Gastric bypass a drastic solution but works for Florida teen
Deerfield Beach, FL
Haleigh Fenlon did not feel pretty and couldn't fit into cool clothes. Her parents worried about her aching knees, ankles and back, her lethargy, and the risk of future disease.
In August, her family and doctors made a controversial decision: The 242-pound, 5-foot-1 Deerfield Beach student had gastric bypass surgery. She was 16.
Today, Haleigh is 80 pounds lighter. Now 17, she said she feels great, has had no side effects and is marching toward her goal weight of 120.
"It's the best thing I've done," said Haleigh, who is getting her high school diploma online and working part-time. "I did it for vanity reasons. I didn't want to be deprived of life. I would not settle for fat-girl clothes."
With her surgically reduced stomach, she lives on 800 calories a day — less than half of a typical teen girl's diet — eating mini-portions of chicken, cheese, eggs and vegetables.
Gastric bypass for those younger than 18 is rare and controversial. Few bariatric surgeons take children, saying surgery is a last resort to be used only after exhausting all other avenues of weight loss. Others say teens may choose surgery for wrong reasons, such as peer pressure, and may lack the maturity to undertake the disciplined post-surgery lifestyle.
No studies have been done to show the effects of a highly restricted diet over many years, but clinical trials researching those issues are in the works. A record 1,000 teens had bypass surgery last year.
"We had reservations because she was so young," said Haleigh's stepfather, George Dupont, "but it has turned out well so far." More >>
Labels: teen gastric bypass
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