Have you been told you are TOO YOUNG??

I seem to be getting this response quite often... especially considering I work in a medical field where my equals are sometimes twice my age.

I've always been in the full-time working world, so I've always been surrounded by people older than me, and I'm used to that.

BUT...this is the first time I'm being told I'm TOO YOUNG to have a surgery like this.

I'm Italian and Portuguese so I sort of told them where to go (haha)...

How did you react? What did you say?

My dad had his RNY surgery when he was 44 and he has told me time and time again, his only regret is NOT having the surgery SOONER!  I don't think in your 20's is a bad age for this surgery, I think it actually gives us the upper hand.  Faster recovery time, less risks&complications, it also gives our skin the chance to bounce back so that could mean little to no plastics/skin removal surgeries after. 

If anyone told me I was too young for the surgery I would just blow it off and tell them I want a chance to enjoy my young age, not carry all this excess weight around until everyone else thinks I'm age appropriate. It's YOUR body, YOU decide what to do with it, and YOU decide what's best for you, along with the help of your surgeon of course!

 I had my surgery when i was 22 about to turn 23. and my dr. was soo excited i was soo young. he told me he sees lots of patiets in really bad shape due obesity.
and some of the patients i saw in the waitign room just broke my heart. so i knew i didnt wana be one of those persosn. so that made me feel more confident about my decition of having surgery this young.
and as kara said, the only regret most people have after wls is they wish they had it sooner.

I was very lucky noone cuestioned my decition so i guess i was really really fat and everyone was concerned for me lol....  but i decided to tell only a few friends and my family before my surgery just because i knew lot of people would have their own opinion and i didnt want  people to scare me more than what i already was!.... but after i had it..i was n still am very open about  my surgery and everyone seem very cool about it and happy for me 
.

good luck  exciting changes are about to happen and you gonna love it and gonna feel better than ever!!
hugs

Thanks girls

I feel the same way as the both of you do.... and I definitely agree about the skin issue.. I really hope I don't have too much "sagging"

Mariana, did you experience skin issues??

 Well basically short from telling them to shove it, this is your decison your body your a adult i would hope you would know what is best for you, so if you did wait until ur 30 or 40 thats just more time of being unhappy or having weight related health problems, im 21 and i was normal weight durning most of my life until i was 16 but things change now im dealing with diabetes highblood pressure and you are the only one who has to wake up with your self each day in your body, if friends and family are not supportive then i would just not speak with them about it, but thats also why you have OH where there is always someone who understands where your coming from :)

Thanks Britt :)

I was 21, almost 22 when I had my RNY done. Most people told me I was too young. In fact, I went to an endocrinologist who straight up told me I'm too young and if I have this surgery I will have complications and be miserable for the rest of my life. Well, I told her thanks for your time and walked out before we'd even addressed the issues I was there for and found another doctor. Now, 9 months since surgery and 132 pounds lighter I have no complications (I had 2 strictures at first, but they were easily taken care of) and I'm much happier and healthier. My boobs are a little on the sad side, but I'll take care of that soon enough ;)

I started looking into WLS around 2004 when I was 20. Everyone I encountered told me that I was way too young, and that it would ruin my life. 7 years later (and more heavy) I wish I would have went with my heart back then. I'm now at my highest weight ever and I still have people tell me all the time "diet and exercise will work for you... you just have to be committed."  What people don't know is that I go to the gym at least 3 days a week, and I watch what I eat most of the time. I get a lot of advice from my family about considering WLS and that it's just me because I'm what they consider healthy obese as I have no real comorbidities related to my weight, but I don't feel healthy and I know that this isn't the life I want.
I like you work in the health field and have people twice my age telling me that it could be the worst decision of my life, but I simply reply to them that I am ready to make the changes that will be required, and I realize that they may not understand what carrying an extra 200 pounds around feels like.
I attended a support group meeting the other week and met a woman just like me, but she is now 50 and has develped tons of health problems (Diabetes, HBP, Gout, as well as needing knee and hip replacement due to her weight). I am now solidified in my decision to have WLS and I know that although I am young(er) I have a better chance of succeeding because I will learn from the mistakes/experiences of those who are older than me, and I will be able to pass on advice to those who are younger.