Question:
any teens here who have had wls?

I am 15 and want to have weight loss surgery and could use any advice you can offer me...thx    — Lindsey A. (posted on May 30, 2003)

May 30, 2003
<font color="007000" face="tahoma">Lindsey, go to the library and do a search on the word "teens"... you should find lots of other questions about teens having WLS. Hope this helps :) Good Luck!~~ Wendy D</font>
   — Wendy D P.

May 30, 2003
Lindsay, I read your profile where you say you want to get off thyroid meds. Keep in mind that if you choose the RNY or some other types of WLS, you will have to take vitamins/B-12/iron/calcium for the rest of your life every day and that if you don't ,you will have medical problems that no young person needs. This is not the case with the lap band. Weight loss surgery is a big committment to eating right for the rest of your life. Its tough for alot of teens to handle as they want to be just like their friends and go out drinking and eating fast food/pizzas/ice cream with their friends through high school and college. You may not be able to do that after surgery. So, please sweetie, read what is in the library, and think carefully whether you are ready to make a life time committment to this and not just think ahead to your senior year in high school. Once you have surgery, its for life (unless you go with lap band which does not involve rearranging intestines and can be removed). Good luck.
   — Cindy R.

May 30, 2003
Lindsey, it's great that you have started doing your research. I do want you to be aware that most surgeons will not perform WLS on anyone younger than 18. There are some cases where they will do it for 16, 17 yr olds, but it's often not done b/c they want to wait until you're fully grown and have done many conventional methods to lose weight. I believe 20/20 did something on WLS for teens a while back, I don't know if you can check archives or something on their network website, not sure. Goodluck to you :-)
   — Lezlie Y.

May 31, 2003
hey doll good luck on your journey, i was a teen (19) to be exact when i thought about getting the surgery done i am now 20 and just had the surgery less than a month ago and im so happy that i did, so far i havelost 32 lbs in 25 days and i can not wait to lose more. But, although it was painful and i had a problem post op i still would do it again, even more so if i were your age. so go for it!
   — e T.

July 26, 2003
Dr. Albert Wetter in Burlingame, CA 650 652-0600, does weight loss surgeries on teens. He has a real heart for the morbidly obese adolescent. He did my 13 year old daughter last year. Good luck!
   — sandieguy