Calling All Sixties!

[barbmeow 92]

I am 62 and sleeved on 8-21-13, have lost 30 pounds since being weighed in the hospital post op. I think that being in the 60's we are not going to lose as fast as the youngsters, but we are going to lose weight if we keep on the plan and do not sabatoge ourselves with eating things we should not. Wish I hade had the option of this surgery 40 years ago but can't look back . Here and now do the best we can.

[AmyInOrlando 348]

I turned 61 today... I had surgery on 8/1/13. I've lost 34.2 pounds. I'll update my stats on my "official" weigh day which is Thursday.

[SassyTink 78]

Amy

I am going to keep an eye on you. We are about the same age and have the same goals. I hope to be 205 at the time of my surgery. I have been cautious on the weight loss as to not go under the BMI at my final weigh in October 23. Can you imagine being denied at that stage?

[akusah 67]

I am 68 and will be sleeved oct 22. Are you taking additional. Vitamins? If so, what and how much.

[SassyTink 78]

I take a +50 Multiple Vitamin, B12, & D

[css95 0]

I am 66, I had my sleeve done in Mexico on 9/9/13. The day of surgery I was 204 LBS, today I am 189 LBS. Of coarse I thought it would come off a little faster, but hey no complaints. I seem to really get tired about 4:00 pm, go take a nap. I am suppose to go to a big party Nov.1. Our friends are going to pick us up at the airport and we always go to the Buffet, they do not know about the sleeve and I don't want anyone but my close family know. So I don't know how it is going to work out. What to eat? Anyone been in that predicament before? How did you handle it? I am really excited about the future weight lose, the amount of food I am eating, it has to come off, maybe not as fast as I like, but it will come off. Congratulation to all of you for getting the sleeve, and to your healthy future. I believe we all made the right choice.

[Cabingirl 55]

I'm new to the 60's group ( though I'm 64 - I'll introduce myself tomorrow when I it's a bit easier on my laptop.

Congratulations on the surgery and your progress.

I have a "kind of" similar trip planned with a girlfriend to Las Vegas for a basketball tournament. She was with me for my surgery (VSG on Aug 15) and is fully in the know about my requirements. We've targeted restaurants with Soups that appeal to me (egg drop, etc.), appies like shrimp cocktail, or a "clean" meatball, or an entree that where.the beef, chicken or fish isn't smothered in stuff I can't eat. Luckily wraps are so popular now, too.

It seems like from the buffet you can choose similarly without sending out unwanted radar signals, and who says you have to eat it what's on your plate?

That may be best part of buffets since plates are ditched quickly when people are going back and forth. cheese, shrimp, your fave meat that isn't transformed thru frying, a few veggies, a salad that may include cottage cheese ...

You'll have a grand time with no worry about questions or expectations (except "why do you look so good?!"

[m4huskers 10]

Hi everyone. Glad to find a bunch of people my age. I'm 63, just faxed my paperwork to my MD & am waiting for Ins. approval. What I'm wondering my gastro MD said I probably only lose 80#, need to lose about 120# and she couldn't cure my diabetes mainly because of my age and because I have been diabetic for 10 years. Is she about right? Have you all had these issues? My other question is: I am expecting this excess skin to hang but is it also the case around my face? These are issues I can ask this youngsters, hope you all can help! Thanks!

[Peggy D 124]

I'm 64 & was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over 20 years ago. I had had gestational diabetes with both of my pregnancies 28 & 30 years ago. I've had to take increasing amounts of insulin to keep my Hgb A1c "reasonable." A year ago my Hgb A1c was 7.5. In May, one month in on my 3-month supervised high Protein, low carb diet it was 7.3. I remember being told that it was checked while I was in the hospital & it was 5.9 but no one can find the result. I just had it done today for my annual check up & it is 6.0. I haven't taken Metformin since 10 days before surgery & I'm now taking dramatically less insulin.

As for the skin, I have especially noticed my weight loss in my face but not any excess skin. My "turkey neck" is less than it was a month or so ago. Abdominal skin is another story. I have always had a huge "apron" & it's now flatter, but not shrunken at all. I've known all along that I will be needing a panniculectomy when I get to goal.

[m4huskers 10]

I'm 64 & was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over 20 years ago. I had had gestational diabetes with both of my pregnancies 28 & 30 years ago. I've had to take increasing amounts of insulin to keep my Hgb A1c "reasonable." A year ago my Hgb A1c was 7.5. In May, one month in on my 3-month supervised high Protein, low carb diet it was 7.3. I remember being told that it was checked while I was in the hospital & it was 5.9 but no one can find the result. I just had it done today for my annual check up & it is 6.0. I haven't taken Metformin since 10 days before surgery & I'm now taking dramatically less insulin.

As for the skin, I have especially noticed my weight loss in my face but not any excess skin. My "turkey neck" is less than it was a month or so ago. Abdominal skin is another story. I have always had a huge "apron" & it's now flatter, but not shrunken at all. I've known all along that I will be needing a panniculectomy when I get to goal.

Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it. My last A1C was 8 so I'm really anxious to get my surgery. It's nice to know what you said going into this. Thanks!

[dbsylvest 21]

I'm 64 & was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over 20 years ago. I had had gestational diabetes with both of my pregnancies 28 & 30 years ago. I've had to take increasing amounts of insulin to keep my Hgb A1c "reasonable." A year ago my Hgb A1c was 7.5. In May' date=' one month in on my 3-month supervised high Protein, low carb diet it was 7.3. I remember being told that it was checked while I was in the hospital & it was 5.9 but no one can find the result. I just had it done today for my annual check up & it is 6.0. I haven't taken Metformin since 10 days before surgery & I'm now taking dramatically less insulin.

As for the skin, I have especially noticed my weight loss in my face but not any excess skin. My "turkey neck" is less than it was a month or so ago. Abdominal skin is another story. I have always had a huge "apron" & it's now flatter, but not shrunken at all. I've known all along that I will be needing a panniculectomy when I get to goal.[/quote']

Thanks for sharing r u still taking insulin and how did u manage when going through the preop diet I'm having trouble bottoming out then rocketing up my last A1c was 8.2

[Peggy D 124]

Yes, I'm still taking insulin. I've managed by checking my blood sugars at least 4 times a day & taking less insulin more often which is crucial when you make a dramatic change like the pre-op diet.

I always have had a problem with high fasting blood sugars. Even back to when I only had gestational diabetes with both of my pregnancies that resolved after delivery. No matter how I adjusted my evening insulin that I took before dinner, it would be 170-180 or so in the morning, yet I would often have dramatic lows during the night. I started a low carb, high Protein diet (like Adkins or South Beach) the day I saw my surgeon for my first consult. My sugars were a bit better, but not by much, & probably more because I lost about 20 pounds in the first 6 weeks on that diet.

Two months later I was so frustrated I went online & did a lot of research about the onset & peak timings of regular & NPH insulins. I had learned that in nursing school, but that was so many years ago & I didn't work with adults with diabetes to keep my knowledge fresh. I've never liked "micro-managing" my insulin but I had to do something. Because I am a nurse my PCP has always allowed me to manage my insulin with certain guidelines & I did check with his office about the changes I made. I started with checking my blood sugar 4-5 times a day & taking my NPH insulin 3 times a day, rather than twice - in the morning before Breakfast, at bedtime & halfway in between in the mid-afternoon - dividing the day total into 3. Then took regular insulin before each meal & snack. I was able to reduce the total insulin dramatically within a few days as my sugars were so much better. I used to take 20 units of regular before Breakfast & before dinner & 35 of NPH before breakfast & 40 of NPH before dinner. Two months later, just before surgery, I was down to 20 units of NPH morning & mid-afternoon & 10 units before bed. I was taking 5-10 units of regular before eating, depending on my blood sugars. In the hospital my Hgb A1c was down to 5.9 from 7.3 that it was 3 months earlier.

[dbsylvest 21]

Yes' date=' I'm still taking insulin. I've managed by checking my blood sugars at least 4 times a day & taking less insulin more often which is crucial when you make a dramatic change like the pre-op diet.

I always have had a problem with high fasting blood sugars. Even back to when I only had gestational diabetes with both of my pregnancies that resolved after delivery. No matter how I adjusted my evening insulin that I took before dinner, it would be 170-180 or so in the morning, yet I would often have dramatic lows during the night. I started a low carb, high Protein diet (like Adkins or South Beach) the day I saw my surgeon for my first consult. My sugars were a bit better, but not by much, & probably more because I lost about 20 pounds in the first 6 weeks on that diet.

Two months later I was so frustrated I went online & did a lot of research about the onset & peak timings of regular & NPH insulins. I had learned that in nursing school, but that was so many years ago & I didn't work with adults with diabetes to keep my knowledge fresh. I've never liked "micro-managing" my insulin but I had to do something. Because I am a nurse my PCP has always allowed me to manage my insulin with certain guidelines & I did check with his office about the changes I made. I started with checking my blood sugar 4-5 times a day & taking my NPH insulin 3 times a day, rather than twice - in the morning before breakfast, at bedtime & halfway in between in the mid-afternoon - dividing the day total into 3. Then took regular insulin before each meal & snack. I was able to reduce the total insulin dramatically within a few days as my sugars were so much better. I used to take 20 units of regular before breakfast & before dinner & 35 of NPH before breakfast & 40 of NPH before dinner. Two months later, just before surgery, I was down to 20 units of NPH morning & mid-afternoon & 10 units before bed. I was taking 5-10 units of regular before eating, depending on my blood sugars. In the hospital my Hgb A1c was down to 5.9 from 7.3 that it was 3 months earlier.[/quote']

Thanks so much for sharing ,it helps to know I can follow the preop plan and work with the insulin I'm not there yet but I'm total ok as long as I know I can adjust the mess with the doc help of course

[jslern 11]

Hi all you sixties people. I am almost 67 and having the vsg on nov 7th hoping all goes well. I too am a fairly low bmi and know just from reading all these post that my weight loss will probably be a little slower. whatever I just want to see the loss. My husband was worried that I was to old but surgeon told him he operates on people in there 70's. looking forward to more info from this group. good luck to all

[barbmeow 92]

css95, You are doing well. some of us do not lose very fast. I think it is part of the reason we are heavy, we are hypo metabolic. I was told by a Dr when I was 18 that this is my metabolism, ultra slow. We would be the ones who would survive famine,Oh goodie. But we just are slow loosers.He also told me to stay thin I would have to eat 1 lettuce leaf a day. How depressing. I find that if I keep carbs really low I can lose weight and maintain a normal body weight, so if this applies to you then you pick Protein at the buffet. You can tell your friends you are doing the Atkins diet, and since protein fills you up fast you will not have to eat as much as they. Shrimp and cheese, turkey or prime rib. There is always that kind of thing at buffets. If there are crab legs they take a long time to eat and you can fiddle with the shells to get the last drop of sweet crab. I hope you have a great time, and come back lighter and happier than your friends who will be guilty at all they ate at the buffet.