If not now, when?

Since this is an age related board, I figured I would try out an age related wls question: You had surgery in your 30's. Had you been able to choose another time in your life to have the surgery, when would that have been and why?

Peggy; Last year was the best time ever for me to have surgery. In my 20s, I would have been too immature to manage my supplements and nutritional needs. I wouldn't have taken responsibility for my new body and could have caused long term damage. Plus, in my 20s, I wasn't heavy enough to qualify. Blessings, Jennifer

Sometimes I say I wish I would have had the surgery in my 20s, but similar to Jennifer I don't think I was mature enough. Also there is a lot more medical knowledge now then there was 10 years ago. I don't think many surgeons were referring their patients to dieticians, or really understanding the nutritional needs of a wls patient. I know in 10 years there will be even greater knowledge, but I really feel that this is the time that I was meant to have the surgery. Elizabeth

Ok seeing the response of the other 2 people....if I had it to do over again, and all the medical knowledge that was available now was available then.......I would have had the VSG when I was 16 rather then the Duodenal Switch at 33. Why? The verticle sleeve gastrectomy is a non malabsorbtive surgery, so it wouldn't effect health long term (at least not by absorbtion). Also at the same time, suppliments aren't as necessary because you can eat a fairly normal diet, just less. It would have been restrictive enough (i think they leave a 2 oz stomach when it's just a VSG...6 to 8 oz with the DS) to help me lose weight (at that time i was about 250-300 lbs depending on the time of year). The long term effects of reduced ghrelin (the hunger hormone) are just being researched, but the inital studies are showing that reducing ghrelin rev's up the metabolism...almost super charging it. I think my life has been shaped for the worse by obesity...yes I'm not making excuses for some of the poor choices i've made, but at the same time...job opportunities, "favor" with teachers and mentors, etc....were all closed to me because of weight. Unfortuantely hating obese people is one of the last "acceptable" prejudices. With that said, thank GOD i had the opportunity to have the DS in my 30s rather then having to wait until i was 40 or even 50. Think about how much of my life I'll get back from the disease of obesity. Scott

I would have had it 5 years ago, if it were possible, and not have spent the last 5-10 years yo-yoing so much and gotten the "business" of losing over with, with all other things being equal. A LOT of my life has been put on "hold" or up in "limbo" since I got out of college - just dealing with medical issues of being overweight and not having the energy to get other aspects of my life together. I have a fiance of nearly 9 years who's also been put in this "limbo land" waiting for me to get my "self" together enough to get on with "our" life. That's my biggest life regret so far - not being able to clearly see how my weight affected the people around me. But I turned 30 this year, and better now than never is the way I'm looking at it. I've had a good,long time to figure out what my issues are, and one by one, I'm conquering them. The surgery is helping me do that, and I still have 10-20 years of "youngsterhood" ahead of me to enjoy.

good question. I would have absolutely had this surgery 5 years after highschool. That is when I truly got very overweight. I've always said.. my only regret about this surgery is that I did not do it sooner. I now want to renew my wedding vows just so I can have skinny wedding photos. I want to re-do every vacation, birthday I ever had where I told people not to take my photo because I felt hideous..Now, people are so used to me not wanting a photo..they don't take htem..so now I have to ask. Or I'd have no "after" photos.. tee hee. But, I suppose..everything in life happens when its the right time to happen. i'm not sure I would have used this tool properly in my 20's... But i'll never know..whats important is I have the tool now, its working..and working well and I aim to NEVER return to my fat pants again! jess