Resistance because of Age??

Has anyone faced resistance from physicians about weight loss becuase of your age? It seems like when ever I bring up the subject with my doctor he says and I quote "you're still young, jus****ch what you eat and hit the gym more." I've been struggling with my weight since I can remember, and have knee and hip problems. Plus I have a family history of diabetes and a number of other health problems that are caused or made worse by obesity. I feel like if I was 30 something he would be more sympathetic. I'm going to be changing insurance and doctors in January so I can only hope I will be getting a new doctor whole will actually listen to my concerns. Thanks.

I faced a little resistance in the beginning but when I explained and showed that I had done everything I could to lose the weight and was still failing they finally agreed with me.  Plus I said why should I wait until I have really bad health problems to have surgery?  Why not head it off? 

I would def switch doctors, he doesn't sound every supportive....

Good Luck!!!

This is something I'm worried about. My insurance just requires a letter from my family doctor saying they'll support me, but my doctor is kind of a jerk. I don't feel comfortable bringing it up to him because I know he won't be supportive. I think I will switch doctors. :\

Tell your doctor you want to be able to make the most of your entire life, not just spend your 40's trying to make up for the things you were unable to do in your 20's because you were too heavy. I had no support from my pcp, but I told the endo that I wanted to enjoy my kids when they were young. I want to participate in their childhood, not just observe it. Also, having children after weight loss surgery is safer than being obese while you are pregnant and comes with fewer complications for both you and the baby.

wow my docs were my surgery they begged me to do it switch docs asap

Thanks for all your support and advice. I'll be contacting the baratrics coordinator at Kaiser to find a doctor thats willing listen to my concerns and take steps to help me deal with them. Because I too would like to enjoy my future childrens childhoods and I would also like to look back on wedding pictures with fondness instead of regrets. Its nice to find a place where there are others that share the same issues that I'm currently dealing with.

Wow I swear I could have written this post a few months ago! My pcp was the same way, he would always shut down any attempts I made at trying to bring up weightloss surgery. And just like you I had been trying for years to lose this weight. I tried curves, various gyms, weightloss programs, pills, fat camp, all sorts of things. I was discouraged at first but after doing some research getting encouragement from even my parents I just decided to go ahead and look into wls myself. So without asking or consulting with my pcp I went to a wls presentation, met with a surgeon and began my pre op journey on my own. Once I had all but secured my date and finished my pre op testing I went to my pcp and pleaded my case and basically told him I was tired of feeling like I was middle aged at 20 years old, I want to live to be 30 and that at 330lbs my health was going nowhere but downward and fast. Eventually he begrudgingly accepted that oi was going do this for me. With or without him. So he wrote a letter for my insurance approval (not saying he thought I should have it but just that I was a good canidate for it based on my health and weight). So if you really want this you have to take the iniative basically. Make your desire and determination known to your doctor. And if he really cares about your well being he will accept your decision eventually but if he still isn't suportive you may want to seek a second opinion. Either way, good luck on your journey where ever it may take you! It may be a bit frustrating but remember you aren't alone! Best wishes to you and have a happy new year!

 Well i had RNY when i was 22. and i have my own opinion about that.

.- If you were not a fat kid and you just begining to strugle with your weight i mean like you gain tons of weight in like a short period of time. i belive wls may not be the better chooise. if you were a obese kid and strugled  with that most of your life. then i do belive its a good way to go. ofcorse once you have tried and diet.

.- dr.s who do not work often with morbidly obese people are sometimes not aware of the problems you can carry latter on in life, or maybe not well informed about wls. so that's why they cannot encourage or recomend you to get it.

however you can ask your dr. to  transfer you to a specialist or ask to recoment one. or find a bariatric surgeron in your area, you can use this site to find one and make an appoiment. they will give you information about your options and tell you if you  are a canditate or not.

If you feel this is the way to go you can find a surgeron who gives you more detail information. I just dont want you to just lisent to your family dr.    find your ways ( im not saying you need or must have wls just saying if you think you need it ,you need to find a Dr. who can give you advice and some tiMEs 1st opinions are not always right)

And i strongly belive that young morbidly obse people should get wls. all people i've talked to that had surgery around their 40-50 they wished they had it earlier.  just because they have missed lot of things of the young life for being to selfconcious about their weight or health issues. and being in a healhty weight sure makes you more confidente and able to enjoy more life which makes you a happy and succes adult.

good luck!
hugs!

I have always been on the large side since I was a child. Although I wasn't your typical fat kid since I was really physically active with playing sports and other activities year round. I have never been small though, and as I got into high school the true battle with the scale began. Not because I suddenly put on a large amount of weight but that was the time when I became painfully aware that I was larger then most of my friends. Since then I have tried multiple fad diets, weigh****chers, herbalife, slim fast, boot camps, Atkins and pretty much anything under the sun that would help me loose weight. After high school, sports pretty much stopped for me while I focused on my education, and the numbers on the scale slowly increased for the next few years till I got stuck at my current weight of 265. WLS isn't something I take lightly since it is a serious medical procedure but I feel that I have already exhausted all normal routes of weight loss. Its something that I would like to take care of now, before my weight and health problems hold me back or inhibit major life milestones. I'm really glad that I found this forum where people around my age have already dealt with or going through the same experiences.

 I would find another PCP, or just remind him why wait till your older 30's or 40's, then you loose out on your prime years, or how about starting a family or extending your current one.. pregnancy can be extremely complicated when your obese.