Amy & Leigha have given excellent advice! Learn as much as you can about all the different surgeries before deciding on one. It's definitely a lifestyle change and not easy. I was a bit older when I had my gastric bypass surgery, I was 27...just shy of 28 but wish I had done it a lot sooner. However, looking back I'm not sure if I was ready to commit to the changes needed for it to be a successful tool in me being at a healthy weight. Have you checked out the WLS FAQ at the top of this forum? It may help answer some of your questions regarding WLS. Also check out
www.obesityhelp.com as it is an awesome informational & support website dedicated to weight loss surgery.
I would have qualified for surgery at a much younger age (same as yours) because at 19 I went off the pill and my body went haywire. I'd gained 80lb in a year and stopped having cycles, it's pretty much when my PCOS came into full swing. By age 20 I was up to 245lb at 5'3. I struggled with various diet plans and exercise for 6 years before giving up. After a while I gave in to that I might need WLS to help me as I'd failed at all other diet & exercise attempts. The most I'd ever lost prior to WLS was 34lb with Weight Watchers & exercising. Sadly I never got below 215 and slowly started to regain even following the program.
My heighest weight was 254 and I weighed 246 the day of surgery. Six months later I was down 100lb and was at goal of 140lb at 1 year post op. I maintain now (at 4+ years out) between 140-145lb.
I also wanted to say that I didn't think I needed surgery for about a year before actually having it. I guess I was in denial about my weight...not thinking I was actually heavy enough for it. Boy was I surprised when I looked up my BMI and found that I was clinically Morbidly Obese. I had a BMI of 45...I'd never really thought of myself as morbidly obese before that moment. You can do your own BMI at obesityhelp.com, but according to the National Institute of Health you're BMI is 43.4 which puts you in the morbidly obese category.
Now, after you research all you can then decide if you want surgery. Don't do it just because your doctor wants you to. You have to do it for you and no one else. Afterall you have to live with it for the rest of your life. So, start a list of pros & cons of having the various types of surgeries and think about it. If you have questions about a particular surgery type feel free to ask...afterall the more you know the better decision you'll be able to make.
Best of luck!
Kristy