No One In The Sixties?

[Birthsjourney 146]

Karen.. I am 64 and worried about age factor! Your determination is impressive and will carry you though this journey! I am 4 weeks out and have NO regrets! Doing ok.. Each day is better .. First two weeks were the toughest but nothing to be concerned with.. I went out for 2 hours shopping at the end of the first week! Off all the same meds you are dealing with.. Just drink and drink.. It gets easier after that 2nd week.. I still drink constantly but u almost need to! Enjoy those Northern Lights ! Can't see them from Ohio... Dyan

[savannalady 5]

How is everyone doing? Especially the woman in Alaska. Im in Florida. We had a cold spell (gee, down to 44 at night-) but today its 70 and damp. Gloomy. I long for the sun, so I can take my walks.

[Nicie 9]

Hello. I am new to this site. I will be 63 next month. I have lost 24 lbs in he last three months and still have another 80 to go. I have never been able to lose that much weight and keep it off. I keep hoping I can continue without the surgery. I went ahead and completed all the pre op testing in case I do decide on surgery. I am very concerned about long term consequences from the surgery. Sleeve or bypass. I have never had such a problem making a decision. I am back and forth on this daily. I do go to a support group and that has helped. However, I get the feeling they all have surgery fever! Not one person has anything but wonderful things to say about their experiences but that only makes me wonder if they are just painting a rosey picture. You would think that at least one of them would have had some sort of complication. I am not looking for complications, only a realistic report. I must say, though, only two others in the group are near my age. Most are 30 - 50? I take coumadin, lipitor, blood pressure medicine and metformine. I was just recently diagnosed with diabetes. I met with the surgeon and am confident in his skills. I have a strong inclination to go with the surgery but I have this nagging doubt about doing it. Any words of wisdom for me?

[savannalady 5]

Nicey,

Im not real up to date on surgeries they do now but since you only have 80 lbs to go, why not consider a lap band? MUCH less risk and fewer problems in the years after surgery. I weighed 292 before my bypass (The Big One.) I am 5'4". I had never been able to lose weight, only kept gaining. So, for me, bypass was a life-saving thing. I had it in 2003. I rapidly lost weight, in fact, became TOO thin for several years. Now Im a normal weight and I like it. BUT - I also have severe osteoporosis, and have had three bouts with kidney stones. I have "Short Bowel Syndrome," too. The first two are serious issues. Because I needed to lose so much weight, the bypass really was my only option . I had a good surgeon, and he did warn me about the possible post-op problems but frankly, everyone thinks "it wont be me."

Whatever - its great you've lost some weight already! Let me know what you decided.

[DLCoggin 1,788]

Hello. I am new to this site. I will be 63 next month. I have lost 24 lbs in he last three months and still have another 80 to go. I have never been able to lose that much weight and keep it off. I keep hoping I can continue without the surgery. I went ahead and completed all the pre op testing in case I do decide on surgery. I am very concerned about long term consequences from the surgery. Sleeve or bypass. I have never had such a problem making a decision. I am back and forth on this daily. I do go to a support group and that has helped. However, I get the feeling they all have surgery fever! Not one person has anything but wonderful things to say about their experiences but that only makes me wonder if they are just painting a rosey picture. You would think that at least one of them would have had some sort of complication. I am not looking for complications, only a realistic report. I must say, though, only two others in the group are near my age. Most are 30 - 50? I take coumadin, lipitor, blood pressure medicine and metformine. I was just recently diagnosed with diabetes. I met with the surgeon and am confident in his skills. I have a strong inclination to go with the surgery but I have this nagging doubt about doing it. Any words of wisdom for me?

Nicie your post reminds me of one not too long ago where the OP said that she was 80% sure about having the surgery and wondering how she could get to 100%. Bypass or sleeve are major surgeries. All surgeries have risks and bariatric surgeries are no exception. There simply are no guarantees. 100% implies absolute certainty. I believe that any goal you set has to meet two criteria - it must be realistic and it must be sustainable. Any goal that does not meet those two criteria should be abandoned in favor of one that does. Absolute certainty is neither realistic nor sustainable.

When I was trying to make the surgery decision and subsequently the choice of which surgery to have, my goal became to do as much research as possible, learn everything I could about the potential benefits - and risks - of each option. That goal was both realistic and sustainable. The result of that effort was that I concluded that the odds were overwhelmingly in my favor of having a successful, literally life-changing outcome. And that is exactly what happened. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment known to medical science for the treatment of obesity and more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity. By a huge margin.

Once I had all of the facts, the decision was relatively easy. That is not to say that I wasn't frightened. There were times right up to the moment they wheeled me into the OR when it scared the bejesus out of me. But courage is not about never being frightened (unrealistic and unsustainable). Courage is about doing what you believe to be the right thing for you and your family, in spite of your fears.

Today I'm a little over two and a half years post-op. Hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and 130 pounds - gone. I hit 155 lbs about fourteen months post-op and my weight has been between 151 and 156 every since. This morning I was 152.4.

I've had two complications. About six months post-op I developed an ulcer at the anastomosis that was confirmed with an endoscopy. My surgeon increased my Rx for Prevacid from one capsule a day to two. No other changes. No other treatment. Three months later a second endoscopy confirmed the ulcer was completely healed.

The second complication - I'm one of about 15% of patients that experience reactive hypoglycemia aka "late stage" dumping. Definitely not comfortable but easily avoided by avoiding too much sugar or carbs. And when I make a bad choice and my blood sugar drops, I simply eat something with a little sugar, or simple carbs or just chew a glucose tablet. Without fail, the symptoms completely disappear in about 20 minutes. All in all, a very small price to pay for a life that, not that long ago, I thought would never be possible.

Would I do it again? Without a moments hesitation. Am I the exception? You don't have to look any further than this forum to read countless stories similar to mine. When you have questions, there are tons of great folks here who are more than happy to offer the benefit of their experiences. Good luck in making your decision!

Edited June 1, 2014 by DLCoggin

[savannalady 5]

I agree with you. However, I am 11 years out. My complications did not show up until I was about 6 years out. However, I am not kidding: I would not go back to being obese, and these things are the price I pay for life changing surgery. I admit it, I did not do enough research. I am an RN, and thought I "knew enough" .And I DID know about things like osteoporosis, kidney stones and anemia. But it doesn't matter, because at nearly 300 lbs, if I hadn't had the surgery, I might not even be alive today.

I didn't mention one issue I still have. For some reason, my pouch never stretched at all. Its still the 30 cc it was right after surgery. I doubt it was anything the surgeon did. My guess is its just ME. And it sure prevents me from overeating!

But boy, sometimes I do crave a McDonalds cheeseburger!

[Nicie 9]

Nicey,

Im not real up to date on surgeries they do now but since you only have 80 lbs to go, why not consider a lap band? MUCH less risk and fewer problems in the years after surgery. I weighed 292 before my bypass (The Big One.) I am 5'4". I had never been able to lose weight, only kept gaining. So, for me, bypass was a life-saving thing. I had it in 2003. I rapidly lost weight, in fact, became TOO thin for several years. Now Im a normal weight and I like it. BUT - I also have severe osteoporosis, and have had three bouts with kidney stones. I have "Short Bowel Syndrome," too. The first two are serious issues. Because I needed to lose so much weight, the bypass really was my only option . I had a good surgeon, and he did warn me about the possible post-op problems but frankly, everyone thinks "it wont be me."

Whatever - its great you've lost some weight already! Let me know what you decided.

Thank you for your response. And congratulations on your weight loss. I had to laugh when you wrote "since you only have 80 lbs to go". To me, that might as well be 500 lbs! Another quote "became TOO thin". At this point in my journey, I just can not imagine that I will ever be TOO thin. You are an inspiration and I am so grateful you are able to share your knowledge. I am not going for the lap band because of the statistics out there about the long term success, the need for consistent dr. visits for filling the lap band, and the number of revisions to bypass from the lap band. The sleeve was my first choice but it can cause worsening of GERD (which I have) and it is not as effective for those who crave sweets (absolutely my downfall). Long term weight loss is also a concern with the sleeve. So, I am re-thinking that option. Gastric bypass did not appeal to me initially because of the cutting of the small intestine. However, the advantages of not being able to tolerate sweets and that this surgery is the gold standard for weight loss, I am seriously looking at the bypass. My doctor will do either operation for me. I've only just completed the pre op requirements last Thursday so I should have plenty of time to make a decision. I will keep you posted. Thanks again for your help.

[Nicie 9]

Hello. I am new to this site. I will be 63 next month. I have lost 24 lbs in he last three months and still have another 80 to go. I have never been able to lose that much weight and keep it off. I keep hoping I can continue without the surgery. I went ahead and completed all the pre op testing in case I do decide on surgery. I am very concerned about long term consequences from the surgery. Sleeve or bypass. I have never had such a problem making a decision. I am back and forth on this daily. I do go to a support group and that has helped. However, I get the feeling they all have surgery fever! Not one person has anything but wonderful things to say about their experiences but that only makes me wonder if they are just painting a rosey picture. You would think that at least one of them would have had some sort of complication. I am not looking for complications, only a realistic report. I must say, though, only two others in the group are near my age. Most are 30 - 50? I take coumadin, lipitor, blood pressure medicine and metformine. I was just recently diagnosed with diabetes. I met with the surgeon and am confident in his skills. I have a strong inclination to go with the surgery but I have this nagging doubt about doing it. Any words of wisdom for me?

Nicie your post reminds me of one not too long ago where the OP said that she was 80% sure about having the surgery and wondering how she could get to 100%. Bypass or sleeve are major surgeries. All surgeries have risks and bariatric surgeries are no exception. There simply are no guarantees. 100% implies absolute certainty. I believe that any goal you set has to meet two criteria - it must be realistic and it must be sustainable. Any goal that does not meet those two criteria should be abandoned in favor of one that does. Absolute certainty is neither realistic nor sustainable.

When I was trying to make the surgery decision and subsequently the choice of which surgery to have, my goal became to do as much research as possible, learn everything I could about the potential benefits - and risks - of each option. That goal was both realistic and sustainable. The result of that effort was that I concluded that the odds were overwhelmingly in my favor of having a successful, literally life-changing outcome. And that is exactly what happened. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment known to medical science for the treatment of obesity and more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity. By a huge margin.

Once I had all of the facts, the decision was relatively easy. That is not to say that I wasn't frightened. There were times right up to the moment they wheeled me into the OR when it scared the bejesus out of me. But courage is not about never being frightened (unrealistic and unsustainable). Courage is about doing what you believe to be the right thing for you and your family, in spite of your fears.

Today I'm a little over two and a half years post-op. Hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and 130 pounds - gone. I hit 155 lbs about fourteen months post-op and my weight has been between 151 and 156 every since. This morning I was 152.4.

I've had two complications. About six months post-op I developed an ulcer at the anastomosis that was confirmed with an endoscopy. My surgeon increased my Rx for Prevacid from one capsule a day to two. No other changes. No other treatment. Three months later a second endoscopy confirmed the ulcer was completely healed.

The second complication - I'm one of about 15% of patients that experience reactive hypoglycemia aka "late stage" dumping. Definitely not comfortable but easily avoided by avoiding too much sugar or carbs. And when I make a bad choice and my blood sugar drops, I simply eat something with a little sugar, or simple carbs or just chew a glucose tablet. Without fail, the symptoms completely disappear in about 20 minutes. All in all, a very small price to pay for a life that, not that long ago, I thought would never be possible.

Would I do it again? Without a moments hesitation. Am I the exception? You don't have to look any further than this forum to read countless stories similar to mine. When you have questions, there are tons of great folks here who are more than happy to offer the benefit of their experiences. Good luck in making your decision!

Thank you for your response. I am so appreciate that you took the time to give me such a thorough narrative. Congratulations on your success with this challenging journey to better health. I hope to also be a success in this journey.

What you wrote has made an impact on how I will move forward with this issue. You are so right in pointing out that this surgery is the most effective treatment for obesity. I think I was just kidding myself that I could lose 100 lbs without medical intervention and that was a big reason for my indecisiveness. It was also very helpful to hear that I am not alone in my fear of the unknown when you wrote about how scared you were up until surgery. I am going to write down your quote about "Courage is about doing what you believe to be the right thing for you and your family, in spite of your fears." Thanks again for your insight.

[savannalady 5]

I completely understand your logic and you're probably rightl I don't know much about the sleeve, though.

Yes, I WAS too thin! 5'4" and 89 lbs is WAY TOO THIN. There were other issues involved, but having a 1 ounce stomach was the main cause. And 80 lbs really isn't that much though I know it feels like it. Most surgeons wont even do the bypass unless you're 100 lbs overweight. Maybe they've changed that.....? You sound very intelligent and informed and I bet you make whatever is the right decision for you.

There are many, many support groups online for weight loss surgery. Wish I knew of one that was ONLY for those over 55! We have sort of different issues, I think. I know for me, its often hard to know whats from the surgery and whats from old age.

My health has gotten better since losing all that weight, but I also gained new problems. But Im not lugging around 170 extra lbs!!!!! Good grief, I just did that math and was shocked. 170 lbs. My God. Funny....when you're a newbie after surgery, you obsess about numbers, time, etc. You think," You're not losing fast enough! You will be the ONE person who doesn't lose weight!" Now, 11 years later, I don't even think about it except times like right now.

And body image....you know, there's still times I look in the mirror and "see" a fat lady. Oh, not "real fat," but in my warped eyes every little bit of flab is seen as too fat. I know what the scale says. Its in my mind that's mixed up. And of course, losing so much weight does mean I have a bunch of excess skin! But its just skin, not skin covering fat. I even lost a shoe size! Don't get the idea I am obsessive about my weight. Im not. In fact I haven't weighed myself for months. I go by how my clothes fit now. Numbers don't mean much.

But again, sometimes I simply CRAVE McDonalds!!! That used to be my real food addiction. Double quarter pounders, fries, and a DIET coke. LOL!!!!!

Annie in Florida

[Nicie 9]

I completely understand your logic and you're probably rightl I don't know much about the sleeve, though.

Yes, I WAS too thin! 5'4" and 89 lbs is WAY TOO THIN. There were other issues involved, but having a 1 ounce stomach was the main cause. And 80 lbs really isn't that much though I know it feels like it. Most surgeons wont even do the bypass unless you're 100 lbs overweight. Maybe they've changed that.....? You sound very intelligent and informed and I bet you make whatever is the right decision for you.

There are many, many support groups online for weight loss surgery. Wish I knew of one that was ONLY for those over 55! We have sort of different issues, I think. I know for me, its often hard to know whats from the surgery and whats from old age.

My health has gotten better since losing all that weight, but I also gained new problems. But Im not lugging around 170 extra lbs!!!!! Good grief, I just did that math and was shocked. 170 lbs. My God. Funny....when you're a newbie after surgery, you obsess about numbers, time, etc. You think," You're not losing fast enough! You will be the ONE person who doesn't lose weight!" Now, 11 years later, I don't even think about it except times like right now.

And body image....you know, there's still times I look in the mirror and "see" a fat lady. Oh, not "real fat," but in my warped eyes every little bit of flab is seen as too fat. I know what the scale says. Its in my mind that's mixed up. And of course, losing so much weight does mean I have a bunch of excess skin! But its just skin, not skin covering fat. I even lost a shoe size! Don't get the idea I am obsessive about my weight. Im not. In fact I haven't weighed myself for months. I go by how my clothes fit now. Numbers don't mean much.

But again, sometimes I simply CRAVE McDonalds!!! That used to be my real food addiction. Double quarter pounders, fries, and a DIET coke. LOL!!!!!

Annie in Florida

How come you have a one ounce stomach? Are you able to have a few bites of a McD burger? I was very surprised how easy it was for me to get off diet 7 up. That is the only thing that has been easy. Went to the doctor today, only lost a total of 22 lbs. I thought it was 24. Oh well, time to restructure my diet and exercise program. I am very concerned about gaining anything back. My past experiences have been to lose some and gain more. I am 100% committed to not have that happen this time.

Nicie

[savannalady 5]

When a gastric bypass is originally done, most stomacvhs are only one ounce. Then after about a year and a half, its supposed to stretch to maybe 2 ounces. Mine never did. No one knows why. Its not a mistake the surgeon made, no one has thought. I live with it.

Sure, I can take TWO bites of a Mickey D's hamburger. And thats it. So why bother to pay for a huge thing I cant eat?! If someone else gets one, maybe Ill ask for a bit of it.

I think we all live in fear of regaining. I do, even though its very, very unlikely.Couple weeks ago I went through old photos and aw a couple of me not even at my biggest. What a shock. I had nearly forgotten. Brought back all that misery of being big, sweaty and uncomfortable. YOU know.

Annie

[Nicie 9]

Well, I finally made a decision. I am going ahead with the sleeve surgery. I am waiting to hear from my doctor's office that the request has been submitted to my insurance company. Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. It really helped me in many ways.

Nicie

[savannalady 5]

Oh, that's great! Can you explain what the sleeve is???

I finally made an appointment with a urlologist for the kidney stones. I hate going to doctors now, but I have to for this. Urine has been reddish lately....no pain. Same as last time.

Annie

[Nicie 9]

Oh, that's great! Can you explain what the sleeve is???

I finally made an appointment with a urlologist for the kidney stones. I hate going to doctors now, but I have to for this. Urine has been reddish lately....no pain. Same as last time.

Annie

I hope your appointment goes well. I am not a fan of doctor visits either. However, I would certainly go to have your issue checked out.

With the sleeve surgery, the surgeon removes all but a banana sized portion of your stomach. You have no rerouting of your intestine as you would with the bypass. The sleeve surgery is less complicated; thus, less time in the operating room. Since I made the decision, I am so much more relaxed. I still have concerns about the outcome but I am committed to follow through with this procedure.

[StabMyFinger 19]

I am 65 and hoping to have my surgery in November. Test are done, nutrition done, shrink next week. Was worried about my age, but Dr said he has done several on people my age. I also have a band and will be having a revision to rny