You most definitely are doing the right thing Brok.  I too have struggled with stupid weight loss diets and crap and failed every single one.  The last one I was on before I had my surgery (last summer) I lost 40lbs or so and then immediately gained back that plus 35 more lbs.  So surgery was DEFINITELY not my first choice.  And it shouldn't be your first choice.  I had gastric bypass, not the DS, but I've heard good things.  I'm doing great with my surgery and I feel like you will LOVE yourself for having the surgery.  I am NEVER EVER EVER EVER hungry I swear to you.  I know you've heard ppl who have had the surgery say that they are never hungry or whatever but I could literally care less about food.  You don't even want it when you smell it.  It's just like, food no longer has a hold on my life and I can finally breathe!  So keep up the good work, I hope to hear back from you in a few months to see how you do!

I think that it should be a limit of at least 18 to be honest, im 18, almost 19, i turn 19 in may and i have a bmi of over 60 so needless to say im huge.  I have been big always, I think that you are too young to understand the concept of surgery untill you have expierenced certain concepts of life.  You just dont understand it as a kid.  Before now i didnt want to have anything to do with surgery but after trying every last thing to lose the weight and not succeeding i want my life, i want to live, and unfortinatly having surgery is the only way to make that possible.  I tend to be told im mature for my age, i think there are a lot of teens out there who are not to that point, i think you have to understand it fully before you can make that choice.  You have to know what your getting into to.  they are operating on your stomach, not your head, they give you a tool, and if you dont know how to properly use it to your advantage, well...its pointless.   I think each case in itself should be looked at differently.  If there is a teen with many cormorbidities and they need it asap then they should have that option.  but if there is no reason why they cant wait a few years, at least till they are 18, then they should wait. 

Hi Everyone Just wanted to write and let everyone know that we are aiming to have our meetings on the last Sunday of each and every month. This will be one of our topics at our next meeting, to discuss this further. Our next meeting and ALL are WELCOMED to Attend Sunday April 27th 2008 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 160 Hillmer Road Cambridge, Ontario N1R 6N8 519-489-0538 My home e-mail address is:  [email protected] Please feel free to call me or e-mail me if you have any questions. Look forward to seeing you at our next meeting. Sincerely Sharon Moody Group Moderator

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I've been reading posts for about an hour on this board and I must say that "what age should you be to get the (insert surgery)?" is a hot topic.  I am 21, not a teen, but not far out of the teens, either.  I have been "obese" my entire life and I understand how it feels to grow up being obese.  This surgery is life altering mostly in that it alters your perception of yourself and somehow begins to unlock those chains you put up around you when you're fat.  Now I waited until age 21 because I honestly tried almost everything in the diet book.  Exercise, low carb/no carb/Atkins, fruit smoothie diet, Hollywood diet, pills, etc etc the list continues until your eyes give out!  While I understand how it feels to be overweight as a teenager, I also know how this surgery works.  It rearranges, permanently, your intestines and your stomach.  I know I'm young, but obesity "runs in my family" so when I have kids and if they start to become obese I will help them within my power to lose the weight without surgery.  The surgery I had was the laparoscopic gastric bypass (RNY) and I have NO regrets, but I'm old enough to be able to handle the reality that I won't be able to eat certain things and all that good stuff.  When you have a 14 year old who is overweight and they think having this surgery will fix their problems that's just the tip of the iceberg.  They are barely into puberty at that age and their bodies are still growing.  I know I was a chubby 14 year old and I was always on a diet it seemed like.  I just don't agree with teenagers having the surgery.  Not because I'm some hypocrite or a bad mouther, I'm looking at it from a health standpoint.  Now there are always exceptions to be made to the rule, but if you can possibly help it at all, I would wait until you were at least 18, but 21 is a better age because you've had some time to grow a little bit out of your teen years and just have a more well-rounded sense of what you need to do to set the stage for the rest of your life.  But by all means if you are what doctors consider Morbidly Obese, and you can find a surgeon to perform the surgery you desire, then just be sure you understand everything that goes with it.  It's not painful really at all, I was just a little sore from it.  But just be careful what you wish for, that's all I'm saying.