maryannotginger

Sleeved on March 24th....down 92 lbs since surgery. hair loss stopped after my surgeon prescribed Iron (mine is always low anyway). It has grown back in very quickly and very curly Happy New Year everyone!

@jcrider4551 Good to know, jc! I thought we only had six months before everything really slows down! I'm down 92 lbs since March 24th but hit a plateau and have been S L O W L Y starting to lose again.

@Nomorethickchick I had gastric sleeve surgery just this past March 24th at age 59 because I have congenital heart failure and couldn't loose weight fast enough to take the load off my heart. Both my dad and his mother died at my age of heart failure and they were not obese, as I was. I had surgery to save my life. I have lost 92 lbs in FIVE MONTHS and have a LONG way yet to go. At this point in the journey, I am healed well enough to eat what I choose and this is where the same old DISCIPLINES of CHOOSING the right foods and exercise are mandatory. Weight loss slows to a crawl if your head is not where it should be, even with the pouch. It is a DISCIPLINE for the rest of your life. The pouch is a TOOL in this discipline. It helps, but it is not a cure. My caution to you as an older woman is just to very carefully weigh abdominal surgery to remove 7/8 of your stomach and the natural effects of menopause and aging with a 65 lb. weight loss. We simply are not 24 anymore. Only you can make this determination for yourself and your health.

@Nomorethickchick I know, chick. Everyone here has failed many times trying to lose weight, especially me. But this is not what you asked. You asked if we would do it again for 65 pounds at age 50. The answer for me was EMPHATICALLY no! Of course your body will look different if you lose 65 lbs, just as it will if you gain 65 lbs. Only you can do the research and decide what is best for you.

Realize this is only a tool; it does not "cure" anything and it is an extreme step to take. You asked, "Would you really do this if you had less than 100 lb to lose? Really?" I hope you have carefully researched the impact of this profound lifestyle change on OLDER women. I am 60 with congenital heart failure and did this to save my life. I can honestly say I would NEVER had undergone the surgery just to lose 65 lbs, even if I was only 30. It is a far too drastic measure to take for that reason. Older women must especially consider osteoarthritis, hair loss, tooth loss, and other possible side effects of nutritional deficits that may result from surgery, even with artificial supplementation. Combine these with just the natural impact of menopause on a woman's body, Check into TRULY low carb-high Protein diets. Stick to one. This is what you will have to do after surgery ANYWAY Make sure you are exercising every day, regularly. This is what you will have to do after surgery ANYWAY. People cheat all of the time and re-gain weight after surgery; there are MANY ways to cheat 'around' the pouch. It is a TOOL in a DISCIPLINE. If you are willing to risk serious abdominal surgery to have 7/8 of your stomach removed, take substantial supplements in order to attempt to limit yourself to eat low carb/high protein the rest of your life then go ahead and have the surgery. I'd be willing to bet you could loose 65 lbs without surgically removing 7/8 of your stomach. Sorry to be so tough but this is a serious procedure and you are right to be concerned about making this choice for 65 lbs.at 50 years of age.

Sleeved 3/24 Down 92 lbs. with a long way to go. Feeling MUCH better, walking two miles per day. Hit a plateau about a month ago for several weeks but loss has resumed again. hair loss has stopped and lots of new growth. Staying around 1000-1100 calories with 70-80 gr. Protein and under 60 grams carbs per day. It's a marathon, not a sprint....

@agalindo17 Be sure to check with your doctor. I did.

@ Bravo, John! I'm beginning to realize what a truly profound thing we are doing and rejoice with you. You're doing GREAT and it will only get better with each passing pound!

It is soooooo important to STAY HYDRATED. I found that the minimum 64 oz of Water was not enough for me and experienced severe constipation and also dehydration of the discs in my back. Very painful. The high Protein diet is very dehydrating. Keep sipping and sipping and sipping (not during meals obviously). Check the skin on the back of your hand. When you pinch it, is it elastic and bounces back? If not, you may be dehydrating. Be sure to have your doctor check this when you do see him. I understand dehydration is one of the most common reasons bariatric patients are re-admitted to the hospital.

@@mykdzmom I did read quite extensively on both silica and zinc and my doctor said to give it a try as the hair loss was a little terrifying to me! Both are very inexpensive supplements and readily available on Amazon. In silica I use the bamboo form, not the horsetail. It is a fine powder in a soft capsule. The zinc is just in tablet form. Neither of these gave me any side effects or tummy troubles. But my hair and nails have begun to grow like crazy. I haven't had fingernails since my last pregnancy 32 years ago!! Do, of course, check with your doctor before deciding to take any supplements

Keep in mind that, for many of us, obesity was a wall behind which we hid from others and ourselves. Weight loss can make you feel VERY vulnerable and exposed while at the same time revealing all of our best attributes both inside and out. Be prepared to be surprised and delighted at how kind people can be but move forward with awareness. Most importantly, remember to be very kind and gentle with yourself!

I have been taking both Biotin and silica but added zinc to my supplements and the hair fall has REALLY slowed. New growth is now evident all over my head but the really comical thing is that it's dark and curly, as it was when I was a young woman (I'm 60 and 4 1/2 months post op).

Good suggestions above regarding joint pain as the deep, visceral fat 'dissolves'. I found I needed to get a new mattress because I could feel every spring and lump in the old one like the 'princess and the pea'. Very painful. Also, make sure you are staying very well hydrated every day. Dehydration can lead to dried out discs and PAIN. Check with your physician.

Hi! I am so happy to have found this site. Living in the woods and lakes country of northern Michigan, there are no 'in person' support groups! I had gastric sleeve surgery on March 24, 2015. So far I am down 87 lbs but ran into some real difficulty about six weeks after surgery by becomming SERIOUSLY dehydrated, even though I was drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of Water each day. This led to disc problems in my lower back and it has taken a loooong time to recover from this pain. I needed far more Fluid than that. I could not DRIVE for about 6 weeks and was on a walker with nurse and therapists each coming three times a week. Did anyone else encounter this? Now, about 4 1/2 months out, I am walking 1.7 miles 4-5 times per week and recently purchased an exercise chair for weight resistance training on alternate days. Taking in about 70-80 grams of Protein each day, few carbs- about 30-50 gr. , about 85-100 oz of water each day. Does that sound about right? Have hit a plateau but my body has stabilized and feels stronger. I am wondering if I am taking in too many carbs? also, I lost a lot of hair but it does seem to be starting to come back a bit. Is this due to the shock of surgery?