How is weight loss for people over 50?

[kedasmom 10]

I love this thread, post or what ever it's called. I'm 54, and if all goes well will ge banded in Feb. 2007. I was so excited when I went to my first meeting. That was in April 06. Now I've been getting nervous and wondering if I'm to old for this. But I want to be able to walk without pain. Reading what you have all posted has definetly made me feel better.Thank-you

[green 6]

I am so happy with my band. I have just come back from the dentist and while I was there I received big compliments for my smaller body. I do think that banding can be a wise move for us older women. I know that I started to gain weight after I hit menopause. This happened to me when I was 41! The weight gain happened slowly and at first I was kinda relaxed about it.

A year or so ago I woke up and realised that I had become quite large and that this was a one-way street going in the wrong direction. Indeed it was! The following year I continued to gain weight. I was giving away pants that I had recently bought and I was truly in despair over my body. Joining a gym did not help me lose weight and I had heard that diets could have long term negative effects. (Believe it or not, I have only once in my life been on a diet and that was in my early 20s. I put myself on this egg and grapefruit diet and lost weight off my boobs. lol)

I had been fantasizing about massive liposuction when a friend of mine heard about the lap band on a local television morning show. She told me about this procedure and told me how to access a local website. My concern was that I wasn't heavy enough even though in Canada we usually are required to self-pay. I met with the surgical team and was approved pending the results of my physical tests. I cleared those and the rest is history.

There were a number of things that I found reassuring about this approach to weight loss. I liked the fact that the surgery is minimally invasive compared to many of the options out there. It is day surgery and the recovery time is quick. I also liked the fact that it is reversible. I am one of those people who tend to see the glass as half empty. I know that if I should have a serious illness and need my appetite back, I can get it.

Weight gain is a side effect of ageing. The lap band is a tool which can help us fight this.

[debi717 0]

Carlene,

I'm glad you mentioned that you have to work to maintain your weight loss. I read so many posts where people say they got the lapband because once they lose the weight it won't come back, but that's not necessarily the case. If you're not careful about what you eat, you'll gain it back. I worked with a woman who got the lapband, lost over a 100 pounds and gained back 50 because she kept eating candy. I think we will always have to fight our weight, but it sounds to me like the band helps us if we make good food choices.

Do you think you have the ability to gain back the weight as easily as you did before the band? Do you feel the band keeps you somewhat in check? I was surprise at my former co-worker weight gain, but she's a candy nut. Her name is still engraved on our vending machine.

[deb4339 0]

I am so glad to find this thread. I am new to all this, but I just wanted to say I've been looking at this site for awhile. I'm hoping to be banded this spring sometime, probably in Mexico because I am a self-pay. I'm 51 and about 320 at 5'6". I have so much foot pain that I can hardly walk at times, and unable to get insurance because of my weight so I'm hoping lap-band will help me feel better all around. I just wanted to let everyone know how glad I am to be able to hear your stories. Thanks alot.

Deb4339

[Carlene 12]

Carlene,

I'm glad you mentioned that you have to work to maintain your weight loss. I read so many posts where people say they got the lapband because once they lose the weight it won't come back, but that's not necessarily the case. If you're not careful about what you eat, you'll gain it back. I worked with a woman who got the lapband, lost over a 100 pounds and gained back 50 because she kept eating candy. I think we will always have to fight our weight, but it sounds to me like the band helps us if we make good food choices.

Do you think you have the ability to gain back the weight as easily as you did before the band? Do you feel the band keeps you somewhat in check?

No, I think the band makes it somewhat harder to regain the weight, but not hard enough....LOL.

I can't eat bread, Pasta, rice, cake, pancakes, the skin on the chicken, etc. And that's a good thing, right? I can't eat large quantities of anything, really, although I can eat way more Cheetos than I wish I could. And too much ice cream. So the band does have SOME impact on your food choices, but not enough to do all the work for you.

If you think the whole thing is a done deal once you've reached your goal weight, think again. But the same is true of the bypass. I know as many RNY patients with bands installed over their bypass as I do Lap Band patients revised to RNY. I know RNY patients on Weight Watchers and Lap Banders on WW - just as many of one as the other. There is no magic bullet - except the kind you use to blend your Protein drinks.

[debi717 0]

Carlene, thanks for responding. You confirmed my understanding of how the band works after goal. Everytime I see someone post that they are having or have had the surgery because they don't want to gain the weight back, I think of my former co-worker and hope they understand that they CAN gain join the ranks of overweight again. In my case, if you took away my Pasta and bread, and cut my portions in half, I'd probably lose weight. However, I'd still have to deal with the snacking to be really successful and keep the weight where I'd like it to be.

It's good to know that there are people over 50 who are successful with the lapband. When I first started looking into the lapband, I kept thinking that it might work for someone with a young metabolism, but not for someone my age. I was really happy to see how many of us have done this -- and it's working.

By the way, the woman I worked with had gotten her band back in 2002, very soon after it was first approved in the US. She had a slip last year, had it repaired, and is now back on track losing the 50 lbs. she gained back. She a lot wiser for the experience.

Regards... Debbie

[r2ht4u 0]

Had surgery on Sept 6th 2006 started at 5-5 surgery weight at 182- down to 168 today..the weight is for sure NOT falling off of me. Its been hard for me to lose the weight. 1-2 lb a week...NOT FOR ME~But that would be nice!

[kedasmom 10]

I got the call from my Doctor's office today, my insurance has excepted me. YES! YES! YES! were my exact words to the woman on the other end of the phone. From April 06, to Feb 12,07. I'm so excited and so up for this, I hope my 54 an half year old heart can stand the excitment. Thanks

[debi717 0]

Kedasmom,

Great news! Are you being banded on February 12? That's when I'm scheduled for surgery. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm nervous too. I'm about to enter a new world where food and I are going to have a very different relationship. I want it to be a successful one and I know that's up to me. I'm so glad for these forums where you can read and learn about other peoples experiences.

r2ht4u, I think 35 lbs. since September is great. That's a little over 8 lbs. a month. I'm 55 and I know I'm not going to knock my 150 lbs. off like someone 20 years younger. Do you exercise? I know I have to that to help the weight loss, especially at my age. It's really hard to make time for yourself when you work full-time. I can't imagine how people who work full-time and have young children manage it. In my case, I leave the house at 7:45 to be at work by 9:00 and I get home around 6:30. I'm such a slug by that time. I'm going to have to do something in the morning, before the day starts. I'm soooo going to have to force myself to do that.

Debbie

[kedasmom 10]

dedi717 Yes Feb.12 is the day of surgery. Pretests are Jan.29th. I'm scared, but I want a new life. I need to know there is life after 50. I have about 100lbs. to lose. BMI of 42.

As for exercise, I use to walk, up untill my knees hurt so bad I thought I needed surgery. But I had to lose weight before they would except me for surgery(made no since to me, thats why I'm here). Anyway that 12lbs made my knees feel "some" better. So I might be able to walk after a few more pounds. I drive school bus, I go past the high school, so I use to leave early enough to walk the track. I even got another driver to meet me and walk. So thats where I want to start. thanks

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Thank you for posting this thread. This is something I have been worrying about. I am 54 and just got banded 2 weeks ago. My biggest fear is that I won't lose weight. I know someone who got banded and hasn't lost an ounce.

I made exercise a habit 3 years ago though, and that was really frustrating to exercise like crazy and not lose. I have lost 12 lbs but I am still on liquids and I have been afraid that when I go back to food, I will stop losing.

So thanks again. This thread is very encouraging!

[sallyjo 0]

Ladies stop worring that you might not be able to do this simply because we are older. I am about to be sixty three and had my surgery last April and am nine pounds from goal. Just work that band and it will happen. Good luck to all of you.:confused:

[kedasmom 10]

I am still excited about having my date for surgery, that I'm not sleeping good at night. I wake up thinking they'll call and say for some reason it's been cancelled. Anxiety? I had one attack that sent me to the hospital, Doctor's were sure it was a heart attack, after a night and all kinds of tests, it was nothing. Anxiety, I was to worked up about a test I had to take to keep my bus drivers license. The next one I just ignored, I wasn't going through all that crap again. The body certainly plays nasty games. Good Luck to you all. Bonnie

[freeskye 0]

I am scheduled for Fec. 21st and this thread has been great to read. I am 54 and my friend that is having the surgery the same day as me is 52. I know that it is harder to lose weight as we get older, but I know that we can do this I can't wait to be able to travel in airplane more comfortably !

[kedasmom 10]

Hello Everyone, my pre-tests are Monday, I kind of wish they would say I have go on a liquid diet, I'm feeling like everyday is my "last supper", out of control or maybe food is just on my mind all the time right now. I never thought about food before, I just ate when I wanted to. Anybody else feel that way before the banding day?