciate any information from anyone.

Thank you!

I'm 22 and will be sleeved in the morning. My sister and I are both having it done, she is 18. We didn't have any problems getting approved with insurance after we did our 6 month supervised diet and psychological evaluation. As far as the after surgery part, I'm curious too.

Oh, our BMIs are a little higher than yours but we don't have any other health issues either.

I'm 24 and had to jump through the insurance hoops for a year in order to get approved, but its VERY much worth it, For my insurance you had to be above 37% BMI in order to be approved with no co morbitites,but i'm not sure how it works there. Good luck!!!

not trying to exclude anyone

MouseOnTheMile

no offense taken

but............please don't come on my porch while i'm in my rocking chair, taking my teeth out, and adjusting my hearing aide!

there is an "age specific" site on the board

20's, 30's youngons

as well as the "old fart" boards

good luck bud

hope all goes well with insurance

kathy

I honestly wish there was a self pay option so I could go in, hand them cash and say "slice me up!" Lol.

I would look into traveling elsewhere but the only person I've told that I want to do this is my best friend and she's scared for me an would rather I tried all avenues here first.

I'm 23 and was just sleeved Wednesday. I have a higher bmi, but no other health issues. I had no problem at all with insurance! They approved me within days of submitting all of my paperwork! I consider myself very lucky because my experience pre op, and now post op have been amazingly easy! I've lost 15lbs since surgery!

I'm 22 and will be sleeved in the morning. My sister and I are both having it done, she is 18.

So exciting!! Good luck to you and your sister and I look forward to your updates

Meeeeee 31

That's awesome Jessica, wish everyone had it so easily lol. Did you have a long preop wait? As in did you go through the 6 month dieting?

I hope to hear from some fellow Canadians as well, where they went and what not and what to expect with our healthcare.

Hello! I'm 27 and in the same stage of the process as you are. Can't wait to hear how your journey goes!

That's awesome Jessica' date=' wish everyone had it so easily lol. Did you have a long preop wait? As in did you go through the 6 month dieting?

I hope to hear from some fellow Canadians as well, where they went and what not and what to expect with our healthcare.[/quote']

I did have to go thought a 6 month pre op period. However, I wasn't required to lose weight. In fact, I gained 5lbs those 6 months.

I can answer on skin, at least. The answer is that it's up to your genetics. There isn't really any way to know what will happen, but being younger is supposed to help skin rebound better.

If you already have a lot of stretch marks from being overweight, odds are good your skin isn't going to rebound as nicely as it would if you had more elasticity.

However, it can and will rebound quite a bit, and there's a huge change in what your skin looks like one year post op and two years post op, so the longer you wait at a stable weight the better things get.

Exercise, strength training in particular, is supposed to help improve the appearance after weight loss, too.

But mostly, it's genetic, so even if you found a gal the same age, weight and height you couldn't really be sure if you'd have the same results.

Good luck! Best decision I ever made. Loose skin is easy to hide with shapewear but everyone could see my obesity the second they looked at me.

~Cheri

Thank you for your information clk,

I honestly don't have much in the way of stretch marks, my weight gain has been slow and steady over my life and the ones I do have are fine and near invisible, so that's a positive I suppose.

I am 28... I started this journey the day before my 28th birthday (6/28). My consult was a breeze. I'm 5'6 and 264 lbs. My BMI is 42. I was diagnosed with HTN (hypertension) in 2011 but I never took the medication because everytime I took my BP it was ok. Of course when I got to my consult it was high (Sorta a good thing/advantage). He said Im a good candidate for the surgery and with my insurance I can be cheduled for surgery by the end of August. Im aiming for September because I have a planned vacation at the end of August (my last vaca in plus-size clothing). The doctors office requires 2 nutritionist visits (my first is on 8/4) 1 Psych eval (7/16), a support group meeting (7/16), Labs/Endoscopy/Chest Xray (7/9) and my pcp clearance for surgery (7/16). In anticipation of all of these appointments, I jumped the gun and made the appointment weeks before my consult (all but the nutritionist and Psych).

I wish I had looked into this surgery earlier... But "better late than never".

Im 23 started at 227 now im down to 207... im one week post op and have lost 10lbs. I notice mostly in my face and my stomach where the weightloss is taking place but family members notice also in my arms which have been really obese since i was a child. So regarding elastisity im only a week post but my skin seems to be tightening up along with ny weight loss :l hopefully it doesnt change !! Im dying to get rid of the fat arms without surgery. I also bought a 4lb weight