[LadyLisa]

Back in skinny jeans: 13 year old who got liposuction last year gets lap band this year

Here is more info on the teen with the lap band surgery. And if you scroll down to the middle of the page where it says "From ABC News" in bold it is a link to a video and more info on this. She was talking with Diane Soyer about this sheesh.. Seems like this really has stirred up a hornets nest and I bet it is not the end of this on..

[Kenyar]

i feel ill. this is probably going to be a trend that sweeps the nation in the coming years. and i feel sick about it. not to mention all it will take is one pre-teen getting serioulsy injured or god forbid die behind something like this and the entire WLS option could come to a screeching hault for everyone. this is just sick. her mom should be locked up.

[DocSanae]

Oh, sheesh. It's pretty clear, unless the issue of why the complusive eating is there, is addressed, the banding will eventually end in failure and weight regain, as it's pretty easy to get around that (and bypass as well, as y'all know) all you have to do is slip in high fat high sugar high calorie foods constantly, and boom, with lap band, there's no dumping, so, soooo easy.
As for the young girl commenting, granted she's got a valid reason, then, I think the whole issue of peer discrimination in schools due to weight or whatever, is what should be addressed and corrected. Weight loss through surgery in these young cases is not a good solution, because, as well as being physically immature, they are also psychologically immature, and don't have the proper body and self image they should have to be able to become a mature adult. These areas have to be addressed FIRST, and then, if the weight issue persists for one reason or another, and the kids have grown up enough to make surgery a good option, then and only then, is it time to think about it.

[beckamarie]

Well said Doc. I think she needs counseling to find out why she is a compulsive eater and work on that first and then when she is 18 if she still thinks the surgery is a good idea and is mentally prepared then go for it but come on at 12 and 13 the surgeries she is having is insane and the parents should be ashamed of themselves. As most of us here know we have mostly ALL been where she is and it sucked big time. But were we ready at that age to undergo such a BIG change like this?

[DocSanae]

Oh, yeah, and the stuff about the family doc being against it, and no surgeon in the US agreeing to do the surgery, of course they're right. If so many drs (who are pros) are against it, that should be a good hint for the parents that there are things to do first before just flying over their heads and going to someone who will do it for the money, with no thoughts about ethics, or the medical necessity and propriety in doing so, just because the law doesn't bind them there. Sheesh, Mexican law should, to prevent this kind of disgraceful behaviour.
I mean, he doesn't do any good to the credibility of the medical profession. Not only should the parents be investigated for child abuse, so should be the surgeon. Both for child abuse, and malpractice due to unethical practice.

[Kenyar]

question though, how is she getting fills? will they do the fills here in the states eventhough shes only 13???

[DocSanae]

I think they fly out to Mexico for the fillings, I think it was somewhere in the first thread about this.
Besides, from what I know, no US surgeon will do the fillings for ANY lap bands done outside of the US, because of the issue of FDA approved products, even if the Mexican surgeons declare they use FDA approved product, since there's no proof that it is truly up to the requirements of FDA, in otherwords, same product from same company, but won't be guaranteed because it's used outside the US.

[Kenyar]

see now thats insane....but then again this lady is COO COO anyway. UGH!

[MsVickie]

Ok mabye Im wrong and Doc your gonna be the one to tell me if I am. I thought you had to get it drained off....at least some of it to fly? I read that somewhere.

I agree with Becka on this. She needs councleing to find out why she eats the way she does. I do belive there is a connection to somthing that has happened in her life to make her that way. I mean yea we have overweight kids but some are to the extreme. I have a twelve year old niece that stays with me alot because her daddy is a truck driver and has to leave out and make money. Shes not thin but she is defently not fat. Shes growing!. I couldnt see that a child would say ok yea do surgery on my stomach and make me quit eating. She is only 12! After watching this clip and noticing how the mother acts.......there lays the problem.

[DocSanae]

Sorry, I slipped up on that one, yes, it has to be drained some due to change in pressure, but you can drive out .
When you're a compulsive eater that young, parents do have a lot to do with that kind of issue. If the mother is fixiated on how you look on the outside, without working on approving who the child is, not what, it's going to cause a lot of trouble. Of course, the same thing with Dad, too.
Still with all the emphasis in the mass media on the who looks trendy, sexy and hip, and not how a person shines from his/her inner self, it's sooo easy for the kids and their parents to have their values all mixed up.
I see that kind of thing here (I don't mean the surgery, I mean mother and daughter caught up in "getting that look"), too, and it's a pity to see the kids dressed up in what they think is trendy, when all it does is make them look trashy, and not at all a person to be respected and treasured, which is how everone deserves to be treated.
Better stop my rant here, or it's going to go off into another tangent.