67 & Just Beginning the Journey

[EllenH 0]

After researching Lap-Band for over a year and attending a couple of semimnars, I have made the decision to get it done! I will be getting banded at the U of WA Medical Center. My first appointment with the surgeon is scheduled for 4/11/11. I would love to hear from other women in their 60's who have recently been banded. What has your experience been? Any helpful hints or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!!!

[stratcat 10]

Hi, I am 48, (and banded 2/15/11) BUT i wanted to say hello and welcome.

Also, i wanted to tell you that if you go to the start page of lapbandtalk.com and page the whole way down, you will find a section that has an age-specific forum. Actually you will find any type of forum you can think of. I was pleasantly surprised when I first found these additional sections. You will find that the posts are a litlle old in the 60+ section, but if you leave a message there as well as here you will have replys in no time.

But best wishes and congratulations on the decision to do something so wonderful for yourself.

Terri

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[CarolWA 0]

Hi, I am 48, (and banded 2/15/11) BUT i wanted to say hello and welcome.

Also, i wanted to tell you that if you go to the start page of lapbandtalk.com and page the whole way down, you will find a section that has an age-specific forum. Actually you will find any type of forum you can think of. I was pleasantly surprised when I first found these additional sections. You will find that the posts are a litlle old in the 60+ section, but if you leave a message there as well as here you will have replys in no time.

But best wishes and congratulations on the decision to do something so wonderful for yourself.

Terri

.

[CarolWA 0]

After researching Lap-Band for over a year and attending a couple of semimnars, I have made the decision to get it done! I will be getting banded at the U of WA Medical Center. My first appointment with the surgeon is scheduled for 4/11/11. I would love to hear from other women in their 60's who have recently been banded. What has your experience been? Any helpful hints or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!!!

[CarolWA 0]

After researching Lap-Band for over a year and attending a couple of semimnars, I have made the decision to get it done! I will be getting banded at the U of WA Medical Center. My first appointment with the surgeon is scheduled for 4/11/11. I would love to hear from other women in their 60's who have recently been banded. What has your experience been? Any helpful hints or suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!!!

I turn 61 in June. I was banded June 1st of 2010. Best thing I've ever done. Lost over 100 pounds. Never had any problems. Surgery was a snap, but i had a great surgeon.

Back stopped hurting, knees stopped hurting and I haven't felt this good since I can't remember when. Haven't been this weight in 30 years. I was very determined and the weight just fell off, as long as I did everything I was told to do. I could still go another 20 pounds lighter and I will work on it some more. I've been slacking a little lately. But I will get back to it very soon. Summers almost here, another 20 pounds would be nice.

Congrats on your decision. If you are committed, it will be the best thing you've ever done for yourself.

Good Luck

Carol

[EllenH 0]

I turn 61 in June. I was banded June 1st of 2010. Best thing I've ever done. Lost over 100 pounds. Never had any problems. Surgery was a snap, but i had a great surgeon.

Back stopped hurting, knees stopped hurting and I haven't felt this good since I can't remember when. Haven't been this weight in 30 years. I was very determined and the weight just fell off, as long as I did everything I was told to do. I could still go another 20 pounds lighter and I will work on it some more. I've been slacking a little lately. But I will get back to it very soon. Summers almost here, another 20 pounds would be nice.

Congrats on your decision. If you are committed, it will be the best thing you've ever done for yourself.

Good Luck

Carol

[EllenH 0]

Hi, I am 48, (and banded 2/15/11) BUT i wanted to say hello and welcome.

Also, i wanted to tell you that if you go to the start page of lapbandtalk.com and page the whole way down, you will find a section that has an age-specific forum. Actually you will find any type of forum you can think of. I was pleasantly surprised when I first found these additional sections. You will find that the posts are a litlle old in the 60+ section, but if you leave a message there as well as here you will have replys in no time.

But best wishes and congratulations on the decision to do something so wonderful for yourself.

Terri

.

[EllenH 0]

Thanks, Terri. How are you getting along after 1 1/2 months?

[EllenH 0]

I turn 61 in June. I was banded June 1st of 2010. Best thing I've ever done. Lost over 100 pounds. Never had any problems. Surgery was a snap, but i had a great surgeon.

Back stopped hurting, knees stopped hurting and I haven't felt this good since I can't remember when. Haven't been this weight in 30 years. I was very determined and the weight just fell off, as long as I did everything I was told to do. I could still go another 20 pounds lighter and I will work on it some more. I've been slacking a little lately. But I will get back to it very soon. Summers almost here, another 20 pounds would be nice.

Congrats on your decision. If you are committed, it will be the best thing you've ever done for yourself.

Good Luck

Carol

[EllenH 0]

Thanks Carol. I'm looking forward to my back and knees not hurting. It will be nice to be able to walk up hill without huffing and puffing, too. Comngrats on your 100 lb weight loss. That is amazing in less than a year!

[stratcat 10]

Thank you for asking. I am very happy with my decision to band. BTW I am a self-pay so it was one of the biggest and bestest presents I ever gave to myself.

My highest was 320 on Jan 15, 2011. 307 At surgery 2/15/2011. 283 this AM which is almost 6 weeks post surgery.

I am 6' tall and have set goal at 175 lbs. So I will have a long journey. That's OK, My life is not about sitting at home counting calories, or watching my scale constantly. I go go go. In fact, we eat in restaurants so much, today I counted 6 take out boxes in our fridge. I am just saying, that being a wife and career woman are my priorities, and I trust the lap band to do its job while I carry on living life to its fullest. I PROMISED myself that I would enjoy my lap band journey, not suffer through it.

The best part is that the hunger is gone. Previously, I never felt full. An hour after supper I would be in front of the fridge looking for a snack. Now I go 5 hours most days without feeling the need to stop and have a snack. And I stop eating when I feel full. I though maybe the band would starve the weight off me. That, maybe I would be hungry all the time and only be able to eat a little at a time and never feel full and satiated. Not even close. And at my first fill, (at the 1 month point) I asked my PA what I could eat. He said whatever I wanted and could tolerate. That it was about quality not quantity now. The lap takes care of the quantity. And I took him at his word. I still do not drink carbonated beverages, or coffee. I am a tea drinker.

I do something the others here at the site did not think was so cool. I use nutrisystems (not the first month). The Nutrisystem people told me that lots of banded people use their products. Well, no one but me has admitted to it. But it makes things so much easier for me that I use it for convenience. Not every day, but several times a week. Its fast, mostly good, has the glycemic index balance thingie going for it, and it is low cal. and the portions are fine for my lap. Also I eat the deserts quilt free. Yes, its not fresh, yes home cooked is better, Yes it feels a little expensive. But it helps me and my PA and the NUTritionist are ok with it, so I am good.

Honestly, my biggest trial was diarreah - many others have the opposite problem. But since I am very lactose intollerant i had trouble with shakes and cream Soups. Once I got onto KFC mashed potatoes, oatmeal and hummus i felt better. But, when I got to week three and could eat meat again I praised GOD that i had made it through the wilderness.

So far my biggest win so far was cutting my blood pressure meds in half. Maybe in another month or two they will be discontinued.

I am proud of myself and I am hoping that my mother, age 69, will get a lap band. She says she will see how I do. She had a friend who did had a lapband and the little drama queen told my mom that it took her a half hour to eat a peanut etc etc. And she believed it.>>>>>>>>>>> UGH

Again, thanks for asking. I would hope that your lap band experience is as positive as mine has been.

Yours sincerely, Terri

[LindaLL 0]

Hi,

Almost 62--attended the seminar and my first consult is 4/12/11. The surgeon who just removed my thyroid also does Lap Band. We discussed the procedure, and if my insurance covers, I hope to be banded in June/July. Going to Italy in May--not sure I can eliminate the food, but I will certainly eat smaller portions and try to make better choices.

Good luck on your journey! I hope to be joining you in the very near future.

[Dave_NW 92]

Ellen, congratulations on your decision. I'm not a woman, and I'm "only" 57, but I am another WA resident, up north of Seattle. I have a coworker who was banded at UW about 18 months ago, and he's had nothing but good things to say about them. It was his success with the band that showed me I might have success too. My insurance led me to Swedish Hospital in Seattle for my surgery, and I'm very pleased. It's been a similarly positive experience for me.

Good luck in your journey, and welcome to the forums. There are some amazing people here who are extremely helpful. Every question seems to get a great cross-section of answers, so don't hesitate to ask whatever is on your mind.

Dave