I am 24, obese, and afraid

I was 26 when I first started looking into WLS (the sleeve at first). I had something similar happen -- when leaving a movie theater, I had a run of supraventricular tachycardia walking out to the car. A few days later, my husband and I watched a documentary and heard the "5% chance of keeping weight off long-term without surgery" statistic. That's when I made up my mind. It took me 4 years to actually get to the point of surgery though due to some other health complications and moving/changing jobs/insurance, but my husband was able to have his VSG 2 weeks after my RNY, so I'm thankful in the end for the delay. It had a lot of positives, allowed me to lose 80 lbs on my own and be much healthier for the surgery, and my hubby and I are able to go through everything together now.

Congratulations on your decision to address your obesity at such a young age.  I applaud to your recognition that you could easily have a heart attack because of your weight.  WLS doctors as well as insurance companies, require that you lose about 30% of your weight prior to WLS to show that you are serious about your decision to make lasting changes.  You may want to try (OA) Overeaters Annonymous.  This group is very popular around the U.S.  It costs nothing to join but they generally pass the hat, so to speak, to give a voluntary donation to pass on to the facility allowing the use of the hall/conference room, etc.  I know one guy who through going to their program lost 700 pounds in 2 years (that's right 700 pounds in 2 years.)  First he no longer required insulin, then he no longer needed pills, and now as long as he stays on his diet no longer needs anything for his diabetes.  Even if you do not have such exceptional results you still would probably at least lose the 30% that you would need to lose.  As far as sleeping is concerned you most likely have sleep apnea.  I knw someone who for years was taking sleeping pills but was never rested up after sleeping.  I told her that I was not a physician but that I would suggest she give up on the sleeping pills and ask the doctor for a referral to a sleep clinic to determine if she had sleep apnea.  She got her referral and they did not have to do it very long.  They told her she has one of the worst sleep apneas that they have ever seen and that she didn't need a CPAP or BIPAP machine but rather an oxygen machine.  She later told me that she no longer needs sleeping pills and that with the oxygen she is well rested in the morning.  I have been told that it is almost a guarantee that anyone over 220 pounds has sleep apnea.  Best of luck in your decision process.

I see some similarities between us, so I'm going to give you my perspective.  I am about 6'3", and for most of my adult life my weight fluctuated from about 330 to 380.  I was diagnosed as Diabetic when I was 28.  I thought the same thing as you:  no big deal, that's what this medication is for.  Eventually, that one medication turned into 7, and I should've been on insulin.  I finally got my surgery last October at 39, and like so many others have said before, I wish I would've gotten it sooner.  In addition to losing almost 150 lbs, I also went down to one diabetic medication.  I can't help but wonder if I could be off of meds all together if I would've gotten the surgery sooner.

If your surgery is covered by insurance, most of them seem to require 6 months of a supervised weight loss program, so you'll have an opportunity to make some lifestyle changes and see how it goes.  For me, I could be a diet superstar for up to 3 months, and that's when everything started falling apart.  

I look back now at how I basically wasted my 20s and 30s by being obese.  There's so much I would've like to have done that I didn't, in large part because of my weight.  I'm so glad I won't be wasting my 40s in the same way.

Good luck!

24, obese, and afraid gradually becomes 40, super morbidly obese, and scared ****less. 

Over time, weight continues to climb. You'll lose some, maybe a lot, but then you gain it back. The cycle continues, but each time, you end up heavier than at the beginning of the last cycle. That's how it was with me. I'm 6'3", and eventually got to 475. I put off surgery for too many years, and wish I'd done it sooner.

As others suggested, make sure you have insurance coverage, or start saving. Insurance will have a series of requirements. Find, or get a referral, to a bariatric surgeon. Find one that is a Center of Excellence -- insurance might even require it be a COE. After that, you'll just follow the steps they lay out for you.

Hang out here and read all you can. Ask questions. You'll need to educate yourself, a lot.

I used the internet to find drs around me and then I went to their seminars.  I found a group that I was comfortable with and just went in for a consultation.  As scared as I was, it was the smartest decision I have ever made.  They offered support group meetings a nutritionist, basically all the tools that I needed to make lifestyle changes and to start my new life.  I have also struggled with weight my whole life and this journey is scary and exciting all at once.  Besides support from the doctors this website gives a whole bunch of support, guidance, tips, and anything else you can think of.  Good luck

I am from British Columbia Canada and fretted over going to Tijuana to have my surgery for 5 years. In March I went with the support of my Husband and 2 gals that had the surgery last fall and one of their daughters that also had the surgery same day as me. I am down 60 lbs and don't regret it for a second. I went for my first Bike ride last night in years and I feel so good. Still have about 40. lbs to go but wow it already feels great, no more pain meds. Since March I have been back there with another friend to have the surgery and she is also doing terrific. Just do it, and get your life back.

Cheers