Question:
Is 24 to young to have surgery W/ A BMI 37? What are the long, long term effects?
I'm CONFUSED!!!!! MY BMI IS A 37, BUT I WAS HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER AND HAVE DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS OF WEIGHT BARING JOINTS AND A VERY BAD BACK SO I'VE DECIDED TO HAVE THE SURGERY. IVE HAD MY PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION AND AM JUST WAITING TO SEE THE SURGEON, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON I SPEAK ABOUT THE SURGERY TO SAYS...."DONT DO IT" "YOUR TOO YOUNG, I CAN SEE DOING IT IF YOU WERE IN YOUR FORTIES, BUT NOT AT YOUR AGE"..."THEY HAVNT BEEN DOING IT LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THE LONG TERM AFFECTS" "BESIDES YOUR NOT THAT FAT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH" WHAT TO DO? I'M IN PAIN HERE AND I'VE BEEN OVERWEIGHT ALL MY LIFE, ITS NOT COMING OFF ANY OTHER WAY THAN SURGERY, BUT I'M KINDA AFRAID BECAUSE IT SEEMS I HAVE NO SUPPORT EXCEPT FOR THIS SITE. WILL I BE ABLE TO LIVE A LONG NORMAL LIFE AFTER THE SURGERY? THX, KAREN — Karen W. (posted on July 21, 2002)
July 21, 2002
I'm also 24 and had surgery in April although my bmi was higher. I feel
confident in surgery and have been reassured as long as I stick to maintain
a healthy lifesytle supplementing as needed I will probably live a
healthier, longer and more productive life. I didn't want to wait twenty
years to see if i was going to develop diabetes to see if my infertility
would correct itself and things like that. You have to feel comfortable
with your descision it took me over 2 years to make mine, but I'm glad I
did :)
— Laurie B.
July 21, 2002
Hi there. I am still pre-op but I wanted to say that I wish with all of my
heart that this would have been available to me at the age of 24. I'm 46
now and looking forward to feeling 24! (That may be pushing it, but hey, a
girl can dream.)Just do your research and make a decision for yourself. As
for support, you really are in the right place and if you need someone to
correspond with, just email me. By the way, my BMI is also 37.
— Sheila T.
July 21, 2002
I'm so sorry about your accident. I am 22 and had LAP RNY 7 weeks ago. I
have chronic daily headaches as well as muscle spasms. I have been unable
to exercise yet b/c of constant pain, but I am still down 40 pounds! I had
a BMI of 44, higher than yours, but not too high compared to some others. I
have only been obese for about 4 or 5 years, so i struggled with the
decision for a while. I am now happier than ever. I have been eating great,
and do not feel like I am dieting at all, I wouldn't take it back for
anything! I think this could be a great choice for you. We are young, and I
think this is a wonderful way to get our lives back. I always heard
"you're not that heavy" but i was never comfortable with my body.
Now I am beginning to feel better! GOODLUCK to you! :)
— Lezlie Y.
July 21, 2002
I too am 24. I believe the longest term is 14 years. BUT, who wants to
live the way we do? I believe that the quality of life should count more
than the quantity. Good Luck with your decision!
— Rebecca P.
July 21, 2002
Um... if the longest term is 14 years, I really doubt this sugery would be
approved by the FDA. There are post-ops that had this surgery 20+ years
ago. And that was not the newer version of the surgery. As time goes on the
procedure has advanced. I sure hope to live 14 more years after this
surgery. As long as you give your body what it needs you should live a full
"normal" life. Without the surgery... we are doomed for sure.
— Dawn E.
July 21, 2002
Bieng that I am also 24 I had dealt with some of these same comments from
people as you have described. The thing is that everyone that waited until
they were older generally will say they wish they had done it sooner. The
whole age and wait thing is based on the hopes that you can loose the
weight without surgery but if the end result is going to be the same than
my attitude is get down to business and get it done and start living your
new adjusted life now rather than later. Good luck
— Rebecca B.
July 21, 2002
hi my name is carrie i feel the decision should be yours go with whats in
your heart! i too was hit by a drunk driver and ended up having pain in my
right hip all the time and in my left knee it was terrible but now that ive
lost 110lbs the pain is almost nonexistant at this point and im so greatful
im 32 and a big kid and a very young 32 however i do wish i would have had
it sooner i dont feel you are too young at 24 it just may mean youd bounce
back from surgery faster best of luck to you and feel free to email me
sometime id love to be your support and answer any questions you may have
if i can :)[email protected]
— carrie M.
July 21, 2002
I'm 24 and my only regret is not doing this when I was 14! I seriously
feel that my high school and college years were wasted away. But I have a
feeling I am going to make up for it now ;)
— Nichole B.
July 21, 2002
People are failing to understand that 14 years of success is a positive
thing. We are not seeing everyone drop dead at ten years, twelve years, or
fourteen years.
In truth, nobody has lived 20 years with plastic fillings in their teeth
either. Does that make you want to wait and have mercury/silver fillings
instead? No, common sense tells us to accept technology after a certain
period of time indicates it is successful.
This surgery is the gold standard at the Mayo Clinic. 45,000 people a year
have it done and the number is growing.
I guess if you want to wait for even greater health problems before having
the surgery it is your choice. I wish this had been available 25 years
ago, as I would have had it then.
— Thomas M.
July 21, 2002
Karen...I am also 24 and I am 6 weeks post-op open RNY. I had great support
from my family who have seen me struggle for so long, but very little
support from friends and people at work. I actually had a 110 pound
co-worker get angry with me for wanting to do it. She claimed to
"understand" what I was going through and said to just join a gym
and eat right. These people don't know anything about what you are going
through and therefore have no right to give you such a hard time. My only
regret is that I missed 4 years of my twenties sitting at home miserable! I
can't wait to make up for it :) God bless and follow your heart.
— Kelly C.
July 21, 2002
My doc's been doing WLS (of one type or another) since 1963. He's learned
a lot of tricks, esp about post-op nutrition. The type of surgery you
choose will have a bearing on your long term effect. Is it too radical? Is
it too "nothing"? Will you have to revise it "up" or
"down" later? Or repair an old fashioned surgery? Those are all
things to consider in making your decision. How to stay nourished over the
long haul is a guaranteed issue, one way or another. There's a lot of
research showing the shortages that will occur, not much on how to prevent
them. But there is SOME. But if your question is will you lose wt and keep
it off without surgery? I think your own thinking has answered that one.
People will always deny that we have a disease. They will perpetually try
to treat our physical disease with their mental health "cures".
It makes them feel better. Let 'em talk, say, "thank you for your
concern". You'll feel better. Then take whatever treatment you think
will best put your disease into remission for life. It sounds to me as if
your feet are planted solidly on the ground and your head is not in the
clouds. We're behind you.
— vitalady
July 21, 2002
I think they should walk 6 feet in your shoes and then have them tell you
any negative things about surgery. Even if you are not that obese like
me(482 lbs BMI 75) you still have other problems. Did I mention that I am
24 years old and 5'8. I dont really have any other problem but my weight.
we are the opposit but you know it only getts harder if you cant move that
much. Yeah you can change your diet to lose weight, but you have to
incorporate exercise and if you cant move then you are fighting a losing
battle. With WLS you will have a tool to help you lose weight so in the
beginning you wont have to solely rely on exerise. I think anyone being
negative is not well informed of WLS or what its like to being overweight.
You will be able to live a normal life because you have age on your side.
You are very young and can take these things alot better. Life your life
for you, not anyone else!!!!!
— Jenna M.
July 22, 2002
Karen, I am 26. When I was approved by my surgeon, my BMI was only 40 (it
easily ballooned to 44 in the 2mo. wait). I can truly relate to your
question. In the hospital, a radiologist and 2 nurses called me a
"lightweight" and asked, "Why WLS?"... I have Plantar
fascitis (I've had the cortisone injections) and it really hurts to walk. I
am pre-disposed to diabetes, cancers, and hypertension. Seems to me that
the long-term effects of those diseases outweigh the risks of the surgery
both short and long-term. When you have walked in those shoes, and you
decide WLS is right for you, YOU have answered your own question. Good
Luck!
— Tina B.
July 22, 2002
I was 20 years old with a BMI of 40 at the time of my surgery! I think this
is the best thing I ever could have done for myself! Don't let anyone tell
you what you should do, because ultimately you're the one who has to live
with the decisions you make!! Best of Luck!!
— Binxalways
July 22, 2002
"I believe the longest term is 14 years. "
Jeez, where do people get this misinformation?
— RebeccaP
July 22, 2002
I think it is great to take control now while you are still young. Why wait
through a lifetime of unbearable obesity until you develop a bunch of
comorbid conditions then risk dying on the table? My only question to you
is whether you are willing to do everything you have to do to keep yourself
healthy afterwards (take vitamins, eat enough protein, stay away from
sweets if you have RNY, etc.) If you are, then I'd say Go for
it!<p>As far as living a long and healthy life, with the RNY and
other "newer" techniques, the side effects are predictable and
preventable. That's why it's so important to take your supplements and eat
right. The last study I saw said that an older woman who made it DOWN TO a
BMI of 40 would actually ADD 2.7 years to her life. The number of years
added increases as the person's age decreases and also as the final BMI
decreases. So with you being young and your final BMI surely within the
normal range you seem to be statistically set up to have that long, healthy
life! Good luck!
— ctyst
July 22, 2002
If you feel its the right thing to do for YOU, then go for it!! I so wish
I was your age and doing this, I would have enjoyed my youth,oh so much
more.
— DeeDee B.
July 22, 2002
I am 26 years old. My bmi pre-op was 39. I had an ice skating accident
years ago and now have severe degenerative joint disease in my lumbar and
thoracic spine. I had this surgery 6 weeks ago tomorrow and have lost 35
pounds. Before I had the surgery, I was in severe pain and I hated all the
people, even at the hospital, that told me I was too skinny or too young
for this surgery. After losing only 35 of the 100 I want to lose, my back
is starting to improve. If I didn't choose this route, my orthopedic
surgeon promised me many back surgeries and possibly a wheel chair by the
age of forty. I am going to beat my back problems and I think you can too.
Nobody knows how crippling back pain can be until they experience it
themselves. I wish you luck and I can really sympathize with your
problems. Write me anytime for moral support or to chat.
[email protected]
Good luck!
— cjabates
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