i am a 23 female, 232 lbs, 37.6 bmi, hypothyroidism, lower lumbar degeneration.....

well i have been researching this procedure for a few weeks & made an appointment with my primary physician to discuss having it done. right off she said that i was "too young" to have it done. she has had patients have it done and they lost NO weight. so instead she place me on an anti-depressant not for being depressed but because she said that it would help me lose the weight. for my insurance to cover i have to be referred by my primary, most surgeons want the support from your primary so what do i do?! i know that they can say they don't agree but can they actually refused to refer me.... if i meet the guide lines. she's predicting my failure from someone else?? I'm also too young for back surgery but if i don't get this weight off that is a very definite possibility in the my near future. with my thyroid no matter what my diet is i still continue to gain weight!! :confused::ohmy:

Well, in Australia, really they cant refuse to refer you, I dont know what its like wherever you are.

I would do one of two things a) do your block completely and insist that she refer you because its YOUR body and YOUR decision and you're perfectly capable at 23 years old of making those sorts of decisions, just as you are capable of deciding to get married, buy a house etc. or :confused: doctor shop until you find one that WILL refer you.

Sorry but thats bullshit! I went to my primary doc around April (I was 20 years old) and he was jus basically tryna talk me into not doing it but he never said NO. He kept givin me hints about his stupid nutrition seminars like I cared. I just kept saying "yeah I kno BUTTTTT..." So he had 2 give up cuz I wasnt tryna hear nothing but the LAP BAND. At the end of the day, my decision is my decision I wasnt leavin that office without him referring me to my lap band surgeon. And because I spoke up and told him what it was, I'll be gettin my lap band in 6 days! And im soo excited...When I told my primary doc about my lap band decision that was in April, I turned 21 in May, ur 23 and ur doc tellin u that ur 2 young? wut kind of doctor is dat? If she knew anything bout the lap band she would kno the age limit is like 19-55 I think or 65? something like dat. If I were u I would just bring in all the facts lay it out for your doc n tell her that this is what you want and she better do her job!

The road to health can be frustrating and full of little road blocks that seem to be there just to hang you up. When I asked about the band I did have to show that I had tried at least 2 years of medically supervised wt loss before my doc and insurance would consider referring me.

hey get a new Dr. cause I think the lap band dr would not say ur to young anyone can lose the weight if they use the tool right

Think about this.... we have 18 year old men/women in military uniforms to fight a war - which in my opinion they need to make HUGE decisions for our country, but at 23 you can't make your own decision about your own body???? Makes me wonder......

Time for a new Doc. I wish you luck!! Keep a positive attitude and keep searching, don't give up! Another thing that makes me think is why would a doc be so quick to put someone on anti-depressents.....

Go and find a new Doctor. NY Presbytrian Hospital/columbia Medical center does lap band on children who are 16 and meet the criteria. So you are not too young. Good luck.

Get a new primary doc!

a doc that says "no" to lap band surgery, but yes to off-label use of an anti-depressant?

kindly ask for a 2nd opinion for exactly the reason above... if that doesn't get her attention to refer you, than go through with it and getthat 2nd opinion from another doc.

I agree with everyone here. I have been dealing with my weight for years and when I was your age my dr actually was the one who brought up the lapband. I just didnt have the money to do it then. So for money reasons he put me on anti-depress pills too. Didnt do anything for my appietite. So I have been looking around for surgens and found one in CO that I am going to have do my band. He only cost 10,000, doesnt need a referal from a doc, no pre op diet. Only draw back is he doesnt deal with insureance, however if you can get your insurance to pay out, he just needs it paid for 14 days be for surgery date.

So I would just look around for a doc near you who doesn't require a doc referral. Resurch, resurch.....there are ways for you to get what you want.

Go to a lap band seminar. Maybe they can give you the name of a PCP that supports lap band, that's also in your insurance.

I paid out of pocket, because I didn't qualify. I have an appointment next week with my PCP and I'm wondering what his reaction will be when I tell him I had it done...... I already went to my endocrinologist and he didn't say anything....just wrote it down.....

You say you've been researching for a few weeks--that's not much time. That being said, your PCP's other patients who haven't lost any weight has nothing to do with you, it's your PCPs perception of the surgery that's holding them back from giving you a referral. and that's bullshit.

Do some more research but also see if you can get in to see a psychologist or psychiatrist that can help you with this decision. Perhaps getting some other professional involved and getting their ideas may help you.

Change doctors no matter what you decide.

She's an asshat from your comment of "right off the bat she said I was too young"

Perhaps your new PCP can help you get the right dosage and medicine to control your hypothyroidism as well.

good luck dear:smile:

i am a 23 female, 232 lbs, 37.6 bmi, hypothyroidism, lower lumbar degeneration.....

well i have been researching this procedure for a few weeks & made an appointment with my primary physician to discuss having it done. right off she said that i was "too young" to have it done. she has had patients have it done and they lost NO weight. so instead she place me on an anti-depressant not for being depressed but because she said that it would help me lose the weight. for my insurance to cover i have to be referred by my primary, most surgeons want the support from your primary so what do i do?! i know that they can say they don't agree but can they actually refused to refer me.... if i meet the guide lines. she's predicting my failure from someone else?? I'm also too young for back surgery but if i don't get this weight off that is a very definite possibility in the my near future. with my thyroid no matter what my diet is i still continue to gain weight!! :confused::ohmy:

That is ridiculous! That's one of the dumbest things I've heard someone repeat that their doctor said in a long time. They are doing WLS on teens today.

Well, in Australia, really they cant refuse to refer you, I dont know what its like wherever you are.

I would do one of two things a) do your block completely and insist that she refer you because its YOUR body and YOUR decision and you're perfectly capable at 23 years old of making those sorts of decisions, just as you are capable of deciding to get married, buy a house etc. or doctor shop until you find one that WILL refer you.

Yes, what Jacqui wrote!

Don't wait until you have joint damage, more back problems, heart disease, and diabetes before you do this. Get your life back, get surgery.

im a 18 year old female, im getting my surgery on the 31st of this month and when i talked to my doctor about it way at the begining, he didnt really like the idea but he still supports me all the way, he sent in his letter of support. the losing the weight part, everyone is different. if you do your part you will lose weight. to me your doctor isnt a very good doctor, but try talking to her, tell her its your decission to get it done and all you need is her letter of support/refferal, if she still doesnt send it in id say search for a new doctor, good luck =]

As someone who's traveled down this road, I wish I had done this younger. I think its fine as long as you understand the long commit this will be-this is forever. As a future physician, I've met may other docs who just do not get the battle with obesity, probably because they have never struggled with it themselves. I would make a list of all your diet and weight loss attempts and go over them with your PCP, old one or new one, so that they know you have put in a genuine effort with just diet and exercise.