Over 50? Please share your experience

Hi Michele, Welcome to OFF, the best board on OH!   You've come to the right place.  You can learn alot of what you want to know by reading the general posts.   If you click on the person's name, it will take you to that person's profile, where you can read lots more about that person's experience with wls.    Note that some of the members here have so much info on their profile that you have to click on prior pages to see the older postings.    One benefit of the info on the profiles is that is was generally written closer to the time of the surgery.  I don't know about others, but for me, I try to remember all the good and none of the bad.   So if you asked me now, I'd say it was a breeze - a little bit different that what I would have said 2 days after surgery.  Also, remember, each of us is different.   If you read many different profiles, you'll be better able to imagine how it might be for you.    Good Luck to you - hope this helps!

Hello Michele,  I'm over 50 and now 6 weeks post-op.  I was in the hospital 2 nights, came home and haven't had a probem one (other than the one I caused by over doing it 2 weeks after surgery).  I was off work for 6 weeks. I wish I would have had the surgery sooner.  I thought I could do it on my own.... yah, right.   Best wishes to you.  Janet

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me.  I feel at home in this forum.  I heard good and some bad things from the younger WLS patients but I glad I came upon this forum.  Thanks so much.  I will read about your journeys and keep you posted on mine.   God Bless.  Michele

Hi Michele and welcome to OFF(Over Fifty Forum). I had my surgery about 8 months ago. I have never gotten sick and feel terrific. More energy then I even know what to do with at times! I have been at goal weight for about a month now. In fact I am even below goal now. I no longer have high blood pressure, acid reflux or diabetes!! I too have arthritis and bad knees but I can litterally run up and down the steps now. The pain is so much better. Be sure you research...research and reseach some more. Being on OH is one of the best places for support and information. Hope you enjoy this board as much as I do. These are wonderful people here. You can't go wrong!! I wish you all the best on this fabulous journey. Hugs, connie d

This is the best thing I have done for me. I was 50 and 2 days old when I had my surgery. I feel as if I have a healthy life to live now! Go for it!

I had surgery at 59. In total, I've lost almost 150 pounds since I started the journey with RNY surgery. I had the LAP procedure. I have a pretty complete description of my journey on my profile page for reading, if you want to understand better. DAVE

Michele, Welcome to the OFF Board of OH, you will get pretty much all the information and support you could possibly need from the post-ops here, as well as laughs and friendships. . . I had my surgery 6-1/2 months ago at the age of 52, I have had no complications whatsoever thusfar and other than a couple of times when I ate too fast or didn't chew my food well enough, have had no bad experiences, my energy level is what it was back in my 20s and I am able to do things that I hadn't been able to do in years.  I still have a ways to go, but I am living my dreams and would do it again in a New York minute!  For more of my journey and photos, check out my profile by clicking on my name or picture. . . It's a big decision and one only you can make for yourself, but the best thing to do is research your surgeon's background and educate yourself on all that you need to know.  Your part is being willing to dedicate yourself to a regimen that includes taking daily supplements for the rest of your life and some kind of exercise program, which while it might seem impossible to think of exercise right now, in time you will see such an increase in energy that you will be happy to be doing something with that energy. . . Best wishes to you on your journey, Laureen

Aloha Michele from your Hawaiian sister in the OFF..........We are always so glad to have a newcomer because we have all been there and have asked the same questions, had the same worries, and needed to be supported.

In a nutshell, I will be 65 on June 1st and had my surgery 22 months ago. As you can see from my ticker, I am below goal, and feel like a genuine miracle has happened. At 319 lbs. I was unable to do so many things, and wore big muu muus mostly to hide the fat. I never went to the beach, and could not enjoy the beauty around me by walking and adventuring because of my size. Now, at below goal....my life is "normal" if that is a word that has any meaning any longer.

I can be a monkey and climb on stools; I can walk the beaches for miles; I can get down on the floor with my grandbabies and roll around and hop up like I was a teenager; I can live my life freely without carrying around a 155 lb person on my back!!

We have great support groups here on Maui, and I have yet to hear one person say they would NOT do it over again. Even the few and rare who have had serious complications..........they say they still would do it again.

I wish you the best of everything....and if you decide to do this life saving surgery, please come and share your adventure with us....we are always here, always ready to laugh, play, share ups and downs, just be quietly here giving each other love and encouragement.

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

Hi Michele, My first time posting on this site but thought it appropriate for me to start. See my profile page for my story. I am now three years out after having open RNY at age 52 and I have a stable weight after loosing 130 pounds. My weight fluctuates up and down between 260 and 270 and I do need to watch my diet and avoid carbs and booze. I always have to work at getting enough exercise as I have a desk job. I had an incisional hernia repair last year. My knee and shoulder joint pains must be due to getting old since my labs indicate my nutrition is okay. Life is so much better after GBS but I do wish I could get rid of another 40 pounds. Have a great day. Rich

Hi: I had a lap RNY when I was 49; I am now nearly 4 years out and 180 pounds lighter. I had a knee replacement last year that no doctor probably would have done when I was 347 pounds; I am able to walk up and down stairs better and walk better, but for some reason I still have pain in the knee when I sit and sleep (go figure!) I had borderline high blood pressure before surgery, arthritic knees, spinal arthritis, degenerative disc disease in the back; still have the arthritis and the disc problems but I have helped myself by taking the pounds off. No more BP meds; I'm still on a lot of meds for other problems (allergies, etc.) I wasn't diabetic before, but was probably headed there considering it runs in my mother's family (two uncles were diabetic and lost toes, feet and eyesight due to no****ching their blood sugar levels).  Having this surgery was the best decision I ever made. I had no problems other than low potassium levels pre-op and post-op; probably caused a "heart glitch" ... as the docs called it ... and caused me to stay two nights in the hospital. It took me three years to get to my goal, which was to lose half the weight. I am not down to what insurance would call a "normal" BMI (it's "overweight") but I'm much healthier than I was four years ago.  The only other issue I had post-op was an incisional infection. I have been able to eat anything and nothing bothers me (probably why I lost so slowly!)