How is weight loss for people over 50?

[BJean 16]

Denise: Your post made me giggle. I decided to hurry so I wouldn't change my mind too so I made appointments right after the seminar for the tests and surgery. Then I got cold feet. I read a lot at LBT on the complications that some people had and it scared me. So I was originally scheduled for surgery in July. Then when I cancelled it, I floated along for a while and realized why I had made the decision in the first place. So I rescheduled and had the surgery in Sept. and I'm sure glad I did.

[BJean 16]

Green: I am so jealous!!! I really miss the cigarettes! And a nice Stoli and tonic with a large twist of lime. Yum. Now that's living!

[green 6]

I was 200 lbs and growing when I arranged for the surgery. I made an appointment with the clinic that did my operation, asked them if I was a suitable candidate, and when they said yes I wrote a cheque.

Then I decided I better learn more about the band so I joined this site and I read the information materials which they sent home with me. I kinda jumped into the band back to front but that was because I had become so fed up with this post-menopausal weight gain loop that I was on I was ready to do anything to stop it. Sometimes I used to wake up at 3 in the morning, grab my gut, and think to myself that if there was such a thing as an emergency liposuction clinic I would call a cab and go there immediately!

[BJean 16]

Green: Are you glad you did it? The band I mean.

[green 6]

Green: Are you glad you did it? The band I mean.

Oh man, am I ever happy about it! It was an excellent move. I was very, very messed up about my body. I found it a humiliation. My weight gain pattern is odd and exactly like my mother's; I kept slim arms and legs and all the weight went to my torso, especially my gut. I looked like a spider!:cry The other thing that was hard about being overweight is that I live in the core of a large city. There are very few fat people here. Most people are fairly trim and well groomed. It had become almost impossible for me to buy clothes.:phanvan (They don't sell a lot of linen clothes in the big grrl shops up here, eh. They are all about synthetics and frou frou and pastels and cute!)

I feel so much better about myself at my current weight and I love the restraints which the band places on my appetite.

How about you, BJean? Any regrets?

[BJean 16]

Green: Yes, I am glad, very glad that I got the band. There was a short period of time after surgery that I wondered why I was so weak and not able to diet successfully on my own. But I'm over that.

When we lived in Montreal, I had to have been the fattest person in town. I loved walking the streets of Montreal, poking around in all the little shops and cafes. People not only gave me dirty looks, they would whisper to each other as I passed by. And I weighed less then than when I got the band. And I was discriminated against in the clothing shops. Once I walked into a downtown shop and the clerk said, Mam'm! Mam'm, we don't have anything in here to fit you! I told her I was looking for my daughter (who's a size 2) but turned on my heels and stomped out. I think living there would have really gotten to me if I hadn't known it was a temporary thing. They are sure into fashion and being skinny up there, and having haughty attitudes!

I joined a fitness spa in downtown Montreal and all the gals would stand naked and talking to each other in the locker rooms. It was darned intimidating!

In Texas and Florida, I have been surrounded by other fat people. It was a curse, mostly because it kept me from feeling so uncomfortable in public situations and possibly slitting my wrists or getting the LB!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Denise: Your post made me giggle. I decided to hurry so I wouldn't change my mind too so I made appointments right after the seminar for the tests and surgery. Then I got cold feet. I read a lot at LBT on the complications that some people had and it scared me. So I was originally scheduled for surgery in July. Then when I cancelled it, I floated along for a while and realized why I had made the decision in the first place. So I rescheduled and had the surgery in Sept. and I'm sure glad I did.

I am glad I made you giggle!:biggrin1: I read all about the complications too, after my surgery was already scheduled and thought "what am I getting myself into"

That's why I am afraid to get another fill. I don't want to start puking but since the weight loss stopped ever since I went back to regular food, I am really discouraged. I think the problem with my food sticking was from not chewing well enough, so I am not afraid to get another fill now. I haven't had anything stick in about a week now. Yay!

[Scarlett 0]

Hey guys!!

May I join your group of 50 youngsters? I will be banded the 15th. I am a complete ninny that keeps wishy washing about the whole thing. I keep reading supportive posts to keep myself up and then I know I am doing the right thing. Then my eyes wander to the throwing up and sliming and its panic stations again. I really have no choice in the matter, my arthris is slowing me down and I know the weight is not helping. I know when I get this 100 pound evil twin off my back my joints will thank me.

[crabcake 0]

Hey guys!!

May I join your group of 50 youngsters? I will be banded the 15th. I am a complete ninny that keeps wishy washing about the whole thing. I keep reading supportive posts to keep myself up and then I know I am doing the right thing. Then my eyes wander to the throwing up and sliming and its panic stations again. I really have no choice in the matter, my arthris is slowing me down and I know the weight is not helping. I know when I get this 100 pound evil twin off my back my joints will thank me.

Wow Scarlett! I could've written this post! I have the same problem w/ the arthritis plus a few other things, but being crippled is what scares me the most. Good luck on your surgery. I don't have a date yet.

[Scarlett 0]

crabcake.. do you want my date?? :heh:

[DynamoMini 1]

Hi Scarlett!

Welcome. I think this is a great "over 50" thread for me. I agree. My knees aren't working well and the extra 100 pound "backpack" has gotta go. I am having surgery April 16th, so you'll have to let me know how yours goes. I am worried about the healing process, but the weight has to go.

Good luck!

[BJean 16]

Denise: I have found that if I have a really hot shower in the morning before Breakfast, then breakfast is not much of an option. If I wait to take the shower, I have no problem. Go figure.

At other times, if I get all excited about the people I'm with and everyone is talking and happy, I usually inadvertently eat too quickly and have a problem. Now that I've had about 5 or 6 fills, I'm learning that I can actually tell when I've either not chewed long enough or I am just taking bites with not enough time between them. I slow down totally, sometimes I even get up and walk around (like a fake bathroom trip or need to check on something) and sit back down and slowly eat the rest of my meal. It is working very well for me. My dietician had been telling me to take 45 min. for a meal but I didn't believe her. I still don't take that long to eat, but I'm never finished as soon as everyone else is these days and I hardly ever have a PB anymore. Woo, hoo! :clap2:

[BJean 16]

Scarlett & Crabcake: I've lost about 40 lbs. and I am no longer in constant pain from my knees. I'm getting around much better - in fact, like night and day. I still have to be very careful and I can't do stairs well, but the improvement is significant! I will have to have both knees replaced one day. Before the Lap Band, it looked like I was going to have to give in to the knee surgery immediately. I decided to give myself one more chance to take off some weight and I now feel that I can put off the replacement surgery for maybe even a couple of years! I am elated. I still have sore knees a lot, and I can't walk on the treadmill or trust myself to walk the dogs, but not having constant pain and not having to take Naprosyn every day is quite a relief!

So I am encouraging you to take the leap into lap band land if you can't lose the weight yourself. It's amazing how much just this much weight loss helps. I still need to lose another 40 or so, but now that I'm out of so much of the constant pain I was in, I can take it at a reasonable 1 to 2 pound a week pace.

Good luck, you youngsters!

[debi717 0]

I'm nearly 4 weeks out from my surgery (February 12). I can't believe how much better I feel. I can now sleep on my side and get up and down from bed without any discomfort (just have to be careful not to twist myself too much in the process). The golf ball feeling is gone and my incisions are healing nicely. I'm not as tired either. Whew! I had my doubts about what I'd done to myself the first two weeks. For those of you who are contemplating surgery, I should add that I also had my gallbladder removed and a hiatal hernia repaired, so much of my discomfort was probably due to that.

I've had a really bad time about sticking to mushies. I just can't stand to look at, never mind eat, pureed foods. I manage farina and refried Beans, but mostly I just eat food that I can chew down to a puree before I swallow. I'm feeling okay, so I guess it's okay. I'm not a big fan of foods that have a consistency like pudding and cream Soups. I like my food to be chewable and my Snacks crunchy.

I've been using willpower to keep myself from overeating, since I'm feeling hungry now. I guess this is the time they call bandster hell. I'm getting my first fill on March 22.

Just thought I'd drop in and give an update. It's so encouraging to read about your successes with weight loss.

Debbie

[crabcake 0]

crabcake.. do you want my date?? :heh:

no girl, i'm quaking in my boots as it is!!! i'm really just going through the motions right now and hoping i won't chicken out when it's time! :biggrin1: but i'm scared of being crippled and my doc told me the more weight i took off, the longer i could put off the surgery.

bjean, thanks for the encouraging words, this is what i need to hear. i know you've probably said this somewhere before, but how long did it take you to lose those 40 pounds?

btw, this cracked me up!

I joined a fitness spa in downtown Montreal and all the gals would stand naked and talking to each other in the locker rooms.