18 and BACK at my highest weight ~

tigersword

@ Bakemma - I'd love to chat with you about some of the issues I would likely encounter that most people wouldn't expect, like the vitamins and whatnot. My surgeon is giving me the choice between the classic bypass and a gastric sleeve (NOT the lapband) and I'm having trouble choosing between the two. The sleeve has fewer complications but generally less success.

@Elye - Unfortunately, I've been told everything there is to know about nutrition already (thanks Wellspring, you almost worked!) and I am actually someone that enjoys exercise. When I was able, I went to the gym almost every day of the week to do low-impact cardio (cross-training), weight training, and occasionally classes. I have all of the information, and I have since I was much younger. No one knows how to count calories like a fat person :P I don't want to call it a last resort, because I'm aware that it is POSSIBLE for me to lose weight on my own. Realistically, however, I don't believe that for me I would LIKELY to do so on my own, given that I know my own limitations and what I do or do not need as far as help goes.

To be fair, if you don't have the discipline to do it on your own, you won't be successful with surgery, as life post surgery will require far more discipline than doing it without surgery.

GemmaRowlands

I have read your post, and if you are struggling with ANY medication that has the side effect of gaining weight, then you should ask for an alternative. There will always be another way.

Also, I was fat my entire life up until the age of 20. I considered EVERYTHING, and "thought" I'd tried every diet to lose weight. But I hadn't. I hadn't tried just LEARNING about what my body needs, and COUNTING what goes in and out of it.

I started using MFP to help me do just that in January 2011, and hit my goal of 150lbs (after dropping 140lbs of excess weight) in December 2012.

Since December 2012, I have hovered around that same goal weight, and have remained between -2lbs and +2lbs for the ENTIRE time, so that's 10 months of MAINTAINING a healthy weight.

I eat chocolate. I can get the odd takeaway. I can have a drink if I want to.. but not ALL of the time.

It's about learning what your body needs, finding some exercise that you like, and sticking to it. If you get surgery there are risks, possible complications, and if you get something like lipo-suction you WILL regain the weight if you haven't learned anything along the way. If you have your stomach shrunk you can wave goodbye to your quality of life.. you will be just as miserable, so I really wouldn't bother.

Don't go to extremes when you haven't yet tried the most simple method.

Weight loss is NOT impossible. No matter what your situation. If I can do it, if everybody on this forum can do it, ANYONE can do it with motivation and support.

PS Send me a message if you'd like to chat . I'm 23 now if that makes any difference.

elyelyse

@Elye - Unfortunately, I've been told everything there is to know about nutrition already (thanks Wellspring, you almost worked!) and I am actually someone that enjoys exercise. When I was able, I went to the gym almost every day of the week to do low-impact cardio (cross-training), weight training, and occasionally classes. I have all of the information, and I have since I was much younger. No one knows how to count calories like a fat person :P I don't want to call it a last resort, because I'm aware that it is POSSIBLE for me to lose weight on my own. Realistically, however, I don't believe that for me I would LIKELY to do so on my own, given that I know my own limitations and what I do or do not need as far as help goes.

I'm not talking about you being uninformed. I'm talking about the fact that no matter how informed you are at 18, you have not yet tapped into all of your mental and intellectual reserves to find out what you're really made of. Most of the time you have spent trying to lose weight you have been a child. You really don't yet know what the adult version of you is capable of and you aren't giving her a chance.

secretchef

These are not excuses for some people. there are real reasons for some of us. Alot of us dont have the luxury or ability for whatever reason to just not do something. A person needs to find the real reason they are overweight and work on that. for some of us that reason is hidden way deep inside and it takes a long time to get at it, but if we all just stick to it eventually it will happen. If you are one of those lucky people who can just stop eating less and exercise more, great more power to you. Unfortunately that is not all of us.

gigglesinthesun

if you look through the success stories, you will find some guys who started here at 500lbs and they lost and lost and lost through nothing but determination. We all have setbacks in our lives, but you have to keep trying. You are 18, sweetie pie, don't throw the towel in just yet.

Weight loss happens in the kitchen. Eating less will make you lose weight. Will it be a long process? Absolutely, but you can do it. It's not rocket science, calories in/calories out.

At the moment you don't know how to eat properly, but the surgery won't teach you this. People relapse and cheat all the time, not because they are bad people, but because the surgery is a drastic step where you go from eating 3000-4000 calories a day to 1000 in one big step. If you were to go slowly, lets say start with reducing it to 2000 or 2300 and then see how you go, you are less likely to fail. Have you truly considered all things about the surgery? Have you thought how this will affect future pregnancies?

Anyway I wish you good luck :-)

ctalimenti

Hello all,

This isn't the sort of thing I'm usually keen on doing. I don't even have a facebook at this point given my discomfort with my weight, so posting here feels crazy for me! When I was 15 I weighed 260 pounds, and took a year off from high school (taking classes online during that time) to lose 80 pounds (leaving me at 180). I felt amazing. I had been overweight my whole life, and I could finally shop at "normal" stores given that they carried a size XL. I had my first boyfriend and all that teenage jazz. I maintained for two years, before starting on birth control (the devil!) partially for my own teenage whims and partially to control migraines. I got the depo shot, which people might be familiar with, and immediately gained 30 pounds in a month. The shot stays in your body for 3-4 months, and everything of course went downhill from there in terms of weight gain. Almost a year after the shot I am sitting here at 250. In fairness, the last 20 pounds I tacked on in only a month due to slight nudging from my doctor and the internet in order to make the BMI requirement for surgery that I had worked so hard to avoid some three years earlier. I have now been given approval, and am waiting to hear from my insurance (tufts) whether or not I will be required to complete a 6 month program prior to surgery or if my years of recorded programs (get in shape for women, weight watchers, fat camps) will let me bypass it on recommendation from my doctor. That being said, during those 6 months I will be forced to maintain a weight of 248 or above in order to still meet requirements.

To me, this is insane. I feel as if I am almost being forced to be unhealthy in order to achieve greater results in the long-term. Regardless, upon being approved I still feel as if this is the start of my /second/ journey and would love to hear input from anyone who has been through a similar thing with insurance.

Thanks!

You sound like an intelligent 18 yr old. I agree that the 6 month insurance program forces you to stay above 248/unhealthy.

I also think whatever the reasons you came here are important. In your heart of hearts, are you second guessing the surgery?

I know how it is to have your mind set on something. There's very little people can say to convince you otherwise.

Last year I had a hysterectomy and people tried to talk me out of it but I thought, "Hurrah! I won't have to deal with my period anymore!" Guess what....there are really no absolutes in the medical world. I can say this because I've been a nurse for almost 30 yrs. And you know what else....I still get my friggen period!!!! What the heck is up with that, right?!

Hopefully, during this 6 month wait, you can continue to collect information to make your decision. It seems you are a bit on the fence.

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ctalimenti

For what it's worth, you may want to read this.

http://stophatingyourbody.tumblr.com/post/23301392416/it-happened-to-me-i-had-weight-loss-surgery-at-17

Love4fitnesslove4food2

In 6 months you could be down nearly 50 pounds. In another 6 months you could be down another 40-50 pounds. I just don't see how waiting 6 months for surgery and then waiting more time to lose the weight is preferable to getting started NOW. Surgery isn't a quick fix nor is it fool proof. I'd strongly urge you to reconsider.

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bluestarlight19

Hi,
I agree, you are so young, why not just take another year to decide and try to lose weight like you did before?

Also, you mentioned you had some overeating issues. Can you try therapy or counseling to find the route of the problem? maybe form a team with a therapist and a nutritionist and go that route. Maybe they can teach you some behavior modification to curb the over eating tendencies.

You also mentioned you may regret the surgery in the future. If you have this line of thinking now, maybe you are not 100% certain on this. Its a huge step, you may want to back away from it for a little while.

redredy9

It's too easy to blame birth control for weight gain and although hormonal changes do effect our weight - to put on 30lbs in just one month you must have been eating WAY in excess of what you needed to be eating, it couldn't have been that high on a sensible diet so it's not fair to blame the depo for everything.

You've lost it the right way before and with the required effort you can do it again. Swimming is kinder to your knees than walking. It'll take dedication but if you really want it you'll find that strength in yourself and being so young your metabolism will be higher than us older ones!

Please do reconsider having surgery. It may seem the answer but getting there under your own steam will be safer and give you such a great sense of achievement. Be no longer the victim, be the champion!

I agree with Waterbunny on paragraphs 2 & 3 but not with the first entirely.

While yes her food choices and eating were partially responsible for her weight gain, one of the side affects of Depo is incrased appetite. So in additional to all the horomonal reasons woman gain weight on birth control, Depo also can make women hungrier! Depo is the devil. Of course that doesn't mean it can't be counter acted by good diet, exercise and moderation, but it does make it alot harder for some. After being in maintenance for 2 years, OP might have gotten used to following her hunger queues to regulate her diet and keep her on track. Depo would have thrown her hunger queues all out of whack.

Besides I don't think the OP is looking for us to point fingers but just for some support as she is having a rough time right now. I haven't been in her exact situation, but I have regained weight and have felt pretty crappy and defeated by the idea of starting all over again. It sucks whether its 5 pounds or 500 pounds.

Good luck OP. I hope you will consider trying it without WLS but you are entitled to make the choice you think is best for you and your unique personal circumstances.