Where are all the seniors?

[SassySenior 111]

Is this group dead? I hope not.

I am 65, and at high risk with a high BMI & co-morbidities. I have been studying wls for 10 years. I have Medicare now and can get the surgery. I'm going with the Lap Band. I'm on the pre-op diet, and have lost 25 pounds in 3 months.

I live in Dallas and have chosen the best surgeon in the Southwest, but I am thinking of changing because his office is quite far away. So now I'm looking for the 2nd best surgeon. I'm a member of at least 5 groups to get a balanced view. They range from gastric bypass to lap-band to hard core fanatics who hate the surgeries and have had horrible experiences. I have a lot of links and information for anyone who wants it.

I would love to hear from anyone who can relate to me.

[sweetpea61956 6]

if there is a True Results in Dallas, I personally think that is the way to go. The aftercare and support they offer is awesome. I am 55 and had my surgery in May. Good Luck!

[bromo 17]

Hi, I am 57 and had my surgery in September.

[SassySenior 111]

Thanks for responding. Looks like you are doing great! Congratulations!

I am developing another short list of doctors. True Results is definitely on the list. My #1 priority is to find an exceptional surgeon. Being 65, having had a heart attack in '98, and a very high BMI, I am concerned. All the tests show my heart to be stable, but you never know.

My 2nd priority is a PA I like and good support staff. I dislike the PA my current doctor has.

I love your user name. I think we may be soul sisters. What other groups do you belong to?

Kate

[SassySenior 111]

Hi,

Thanks for writing. You are doing fabulous! To lose 28 pounds in 1 month is incredible. The average loss with the band is 1-2 lbs. a week, so you are way above-average. What's your secret?

Kate

[ansoninc 16]

Is this group dead? I hope not.

I am 65, and at high risk with a high BMI & co-morbidities. I have been studying wls for 10 years. I have Medicare now and can get the surgery. I'm going with the Lap Band. I'm on the pre-op diet, and have lost 25 pounds in 3 months.

I live in Dallas and have chosen the best surgeon in the Southwest, but I am thinking of changing because his office is quite far away. So now I'm looking for the 2nd best surgeon. I'm a member of at least 5 groups to get a balanced view. They range from gastric bypass to lap-band to hard core fanatics who hate the surgeries and have had horrible experiences. I have a lot of links and information for anyone who wants it.

I would love to hear from anyone who can relate to me.

[SassySenior 111]

Hi,

It looks like you responded to my post, but nothing shows up. ??

Kate

[kll724 3,055]

Hi Ladies,

I think that not many people check this site anymore because it got real slow. I do sometimes, thats how I found you. Good luck to everyone, and welcome to this site. There are actually quite a few women and men in our age group, too!

I had my surgery on Oct 30, 2009. I am almost 2 years out. I have been at goal for about 10 months. I had slippage and had to have a readjustment on my band on Friday, Oct.14. It appears that my problems started from GERD, and continued when I got a stomach virus. Vomiting(real stuff not productive burping), was probably the real culprit. Anyway, I am good, but can't wait to get back to real food. I have been on Clear Liquids for a week, and now, full liquids for another week.

Welcome to lapband, and good luck. Keep in touch, Karen

[SassySenior 111]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for writing. It's people like you I need to hear from. Congratulations on your teriffic weight loss. What kind of band did you get? What caused the slippage? Did you have GERD before the band?

Poor you -- clear liquids! Yuck! I dread having to do that myself. Are you just starving all the time?

Kate

[kll724 3,055]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for writing. It's people like you I need to hear from. Congratulations on your teriffic weight loss. What kind of band did you get? What caused the slippage? Did you have GERD before the band?

Poor you -- clear liquids! Yuck! I dread having to do that myself. Are you just starving all the time?

Kate

I have an Allergen, 10 cc band. I never had GERD before lapband. Infact, even when I was pregnant back in the 70's no heartburn. But, I have always had a problem with queasy stomach and used to think I had an ulcer. I did not. I had my gall bladder taken out in 2001. I am very happy with my band. I tried for years to loose weight, only to regain like many other people. About the clear liquids, no I wasn't starving. You really get very inventive after awhile. My favorite was hot and sour Soup. I strained it, and my husband ate the rest of it. I ate a lot of pop cycles, and sucked on hard candy as it was ok'd by my surgeon office. I am now on the full liquids until Friday. I don't regret getting the surgery at all. My son, 36, just had it in August. he has already lost 57 lbs. He is using me as his model, but knows the problems I had, so is much more careful than I was! Good luck. Karen

[bromo 17]

Hi,

Thanks for writing. You are doing fabulous! To lose 28 pounds in 1 month is incredible. The average loss with the band is 1-2 lbs. a week, so you are way above-average. What's your secret?

Kate

I am very happy with my weight loss. The ticker includes the weight lost on the preop diet which was 10 pounds. I am learning how to eat healthier and trying to get my calories in at the same time. It can be a challenge to follow the guidelines set out my surgeon's office and get in enough calories. Although I feel so much better, I am just happy to be losing weight without feeling like I am on a diet or being hungry all the time. I think the lower carb part of the diet helps with that as I don't crave the processed carbs anymore and get healthy ones from whole grains and fruit and veggies. Another thing that I think is helping my weight loss along is the fact that I had plication along with the lap band. It seems to really have made a difference as I have not experienced "bandster hell' and am not scheduled for a fill and am fine with it.

[bev712 28]

I'm 66, my guy is 65, and we just had surgery on January 23 and 25. We're doing well so far. I've lost 13 pounds by my scale since the day of surgery. We see the surgeon for the first time Tuesday and then can start eating real food.

Yesterday I read a post by someone who was so happy to be active - ironing, treadmill - and I was taken aback, thinking about how I'm so tired and don't feel like doing much yet. I thought about how people say they go back to work after a week, and here I am, lounging around the house. Then I remembered, there's a reason why I retired at 60 - I was too tired then to work any longer! My guy has RA, and I have CFS and fibromyalgia, so we really haven't recovered from the surgery yet. One day I did errands for a couple of hours and have been pretty much exhausted since then. Oh, well, not everyone can be an athelete.

Will someone please tell me how to post the Tickerfactory thingee? I created one but haven't figured out how to put it in my signature. Thanks.

[54Shirley 105]

Well, I'm 57 if that helps. Was banded 10/31/2006.

I can relate to what your saying. I went to The UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN,

and the referred me to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

They told me that they had the Monopoly on this surgery.

So they sent me to see their Chief Surgeon in charge.

He did a fantastic Job, but was lousy in aftercare.

So look up some Doctors on the Forum in your state,

talk to some people that had surgery from this Dr., and google his name, and see what you get.

Hope this helps ! Shirley.

[Grider 92]

I'll be 59 in April and had my band Dec 22, 2011, I think if older, just give your self more time to heal. I did the gym this week and sore, so I'm building up to it. I think our metabolism is really slow as well, but just stick to the Drs orders and you shall be well..

[Shiki 6]

Certainly time for me to update you folks on what is going on with me. I have had so many ups and downs, I'm about to name a new roller coaster after my experience. I have had 3 dr. visits so far. My search continued, though, because while I did find the most celebrated dr. in the Dallas area, his office is 35 miles away. Too far for me.

I was about to switch to True Results when I learned they don't take my insurance, which is Medicare. Finally had a bit of luck when a True Results employee recommended a dr. with whom she had worked. Things are looking good for me to be banded by Dr. Harry Meyers in Dallas. I have an appt. on Apr. 2.

Medicare does not allow anything new, so the sleeve and plication are out. Strictly bypass or band, nothing else. Thanks for the recommendations, though.

I will post another update when I have one.