oldoneyoungagain

Had my surgery, age 71, on a Thursday home on Friday and was ready to return to work on Monday. Actually took a week off to be on the safe side. But on Monday took dog to Vet and after that went grocery shopping. For me the faster I return to work (office work sitting all day) I can't do as much damage. I feel I'll do more damage at home finding things I shouldn't be doing.

It has been a long time since I posted anything as there were not too many in their 60s or above. I had a lap band prior to me turning 70 (69). At 73 discovered it had slipped, new doctor removed it and 10 weeks later had gastric bypass. (Other dr's office never checked the band except day of surgery). Gastric didn't cure too much, as prediposed through heredity per the surgeon, but with that said it has helped and have maintained my weight loss below a 30 BMI. Would I do it again, you bet. Had a heart cath that prompted the lap band an another last month my heart is doing well. No change. That is a positive as have outlived Dr's predictions hadn't I not done either I probably not be posting today. So anyone considering this do it. You will have a new life. Thus my name here.

I know there are several of us on here who are having surgery tomorrow. Thought I would start this topic so we could stay in touch with one another. To let each other how we are doing. Just a place where we can support one another since we all went through this on the same day. Good Luck to all of you and look forward to hearing about your successes.

I was allowed to go back on my ambien right after surgery. Before surgery it would take anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours before I would go to sleep. Now I take it and have to go to bed immediately. The minute I lay down I'm gone. Never had this medication work this fast except when I first started taking it years ago.

I was told it would be about the size of an egg. My surgery was 9/11/13 and I can eat more but I do limit myself. But I think that is because I actually make myself eat. Occasionally I am hungry, so have to watch that I don't get hungry as will eat too fast and too much. Also I do not depend on my pouch to tell me when I am full, even though at times it will. I just stop knowing that is all I should be eating. I was on a stall for over a month and now back to losing almost a lb daily.

Karen just an FYI I replied to you at "No one in their sixties". e-mail clhr@sbcglobal.net

Hi Karen, I'm not Kathy but want to welcome you to the group. I turned 71 in August and had RnY 9/11/13. I am a diabetic and have actually gone off Metformin and my insulin has gone from 125-150 units per day to less than 100 units every three days. I have dropped from 6 blood pressure meds down to three and some of those the strength has gone down. Cholesterol meds are no more. I'm still in the stage of seeing what I can eat and what I can't eat and I will say my pouch will tell me rather fast what it doesn't like. I'm still very active and work 30 hours a week. I have noticed though as the weight has come off my arthritis has flared up some, but it also could be various other things. I have a hard bed and don't have the cushion like I use to and that might be the cause. I was banded in 2010 and lost 40 lbs. It slipped so it came out in May, 2013. Lost 8 while waiting on the RnY, time of surgery weighed 211 and now down to 182. Doctors will be happy with another 22 lbs and no more than 32 lbs. Me I want 42 lbs. but sizes have changed from when we were younger, so will take it a day at a time. So sorry that you have to travel so far to see a doctor but understand because of you location. Don't think I could handle the cold weather in Alaska, it is bad enough here in Missouri when it gets into the single digits, for me. Also have noticed my body thermostat changed with this surgery. I am colder and crave salt (never been much, if at all, a salt eater). Keep posting and lets us know how you are doing. Also if you have questions there is always someone here to help you including myself. Wishing you well in your journey to a new you and better health.

I was able to eat KFC's grilled chicken thigh with no problem. Then tried it last night and was miserable until I brought it up. Still didn't feel all that well when I went to bed. I can eat chicken and tuna salad, shrimp, any ground beef, and going to try ground turkey next. Now I know how a banded person felt when they had a stuck issue (I never had the problem with the band). About the only thing I can say, this has been one heck of a learning lesson of what to eat and what not to eat. Plus have to remember to have small bites and chew, chew, chew until my jaw hurts .

I take mine faithfully, but every since surgery I develop a cold sore about every other week. Had all my lab work last month, but nothing has been said. Wondering if I am having the same problem. Feel fine except for this problem, which I use Aleve which gets it into check pretty fast.

I had a small hiatel hernia which caused severe heart burn and it was very uncomfortable. So think it could be causing the pain and medication is irratating it. They repaired mine at the time I was banded and haven't had an issue since. I take 50 mg of Zoloft twice daily and it doesn't bother me at all since I had the bypass 9/11/13.

Yes, you go into a stall. I can't even get in 1000 calories, so I'm in starvation mode and my weight has stalled. Another problem for me is the doctor only wants me on Proteins and fluids, no veggies, no fruit, etc. So trying to get calories in from just Protein is difficult as the maximum is 80 grms for women. So have to increase exercise and see what that does. Your metabolism thinks you are starving because of too few calories and it slows down to conserve. This dates clear back to the cave man.

Good luck on your surgery. Congratulations on your weight loss. What an awesome loss.

What a wonderful Christmas present. I am also 5'4" and weighed 258, but I was content with myself. My health issue though were not, plus I'm 71. I had the band first and lost 40 lbs, it slipped had it removed, lost another 8. Bypass 9/11/13 and now down to 183. I want to get to 140, doctors want me at 150-160. You are going to love the new you. Since it is now 12/3/13 I hope your surgery went well. Remember to drink fluids and walk. It will just a matter of time you'll have to get new clothes. Congrats on your new journey to a new you.

I take two 20mg of omperazole, one in the morning and one at night. And I still dump, but sometimes it is on purpose due to the fact I'm so constipated from just a Protein diet. Benafiber sugar free really does a number. As long as I'm home dumping isn't a problem.

I dump and have for years. Since I had bypass I have gone to being somewhat constipated. So dumping occasionally is a blessing, I don't need to take a stool softner. Will say though I don't have the other issues like the cold sweats or the heart palpatitions, just a mild urge and mild cramping. I didn't have any pie though, there was pumpkin and pecan. Just a bite of stuffing and a piece of ham really caused the pouch discomfort and a little later the bathroom, but not bad. Pouch though wasn't happy for hours, it was uncomfortable.

Welcome Birthsjourney. Glad to hear you are doing good. And the insulin is totally great. I've dropped from approximately 100-150 units daily, now to less than 100 units in three days. Think for me, I'll always be a diabetic as have been one for 20 years. Or the only way I may get out of it is no carbs which includes veggies and fruit and only get Protein. This is my second WLS as had the band in 2010 but it slipped. Have about 40 lbs to lose (that is my goal, not my doctors they want less to keep a little fat on the old bones). I just recently celebrated my 32nd anniversary of my 39th birthday, as that is about how young I feel. I'm fully retired but still work as don't know what else to do with my life as that is what I have done all my life. My name is Chari and I live in Kansas City. Think you'll like this site and if you have any concerns, questions, stories please ask or share. Someone will always respond.

Okay, I fixed Thanksgiving dinner, and I wish I could say I stuffed myself, but I can't. I had a bite of dressing and a small piece of ham. That did me in. I was in discomfort. Spent some time in my own bathroom, which was fine as I ended up feeling a little better. Sent all leftovers home with the family an at 12:30 this morning had fat free cottage cheese and a half of a cooked sf pear. That settled fine. For me Thanksgiving was not enjoyable at all. Christmas will either be cooked by someone else even if it has to be catered. Rather the day be enjoyable rather than miserable.

JudyR you are doing great. From your ticker you actually don't have that much weight to lose. And those of us who don't have that much will lose slower, but it will come off. When I went in for my two month check up the doctor was quite pleased with my weight loss. I gave him a strange look and he looked at me and said I was doing great as I had to remember I didn't have much to lose as other people. I had my hiatal hernia repaired when I was banded and that surgery took a little longer to come back from in 2010. Now of course the pain meds will make you sleepy which makes you feel like you have no energy, but I think the tearful issue is more of a hormone issue which some go through. I'm sorry you are still in pain though. But all of this should come to pass, it just takes awhile.

Welcome aboard Dya. Happy to hear you are feeling better. I'm 71 and went from band to bypass on 9/11/13. I feel I'm doing fantastic. I've lost apx 35 lbs from the time I first visited my bypass surgeon which was 218, day of surgery I was at 211 and now 183. If you have any questions, there is always someone on board that will help, don't be shy. Once again welcome aboard on your journey to a new you.

Thank you. Actually, I recovered faster from the bypass than the band. I felt it took longer on the recovery with the band. I am tired, but then I have a dog that will start getting me up early in the mornings like 5 AM, an I am a night owl, still up till about 3 AM (I work nights). So the interrupted sleep doesn't help. So far I am finding more energy than I had before this surgery. I do take four Bariatric fusion complete Vitamin and mineral supplements per day. But if I don't get enough Protein my energy level goes down and I do notice it. I will sleep longer on one of my days off, but then I also work a 10 hour shift the day before and only get, at the most, 5 hours of sleep before I have to go back into work that day. So overall, any tiredness isn't actually caused by the bypass but from my life style. For my age, which is only a number, I feel I'm doing quite well. Time will tell though. Recently had complete set of labs and nothing was said except for my blood sugars (I'm a diabetic) and they had come down but the surgeon would rather see them normal with no insulin. So he only wants me to have protein, nothing else . So to answer your question I would have to say "no" but I only had bypass 2 1/2 months ago, it could happen later. I'm actually more fearful of the lack of Iron from this procedure than anything else. I have read where people have to take iron supplements either orally, injection, and some even infusion (which is painful and long). But I wouldn't change anything, I had researched this procedure out and not sorry abit that I made this decision.

When I had the band my husband was so supportive. But I have since lost him to cancer and I had to make the decision to go ahead and have bypass. It wasn't a hard decision because it was my will to live rather than die early. At 71 I feel about 39. So the moral of the story is, the decision has to be yours, live and enjoy life to the fullest, or shorten it by doing nothing.

Once up on a time, years ago, when I was in that famous weight loss group called Weight Watchers, they suggested when you had a craving for something sweet try a dill pickle. Not saying it works (I never cared for dill pickles), but I suggested it to someone that did try it and it has worked for her. My craving right now is salt, and I have never craved salt and I don't add any additional salt to any of my food. But I don't have a solution for that one. Anyway, you might try the pickle and see if it works.

Thank You Susan. I was hoping a moderator would intervene.

Yes, it does get better. Remember you have had major surgery, it might have seemed simple, but it isn't. It will take a good six weeks, and you still might tire easily but this will be normal. I'm 71 and have been through two WLS in less than four years. I was back to work within two weeks of each surgery, but on my one day off I would sleep about ten hours and then take a nap and I still do. Just get your fluids and Protein in and it should help with the energy level as you continue to heal. As far as the pain, it too will get better. The major scar, actually where they do all the work, still is a little painful to the touch on me and I'm 2 1/2 months out from surgery. So keep the faith, in the end you will love this journey to a new you.

I wanted band removed and RnY at the same time, but was told insurance wouldn't allow it. So I had it in two surgeries, which was fine. I really didn't want two surgeries, but I also understood there could be complications, such as a weaker section of the stomach where the band had slipped and the staples could tear that section and then they would have to go back in and try to repair to stop the bleeding, and also scar tissue. In the end, bypass was less pain then having the band, and I have a very high tolerance to pain. But remembering waking up in a lot of pain with the band. Bypass didn't have near the pain. Also to have the band out I was in an out and home within three hours and didn't fill the rx for pain medication. Come to find out after the bypass the doctor told me I hardly had any scar tissue which was amazing because I actually had my gallbladder out, so had a total of four surgeries in the same area.