Over 60 and having the sleeve

[notime 340]

Welcome to the site. Don't worry too much about any of that. You have your reasons for the surgery worked out, the doctor will tell you at your first appointment whether you are likely to be a good candidate and, if so, just follow the plan from there on. I don't have any health education or experience, but can tell you that my health issues are similar to yours including the frequent vomiting, yet my doctor had no concerns about any of it. I can't help you with your worries about the risks of surgery, but can tell you we all worried about it at some point before our surgeries so you are not alone. Talk to your doctor about his/her complication and mortality rates. Keep us informed as you go through the process.

[Kaj 88]

Welcome to the site. Don't worry too much about any of that. You have your reasons for the surgery worked out, the doctor will tell you at your first appointment whether you are likely to be a good candidate and, if so, just follow the plan from there on. I don't have any health education or experience, but can tell you that my health issues are similar to yours including the frequent vomiting, yet my doctor had no concerns about any of it. I can't help you with your worries about the risks of surgery, but can tell you we all worried about it at some point before our surgeries so you are not alone. Talk to your doctor about his/her complication and mortality rates. Keep us informed as you go through the process.

Thanks, definitely will keep y'all informed as I go along.

[Saltmistrose 24]

Well I am not over sixty yet, but I am 56 years old and wondering if I am crazy for deciding to have a sleeve done in the next few weeks. I never thought much about my age, but thought more about my health, when making this decision. I have no diabetes yet, or high blood pressure. I developed a hernia after a gallblader and gallstone surgery and decided that in order to have the repair for the hernia fixed (and stay fixed) I needed to do something long term about my long standing weight problems. So I ended up going through the back door for weight loss surgery. Maybe the long way around to this decision, but I thought a good decision, despite my age. However, when looking a pictures of various others and especially those whose who have had body sculpting folllowing surgery, I wonder where I fit in all this? Am I nuts or what? I also am hoping to gain somre more quality years to my life as well by having the gastric sleeve done. Any ideas from some of you older sleevers? Thanks!

[janerose 109]

Relax you are not alone at all. I am 63 - 9 months out from surgery; I did not have too many medical problems, a few that if I did not loose the weight could have been determental to my life.

I wanted to extend the good year left; wanted to walk, wanted to swim in warm waters, wanted to carry my granddaughter, wanted to look better in my clothes, wanted to laugh louder and longer.

I have lost 80lbs (from 260 to 180) and want to loose 20 more - I eat what I want, drink what I want - just alot less of everything. I still enjoy going out for dinner - if I order a dinner I take it home for three more meals, usually I do Soup and app. I have a glass of wine or drink vodka on the rocks.

After surgery give yourself a few months to learn the sleeve and to readjust to life with it - don't rush it will all work out.

[Kaj 88]

Relax you are not alone at all. I am 63 - 9 months out from surgery; I did not have too many medical problems, a few that if I did not loose the weight could have been determental to my life.

I wanted to extend the good year left; wanted to walk, wanted to swim in warm waters, wanted to carry my granddaughter, wanted to look better in my clothes, wanted to laugh louder and longer.

I have lost 80lbs (from 260 to 180) and want to loose 20 more - I eat what I want, drink what I want - just alot less of everything. I still enjoy going out for dinner - if I order a dinner I take it home for three more meals, usually I do Soup and app. I have a glass of wine or drink vodka on the rocks.

After surgery give yourself a few months to learn the sleeve and to readjust to life with it - don't rush it will all work out.

Beautiful reply, Janerose. I think Saltmistrose expressed a lot of what I'm feeling also - It did me good to hear your statement: " I wanted to extend the good year left; wanted to walk, wanted to swim in warm waters, wanted to carry my granddaughter, wanted to look better in my clothes, wanted to laugh louder and longer." It resonates and lets me know it really is ok to want to feel as yooung outside as I do in my mind.

Thank you...

[Suzannesh 376]

Hi all -

I am new. Very new. And I have read all of this forum over the last few hours. It has been a comfort to know that 60+ is not a big issue in regards to WLS. I was somewhat concerned about that. I have battled my weight since I my first pregnancy at age 18. I have had some success here and there, even manged at one time to lose 110 lbs on an all liquid diet and kept it off almost 10 years until I hit menopause and a host of other emotional roller coasters. I have been counting weight watcher points for almost 2 years now and initially lost 50 lbs but hit a plateau about a year ago and have not been able to break it...then I began to gain again. I guess from what they call "portion creep" because I got to guessing about my portion sizes. I have paid almost $20 a month for 2 years and I finally just threw up my hands in frustration a few weeks ago when the scales once again registered another couple pounds gain during my saturday morning weighing. I cancelled my weight watchers online membership, and yesterday when it finally ended, I quit counting points. Yesterday was a day of eat what I want which wasn't much, but I felt guilty with every bite! I am 59 and 11 months today and found out last week that there is a good chance my insurance will cover it. I work for the VA and have gov't insurance and it seems that they will cover me. That is when I began to look into the surgery. Then I read about the sleeve and got serious about it. I have been doing lots of researching and thinking. I am going to go to an information seminar on the 18th.

I have some concerns, obviously my age was/is one of them. But also, I have been on antidepressants AND antianxiety meds for more than 6 years. I see my psychiatrist quarterly and my MDD and anxiety have been in remission/controlled for most of the 6 years I have been taking meds. I am not so much worried about the prozac as I am concerned about whether the benzos would be an issue. I don't have a tolerance built up and have taken exactly the same mgs (0.5 mgs in the AM and again in the PM) for 6 years with successful control of my bigemy PVCs and accompanying panic attacks (the PVCs and beta blockers to control them is what precipitated my MDD/panic episode 6 yrs ago.) but I know enough about benzos to know that even though I am not "addicted" in the strictest definition of the word, my body is definitely dependent on them. Afterall, part of my job involves working with addicts, so I know my stuff. I am the breadwinner in our family and know that I can't afford to take time off to "detox" and then take more time off for surgery without negatively impacting my job and our finances.

My other concern is that I have Meniere's Disease which not only caused complete deafness on my right side, but also causes vertigo. Many days of the week, I am a bit "left of center". It is mostly controllable with Bonine. If it gets too bad, the addition of phenerghan handles it - but occasionally a vertigo attack hits really fast and hard and that results in incapacitating dizzyiness coupled with repeated vomiting for sometimes an hour or so. I am worried this would make me a non-candidate. I can only imagine how a bout of vertigo would impact a newly stapled stomach!!

I come from a long line of Type 2 diabetics and have so far managed to not go there, but I am close and my metabolism is VERY efficient..it takes a miracle to drop weight. I own a treadmill and get on it for an hour or so every few days for a few days then become darn near incapacitated due to the pain in all my joints and muscles from pushing my mid 200 # body so hard. I spend most weekends laying on my fat butt in bed becase by the end of the week of work, I am too tired to do anything lay around preparing to go back to work on Monday. I WANT to have the energy to not only walk my treadmill daily, but also to go play on weekends! I want to hike and hunt and garden and enjoy my life instead of just working, resting and working again. But I have to dump some weight to have that energy and I don't know how to do it, how to do it so it works and stays off!!

So yeah...I'm ambivalent. I'm afraid to get my hopes up for fear this won't work out, I'm afraid it WILL work out and I'll die on the damn operating table because of my age, I'm afraid insurance will cover it, I'll qualify medically as well as mentally, and I'll live through the surgery only to find that I have after surgery complications and lost a bunch of time at work, or worse lose my job and have to carry that stress and strain and guilt.

Some of the good things I have going for me is that my husband does ALL the cooking, and we have been eating "healthy" with a few occasional exceptions involving holidays (and my nightly addiction to 50 licorice jelly bellys which =5 points) for the past 2 years, and I'm really not a big fan of food in general. I would be perfectly happy to be able to take a "food pill" 3x a day if such a thing existed! I hate eating in front of others, I am an excruciatingly slow eater and everyone ends up waiting on me to finish. So in some ways I'm pre-wired for this.

So...glad I found this place. And I'll keep reading and I'll let y'all know what's next for me.....

Kaj.

Hi,

I think having the sleeve was the very best thing I have ever done for myself. food seems to be what I went to when things were good or bad. Like you I gained weight with y first child and I was 27 when I had mine. Now I now longer make food my main thought. I no longer let the food control me. I am in control of the food. I no long live to eat. I now eat to live and be healthy.

You have to know that this is NO miracle cure. It does requires work and effort on your part and some exercise too. We have all been on the roller coaster of lose the weight gain the weight back. I must have joined Weight Watcher 20 times and got frustrated just like you. I believe that it works for some, but I have watched so many of them regain it too. You have to be willing to make a lifestyle change. It isn't about being on a diet, but changing forever how you are going to eat. This is the first time in my life that I have maintained my 105 pound weight loss for 4 years now. And it is something that I know I can do for the rest of my life too. I am 67 now and did this when I was 63. I did not have insurance that paid for mine. I am so very happy that the insurance is really coming around and paying for these for people.

I feel so very lucky to have gone to Dr. Aceves, because I believe he is one of the very best Weight Loss Suregons out there. There are a lot of good ones, out there I am sure. I can only speak about my experience, and going to Mexicali, Mexico. I know for a fact that I received so much better care than anything I have ever received in any US hospital.

I wish you nothing but success, and I am always out here if you have any questions at all about this.

Hugs,

Suzanne

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I'll be 60 in a few days. I was sleeved 3 1/2 years ago. As I notice all my friends putting on more and more weight, I am really glad I finally did something about my weight problem.

I hope I added years to my life.

[Saltmistrose 24]

Thanks to everyone for the informative and supportive comments to my posting. I am sure I will have more to say as things progress for me. It really is nice to reach out and find some soul mates out there. I wish everyone the best on their journey as well. Be well my friends and stay tuned for additional postings.

[janerose 109]

Anytime - it was not simple and there were more emotional issues than I imagined - some were funny such as shopping in a store where there fifty different tee shirts instead of five to choose from. Empying my closet and getting rid of some clothes that used to bring me comfort were now too big.

The day before my surgery I annouced to Facebook what I was doing - received an amazing amount of support which helped along the way.

You can connect with me anytime

[Saltmistrose 24]

Hello there friends!

Well I guess I will take this opportunity to tell a little bit of "my story". Ever since high school I have been overweight. My mom was thin but her side of the family were large childless women. I suspect there was a bit of POS (polycystic ovary syndrome) in the family, which I have. I lost a lot of weight in my early 20ties on the Scarsdale diet. I recall being about 5'6" and weighing about 138 lbs. My family thought I was fat. In a few years the weight came back and more. From there on out it was impossible to loose weight. After years of struggles I finally just stopped talking about my weight and somewhere along the way gave up any hope that I could do anything to change my weight "ever" again. I took on feeling the blame for not being disciplined and/or strong enough to "help" myself back to a healthy weight. I worked like a fiend (3 jobs). I worked full time through university and grad school. I bought a house I traveled. I gave up hope of finding a partner. I settled into life as I believed I was to know it for years. I was busy with my "career" which was as a social worker for the Baltimore VA Medcial Center. I thought I was on track for the rest of my working life and had my house in Baltimore to hide in, with the new car in front of that house.

Then life took a wicked twist. I was involved in a accident at work and I developed Fibromyalgia. I also developed sleep apenea and had a major clnical despressive episode. I also experienced my 1st panic attacks. After seeking treatment for my Fibromyalgia pain, I went onto a internet chat web site to try to find out more about how I was being treated for my medical and mental health problems. I happened up the web site where I met my current partner. Long story short, I retired early due to the problems that were plauging me and a change in the management of my job. My partner is a "kiwi" (from New Zealand). They had a job in NZ I did not. They had children in NZ, I did not have children (just aging parents and miserable siblings). I moved to New Zealand about 6 years ago.

I worked for a short while in NZ, but eventually was unable to contiue to work here. I became financially depenent for the first time in my adult life. I became more depressed and gained more weight of course. My mom had been diagnosed with Alzhiemers diesease and a couple of years ago, she became more ill and died in January of 2010, at the age of 88. She was being cared for by my dad at home and I traveled home 2 times that year to care for her and to get her set up in hospice care. Unpon returning from her memorial in Spring of 2010, I became very ill. I was airlifted off the island where I live (Waiheke Island) and ended up having surgery for a golf ball size gallstone and the removal of my gallbladder. Upon coming out of recovery after surgery, I sneezed. I felt something pop in my stomach. The medical team said I was wrong about my belief that I had popped my sutures.

In December 2011, I was sitting on the toilet and saw the 1st appearance of a ventral post surgical hernia. Here begins my "back door" decision making process to have WLS. After reading extensively about hernia repair surgery, I realized there was very little hope that a hernia repair would be sucessful with me at my weight of 311 lbs. It was then thought about WLS for the 1st time. I did not have diabetes "yet" or high blood pressure "yet". Both sides of my family have dieabetes and it was just a matter of time before I developed it, I believed. I set up an appointment with a surgeon here and discussed my thoughts about the WLS that was needed to help me sucessfully repair my now "growing" hernia.

During my initial meeting with the surgeon, I discovered how emotionally sensitive and depressed I really was about my weight. My life quality wasn't really so good and I was very depressed. I was felt so disempowered. I also felt very guilty and totally to blame for my "fat" and "fatty life style". Somewhere along in this meeting, I began to change how I felt about myself and my weight. I was refered to the "public" system for weight loss surgery. The public system here gives free care to qualifiing patients here in New Zealand. Well here is where the 1st age related "warning bell" goes off in my story. I was advised by the the hospital that I could not be entered on the WLS waiting list, because I was over the age of 50. Public surgery was restricted to people under the age of 50 because they were believed to be the age group that held the most hope for health improvements from this expensive medical proceedure. Health care is rationed here under the public scheme.

Fortunately, I retained my private health insurance when I retired from U.S. federal system. I had Federal Retiree Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Overseas) coverage. The same surgeon from the public system was now to be my surgeon under my private medical insurance coverage. I met with him several times along with his staff. He also was to be the surgeon that would do the hernia repair surgery for me.

After being evaluated by the surgeon, his dietician, and his psychologist, I was advised that I would have to do several things to get the surgeon to consent to do my surgery. I was pissed that after I had finally made "my decision" to have WLS, someone was going to deny me the surgery, because they didn't think I was "fit" enought for the proceedure. No ego here, I might suggest. Anyway, I had to go in the pre-surgery diet, get my wake/sleep cycle in order, get an exercise plan in place, get my depression in a better state, get ongoing mental health support in place, and come back to the surgeon's dieticician in 5 weeks for another meeting and evaluation. I did this and I lost about 25 lbs., had a daily sleeping/waking schedule, changed my anti-depressant medications, and got a mental health worker/social worker to meet with me on and ongoing basis. The surgeon then met with me again and consented to do both surgeries.

The decision was made to do the hernia repair surgery 1st (not simultaneously, as the "great I" had wannted). However, I was returning to the U.S. for a 2 month stay in June of 2012. This being said, I was to return to NZ and have the hernia repaired as soon as possible (under the "public" system). I was to be put on the waiting list for the surgery and my priority adjusted, if my need for the surgery became more urgent along the way. During my stay in the U.S. the hernia grew and painfully pitched me endlessly. The day after I got back to NZ, I had an appointment in the surgeon's clinic at the hospital. After much "hemming and hawing" I had my hernia repaired on Sept. 28th, 2012. It was done laprascopicly. I woke up with 11 incisions and an 8" X 8" piece of mesh having been stitched into me. I felt the pain rip through me, when I tried to walk to the toilet. I felt like I was being napalmed. I felt like I was on fire. Thank God the worst of this was over in about 3 days. I was in hospital for about 7 days. Today is 3 weeks since the surgery and I am almost pain free. I have an appointment with my surgeon on Oct. 30th. I am expecting that I will be having my gastric sleeve done in the private hospital sometime mid November to mid December.

When I 1st posted on this forum, I had just been looking on various sites looking at other WLS cases. More specificly, I was looking post operative WLS cases that were having body sculpting surgeries to deal with their various "skin flaps". I couldn't find any cases of people that looked like me, or who were around my age. I noted that "most" of these people were younger than me. It then dawned on me that maybe I had ignored an important factor in making my decision to have the WLS.

I guess the facts are the ideas about my health concerns and my desire to change my life in a positive way, are the basis for making this choice to have WLS. I think I still believe that I have made the best decision for my case and my situation(s). I also believe that using the available technology and support I have found online, is a vital part of my support plan and network.

Thanks to all for listening and please excuse my typos and English errors. Be well all and stay strong on the journey.

Karen

[Kaj 88]

So we went to an info session on the 18th and altho I have scheduled a couple of others, I'm not going to attend them. I reviewed my insurance and my initial choice of practices which was also the info session I attended is one of their not just preferred providers but one of their independently reviewed providers as is the hospital that is the 1st choice on my list. So I see no sense in exploring further since I got my initial criteria met with the first seminar. My husband (my partner in crime) agrees as well and liked what he has read and heard, so he is all in with me doing this deal. I have faxed in my initial documentation to the practice so their patient advocate can do their thing. My quarterly appointment with my shrink for med management is the 6th of November and I'll discuss this with him at that visit. Other than him and my husband, I have no plans to share this journey with anyone else, not even my children. Assuming I live through the surgery and recover at the rate I expect, there is no reason for anyone else to be part of this. It is no one else's business. :ph34r:

The general way I am hoping this will play out is that I would end up with a surgery date of sometime in March or April. That should give me enough time to build up a stock pile of clear liquid foods, non-clear liquid foods, and then any additional electronic components to aid and abet the process (like a good juicer). Now all I have to do is keep from putting on more weight since I don't want to buy bigger jeans only to have to turn around and buy smaller ones.

Sooooo-as far as my mental engagement, I am ready to move forward & rock and roll!

Thanks for the encouragement, ladies. I'll keep you all updated as I move through this little journey and look forward to sharing both in y'alls experience as well as sharing mine with you.

[Kaj 88]

Ladies!

Just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing and update you all on my "progress". I saw my Psych for my quarterly med management and discussed the possibility of WLS at length. I was a bit apprehensive about his reaction but was plesantly surprised to find that he not only was supportive, he was VERY much in favor of my having the surgery. I told him I would need documentation regarding my weight history consisting of one note for each year for 2010 and 2011 (and probably 2012 now, as well) and a psych eval stating he felt i was enotionally appropriate for the surgery, assuming he thought I was. It was funny to see him laugh at me when I said that. I think I am a rarity in his practice in my emotional stability and groundedness. So he is a go. I saw my Gynocologist for my annual and she also was supportive. Last but not least, I met with my PCP day before yesterday and discussed it with him and he too was very supportive so I have had really great feedback about this from the medical world which makes me feel much more comfortable. He (my PCP) gave me a 1500 calorie diet to follow which is a basic exchange format. Along with that, I'll walk my treadmill at least 30 mins per day and keep a food diary. I will begin that on Monday when I return to work. I am scheduled to see him on the 13th of each month for the next 3 months. I will meet my surgeon and his team on the 4th of December.

I turned 60 yesterday and have been on vacation since last weekend. We had planned to spend a few days hunting but unfortunately we went out the first day and I had such a fierce reaction to the ragweed that we decided to not attempt to go back out this week. Once we have a good cold snap, the ragweed should be down so we'll go a few weekends during this season.

I have been really awful this past few days. It is as if I am mentally in a holding place between the end of counting WW points and the beginning of counting calories and have just been in a full blown eat it all stage! I've got to get it back in control and go back to my healthy eating style. Not sure where my head is at and am thinking I might need to do some exploration about what is behind this "give a s**t attitude" I seem to have acquired this last few days.

Anyway - I'm on my way.

I know Karen/Saltmistrose is scheduled for the 29th and am keeping positive thoughts for her. Let me know how everyone else is doing.

Kaj

[moregoodtimes 331]

Surely I am not the only person on this forum that is 60 or over having the sleeve surgery.

I would love to hear from anyone that has had the surgery and how you feel now.

My surgery is scheduled for Nov. 15th' date=' Have had all the pre-op testing completed now just waiting for the big day to get here.[/quote']

I will be 60 in January and will be having surgery then as well. Woot...what a great present to myself-a healthier me!

[carstanger 346]

I am almost 66, had my sleeve done November 12th. Still on full Proteins. Also had my gall bladder out, which actually had no bile in it, and had a hiatal hernia repaired. I'm self pay because Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Mi won't pay for the sleeve. Probably would have paid for the gastic bypass, but I didn't want that. My daughter had the sleeve a year ago May and has lost over 100 pounds. I said I would never do it, but am off many of my meds already and trying to walk more. Looking forward to many years of traveling and enjoying life. I was out of breath on an Alaskan cruise and had thrown my back out twice over the summer. Already had knee replacement over a year ago, so am ready to go!!!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I love that getting the sleeve has made it possible for me to do so much more than I could years ago, when I was fat. At 60, I feel way better than I did at 50!