my son

Hey Guys.  I had GBS (lap/rny) on November 4th, 2003.  I successfully lost 105 lbs and have kept it off.  I'm now a healthy 140 lbs and extremely happy.  My question and concern is now for my 14yr old son.  I realize that he is young but I see him struggling just as I did at his age and facing the same stress and conflict that I did as well.  Every parent wants to save their children the pain and suffereng that they endured - that being said, I've taken him to a nutritionist, he's had a private gym coach and he has done numberous things to help to lost the extra 80lbs that he's carrying around but to no avail.  He is unhappy with his weight and ashamed of himself.  This, of course, breaks my heart.  Conor is outwardly strong and has friends but he's crying inside and on his mom's shoulder as well.  I was wondering if Lap banding would be a good, less invasive option for him and if any of you know if there are any doctors that would consider banding on someone in his age range.  I think that GBS is much too invasive and permanent for someone so young but I would love to get any information that any of you have that might start me in the right direction to gaining him the health and self esteem that he so very much deserves.  Any info from you guys would be so appreciated.

Deb

Hi, I am hoping to have the band surgery and I too have a 14 year old son that is obese for his age. It almost seems like he has a bottomless pit he just eats and eats. I have the Hawk 1 insurance program through the State of Iowa and i think it might cover the band surgery for someone his age. So you might check into medicaid or something like that to find out more info. I know i am gonna do some checking for my son.

I don't know if 14 is too young, but I've read that the band is a great option for adolescents because they can still be "trained" to eat right.  I agree with you that he's way too young for anything as invasive, and permanent, as the RnY, or the DS.   There was a thread a few days ago over on the DS board that included some comments on age appropriate WLS.  In the face of MO, and SMO, IMHO, 18 is NOT too young for a DS, or a RnY, although there's a lot of disagreement about just when it IS OK to have WLS.  It just seems to me that to be a SMO adolescent, or early 20-something, is terribly psychologically dangerous and that WLS can save a kid's mental health along with physical health. JMO. I have a chubby 11 y/o and really understand where you're coming from.  I've got my guy walking home from school every day and that's about 5 miles a week.  He's not sports oriented.  I've thought about a personal trainer, but in the end I decided it probably wouldn't work.  His doctor says to just keep him from gaining anymore and he'll "grow" into his weight.  So that's what I'm waiting for.

Hi Deb

My heart breaks for your son.
But consider this: lapband is also NON reversible! Because, if you take it out, people will regain.
here in Holland, the lapband is losing popularity because a LOT of people regain or have revisions done due to erosion in the stomach wall. Your son might eb a little too young for those kind of complications.

Just a thought.
Maybe you should discuss his situation with a surgeon who does all operations, also on teens.

I find myself even to young to have surgery and I am 30!
At his age it can be done without surgery. Even if he just was able to maintain or lose slightly, with growth his BMI would get better.

But it is very difficult en I sympathize with you. Just wanted to say that lapband is -if you look at it like that- not really reversible and it gets quite a high late compplication rate around here