DS surgery or Diet?

weight loss surgery is a such a big step to take and the ds surgery is mostly for the super morbidly obese though smaller framed overweight people do tend to get this surgery as well. This is the most extreme of weight loss surgeries as you have to seriously commit to taking a ton of vitamins for the rest of your life or you risk serious malnutrition. Based on what you wrote you don't appear to be 100 pds overweight i doubt you would even qualify for this surgery however there are doctors out there who are just about taking your money and cutting you up so im sure if you searched hard enough you;d find one willing to do this surgery. If you are serious about losing weight you are at the right place...start watching what you eat count your calories and excercise the weight will come off.

Weight loss surgery is risky and isn't suitable for people who aren't very obese. Don't do it! I'm 5'3", started out at 183 lbs, and through exercise and dieting have lost 42 lbs. I'm at 141.1. I maintained the initial 40 lb loss for a year before deciding to lose more, so it's not unsustainable. Everyone here is offering fantastic tips. Be committed. Look to the success stories often for renewed motivation. Find an eating plan that works for you.

Maybe your dad can spend some of the money he was going to spend on surgery and get you a gym membership and/or personal trainer. Or a cardio machine and set of weights. Or offer it as an awesome reward for reaching your goal weight. Anything but surgery.

DS surgery risks and complications:

-Intra-Operative-
Bleeding
Blood Transfusion
Injury to Liver, Spleen, Esophagus, Large Bowel

-Immediate Post-Operative-
Bleeding
Deep-Vein Thrombosis (blood clot)
Pulmonary Emboli (blood clot traveling to the lungs)
Infection
Abscess
Bowel Obstruction
Perforation involving small bowel, Duodenum, Stomach (leak)
Pancreatitis
Pneumonia

-Long Term-
Hernia
Bowel Obstruction
Excessive Weight Loss
Anemia
Osteopenia/Osteoporosis
Kidney Stones
Malodorous bowel motions and flatus (stinky bowel movements and gas)
Diarrhea

You're 19 and have 40 lbs to lose? You don't need weight-loss surgery. Surgery is not a "quick fix", it carries serious risks to your long-term health, and even your life. Even with surgery, you still have to make permanent lifestyle changes, otherwise you can gain the weight back again. It's not a magic wand for people who keep failing at diets. It's a last-resort option for people who are morbidly obese, and even then, the people who have success are the ones that make serious changes and put in serious effort anyway.

You can lose the weight if you want to, just by making small changes to your lifestyle. It's not easy: it takes determination and commitment. It's not impossible though; you just have to decide you want it enough to put the effort in and not give up. Stop going on short-term diets that you can't sustain, and you'll stop failing. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but honestly, weight loss surgery is not the answer for someone like you.

You've been on MFP since December. Have you actually tried logging your food and counting calories? If you have tried, and been completely honest and consistent with your logging, and haven't lost any weight at all, it would be worth going to your doctor to rule out any hormonal problems.

I don't think you even need to worry about it, because any reputable surgeon is not going to perform the surgery on you. You must be at more risk of mortality than the risks that the surgery carries, not to mention that you have to show your diet efforts, counseling, etc. You are far too young and at 40 pounds overweight, definitely not morbidly obese. Concentrate your thoughts and efforts into changing your lifestyle.

I actually just had gastric bypass surgery on January 22 this year. Although I have been losing a considerable amount of weight, I would not recommend it to you only being 40 lbs over. And despite what other people have said, the surgery is not for the SUPER MORBIDLY ABOUT TO DIE OBESE. It is for people that have tried for years to lose weight and always gain it back and then some. It is for people with co-morbidities like high blood pressure, diabetes, joint pain, etc. Luckily I didn't have any of those, but I could feel them coming. With my insurance, I qualified based purely on my Body Mass Index. It is not a magic wand. It has played hell on my emotions and my body for several weeks. I am just now getting back to the point where I feel somewhat normal, but some days are still better than others. Surgery is a last resort. It was my last resort. It has forced me to change the way I eat and my relationship with food. I no longer eat because I want to...I eat because I have to. But I have given up bread, pasta, rice, sugar, sweets, sodas (even diet)....I am on a lifetime regiment of vitamins. I went from being on no medications to having to take 8 pills a day (which is normal).

You are young (and pretty the way you are). Get with a trainer, a nutritionist, a life coach, someone. Exhaust all of your resources before you even think about surgery. It is not the magic wand that people think it is. If I could have lost my weight without the surgery, I wouldn't have done it.

@ atla_moves hit the nail on the head! That is the potential complications.

You are only 19. I have two friends who - without surgery - lost 116 and 200+ lbs respectively.

What you need to do is to look at this as a lifestyle change. If you are into Podcasts - listen to the podcasts on www.fat2fitradio.com Start from the beginning - lots to learn, lots of inspiration.

In my opinion.. you should not get any kind of weight loss surgery unless it is an immediate health risk.. like if you could die if you don't lose weight.. at age 19 you shouldn't go through any surgery unless it is absolutely necessary. It isn't.. I'm 183 lbs... 21 years old. I would NOT consider it myself. Do it for your health.. do the hard work. It pays off.

A good doctor would not perform that type of surgery on someone your age who is not morbidly obese. You don't have much weight to lose so surgery should not even be an option for you. Do the work and you'll lose the weight on your own. Don't go for a painful surgery that has the potential for a lot of problems plus its not a guarantee to keep the weight off. You still have to work at losing the weight and getting into shape. You'll have a very limited diet after the surgery and anything you eat that doesn't agree with you will come right back up. Do some research first. A lot of people do regain the weight even after the surgery. Its not an end to your weight problems. Its a tool only.

Not to be the bearer of bad (or good) news but from what you have said it is very,very likely that you do *not* come close to fitting the criteria for surgery in the US. There are significant medical baselines you must meet, in addition to a full pscyhogical assessment (also some surgeons and/insurers require additional actions such as 3-6 mo of psychotherapy, a nutritional eval, 6 mo physician monitored diet, etc). It's a major, life changing surgery and it isn't taken lightly by insurance companies or medical professionals. It is also not often done on those in their 20's unless the person is massively obese with multiple health issues. Even then, the criteria have to be met.

Of course, it is your choice. Seriously try to lose weight for yourself. There can always be complications with the surgery. Give yourself 6 months to put forth serious effort. If you fail, try again.

Can't imagine a reputable surgeon that would even consider doing that type of surgery at your age and your weight. Honestly, just see what the successful people here are doing and emulate them.

Whether you get surgery or not, you will need to fix your lifestyle. So it makes logical sense to avoid the surgery altogether.

Jst chng ur diet a lil and youll do gr8!

what did you say?

Take the money.

Use MFP to successfully lose weight.

Profit.