I really don't think I can do it

[18Dreamer 0]

I'm only 18!! What am I doing! This is like if I were to have a baby. It's a lifelong commitment and I don't think I can do it! But the weird thing is I'm mainly scared about surgery and right after with the pain. I've been in so much pain in my 18 years and I really can't go through more.

But I just want to be that beautiful girl! But is that enough to do this surgery? I don't have diabetes or anything. Its just to lose weight and look skinny. Or is it because if I continue on this path I will be that 300 pound in happy girl?

[mark hill 3]

Ok first off its a mistake to think that having surgery is going to make you look like Barbi, or being slim will make you happy it wont. YOu have to come to terms with what and who you are. YOU have to accept yourself for who you are, you have to love your self before you can accept love from others. I was a fat kid, picked on in school so i understand how hard it is at your age.

If you do surgery and don't change your life style it wont work or will work temporally. It is a life time change but once you do it its not so hard, wrong it is hard but you are worth it.

Maybe getting Councillor will help you with the process. This is so important because if u dont and it dont work you will be in a worse spot.

[gcmy 5]

If you decide to pursue getting the lap band, you will meet with a counselor along the way. Please discuss your concerns with him or her.

[Cindy C 150]

I'm only 18!! What am I doing! This is like if I were to have a baby. It's a lifelong commitment and I don't think I can do it! But the weird thing is I'm mainly scared about surgery and right after with the pain. I've been in so much pain in my 18 years and I really can't go through more.

But I just want to be that beautiful girl! But is that enough to do this surgery? I don't have diabetes or anything. Its just to lose weight and look skinny. Or is it because if I continue on this path I will be that 300 pound in happy girl?

I think you are just having a case of last minute nerves. Your surgery is a week away and you're getting scared. It's understandable. You are very young and probably never been through anything so life changing before. I think most of us can relate to the pain of being the fat kid...I know I can. You want to feel better about yourself and probably want to "show them". While losing weight isn't going to change who you are on the inside it will change how you feel about yourself. You will eventually become more confident and happier with your reflection. You don't have health issues now, but you are right. If you stay on your current path you will have them eventually. You're a beautiful girl with your whole life ahead of you and you deserve all the happiness you can get. If losing the weight will contribute to that happiness then you should do it. Don't worry about the surgery or the pain afterward. It's really not that bad. With youth and good health on your side it will probably be easier for you than it was for some of us who are older and less healthy. You should discuss your concerns with your mom or whoever is your biggest supporter. Good luck, I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you.

Cindy

[Jess55 97]

You have to make sure you are ready. Please wait if you aren't. I know I was not or wouldn't have been ready at 18. I think I just became ready to do it at 28 and I've been fat since I was 17 or 18, started really towards the end of highschool. You need to be ready to change your eating habits, be ready to exercise and have willpower. If I wasn't ready to turn my life around this would not be working for me. It's a lifelong thing you're doing. It won't be a few months and you don't have to do anything.

[itskellyraye 0]

You know, I think everything we say 2 weeks before surgery should never be taken seriously because there's always so many thoughts running through our heads and that's when all the doubts set in and the realization that failure could happen. I also get banded in a week and I'm having these thoughts, too. They're inevitable. But, honestly, I wouldn't have gone through all this if my mind wasn't made up already and neither would you. I'm 22, so I understand where you're coming from about this being a huge committment. I'm also one of the ones that has been overweight my whole life. There's so much I've missed out on. So many tears have been shed. My whole life I've thought, "If only I was skinny..." But, finally, I reached the realization that I'm not going to let the weight control me anymore. I'm not going to miss out on anything else life has to offer. I've been on the pre-op diet for 7 days now and I've lost 11 lbs. That's something I never thought in a million years I could do myself. But, it happened because of the hard work I put in and it's a great feeling. It just makes me more excited to get the band and start my new life. And, soon, when the weight starts falling off you, you'll realize how much of a great decision this was despite how hard it was. Being young works to your advantage, because now you're training yourself better eating habits for when you're older when it's most important. There's a long, long life ahead of you and if you get the band and use it to your advantage, it might be a lot longer life than if you didn't get the band and change your ways.

[aliciab 8]

I was 300lbs at 18. I wish I had even had the opportunity to have the surgery then. Talk to a counselor and go from there.

[54Shirley 105]

O.K. I will give my 2 cents.

If you are almost 300 Lbs., and you think then when you lose all this weight, that you will be Drop Dead Gorgeous Your Wrong.

Because your Young though,,,, the elasticity in your skin is not yet shot. So if you work out "EXERCISE" while you are banded, and dieting, you should bounce back pretty good.. If not,,, there is always Plastic Surgery. Which means more surgery for you..

If you want to eliminate the Pain, then you have to do something about it. I know your only 18 "NICE AGE TO BE !" But you are making your body old also. Example: When I had my Gallbladder out in my 30's, The Dr. pulled my husband aside and said the weight has really taken it's toll on her, she has the insides of a 65 yr. old Lady." You don't want to end up like me, Believe me.. I still am doing my best to take this off.

Will you be the Happy Girl at 300 LBS. What do you honestly think? Are you Happy now? I don't think so.

Do yourself a favor and see someone for the surgery "It's not that bad", and You will talk to someone about this., and I think you should talk to someone so it's all explained, and understood. Your entitled to that..

You can contact me if you want, and I will gladly talk to you. That's up to you !

Just for the asking, has your Dr. ever checked out your Thyroid? When you see him/her you might tell them to check it for you. Don't worry, It's just a blood test. Then they will talk to you about it.

Wishing You Good Health Always, Shirley.

[aManicCookie 1]

I'm not 18, but I've had my band since March and I wish I had had this surgery when I was 18. I'm only 23 right now and this band has taught me so much about myself. Just sit down and really weigh the pros and cons. The pain is very minimal. I didn't even get pain medication. I got up, walked straight out of the hospital and was back to school the next morning.

[roziecakes 20]

First of all, in regards to the pain. I had very little pain at surgery and afterward. The only real pain was from the gas, and walking made it go away pretty quickly.

The fear of a big commitment at a young age is very real. It's true that this is a big deal and you really need to be ready for it, like having a baby.

To me, the fact that your motivation is to look pretty and skinny would be a sign that you're probably not ready for the band. I was over 300 pounds when I was 18 as well, and it took me until now (age 29) to be able to get to the place where I was really ready for weightloss surgery.

What have you done so far to try to lose weight? Have you had bloodwork done? What does your thyroid look like?

My suggestions are to talk to a counselor, nutritionist, and your doctor and do a lot of research to determine if this is really right for you.

I feel like looks are just the icing on the cake when it comes to this sort of thing. What your real motivation should probably be (although we are all different) is health!

Good luck with everything that you aspire to do! You have a long life ahead of you, and it's not too late to start making smart choices

[ctarantino 13]

Hey 18! It's a hard decision that you need support for with your parents. I played so many sports in High Svhool and was in good shape but my 20's of late night partying, drinking, and eating caught up with my inactive after Hugh school self. I had great fun in my 20's gaining a ton of weight I was 24 at the time and i did manage with a healthy lifestyle, diet, calorie counting and exercise to lose 50lbs I was single, took double classes at the gym and was at the gym 7 days a week!!!! It took a lot of work but lost weight to where I felt good about myself and was fit. I then got together with my husband and eating was the fun thing we did. We enjoyed Wayy tooo much eating lol

Here I am at 36 and I am 80lbs heavier than that 24 year old who lost all that weight. I have 2 amazing children and I'm a teacher so full time job and I don't have 2 hrs a day 7 days to be in a gym. I still have my husband but we are being active and both changing our unhealthy lifestyle. For me getting this surgery has helped me want to live and be fit for my kids.

The point in my whole life story here, if you feel you can diet and exerciser and lose this weight you should give it a try. If you find in a year you are having trouble staying on a diet and exercise program Then join weight watchers and Definitly get a support buddy because diet and exercise must be a part of the banded life or no band. Obviously that's the key to this whole thing.... Meaning life... Drink your Water, exercise, the band will take care of Portion Control.< /p>

I wish you luck!! I don't think at 18 I couldve done it! I do know most people say "I wish I had done this surgery soon" final thoughts, I spent my 20's eating and my 30's miserable from bring overweight and allowing it to spiral out of control. I can't go back in time, I can only move forward and I am destined for success, I wish you the same on your journey...in life!! :-)

[turning point 0]

This is some great advice. I am having a lap band in less than 2 weeks. Nine years ago I had a gastric bypass. I lost almost 200 pounds and have gained 90. It took a long time to regain but it is time for renewed intervention.

I thought I would be so happy if I was just a size 12 after the bypass. I was happy but it was short lived. I realized that I still hated myself and food was my comfort. Without it, I felt worse. Counseling helped me come to grips with that. Seek the professionals and support groups and don't ever believe that happiness is created on the exterior of you body. It comes from within.

Margaret

Ok first off its a mistake to think that having surgery is going to make you look like Barbi, or being slim will make you happy it wont. YOu have to come to terms with what and who you are. YOU have to accept yourself for who you are, you have to love your self before you can accept love from others. I was a fat kid, picked on in school so i understand how hard it is at your age.

If you do surgery and don't change your life style it wont work or will work temporally. It is a life time change but once you do it its not so hard, wrong it is hard but you are worth it.

Maybe getting Councillor will help you with the process. This is so important because if u dont and it dont work you will be in a worse spot.

[MustangMama 2]

18Dreamer.... My husband has a saying that he uses "Don't let your old self hate your young self." If you really don't think the band is for you, maybe its not but neither is being 300lbs. How do I know that? Because NO ONE is healthy at that weight. The things you do when you are in your teens and twenties will start to catch up with you in your 30's. We have ALL had our health issues here that can be directly related to weight. Some of those issues are serious and deadly. Trust me, you do not want to be thinking about life and death in the prime of your life.

You have the choice to add years to your life. Whether its with the band or not... that is your decision to make but don't let your fear of change keep you in that 300lb body. You deserve SO much better. You are worth so much more than that.

[msladyt 0]

Hi im new to this forum and i believe u must be mentally ready for lapband and looking good will come later but even though we are overweight doesnt mean we are not beautiful

[Kate rules 43]

I'm going to deviate from our comrades and say that it takes a lot of maturity to admit that we are not necessarily ready to commit to something. 18 is young for those of us who have seen years come and go. But 18 is old for you, I recognize that. I would work with a counselor in reference to your concerns and your perception that you are not "the beautiful girl" but maybe the band isn't for you. You may be ready in a year or never at all. Either way, best of luck and health to you.