mojaleski

I had to chuckle about the Tab & Fresca comments. I LIVED on Fresca in 1972 while losing 73 lb on Atkin's...(which rendered me 132 lb. and thin for 1st time ever. Of course had not reached nearly 280 lb. back then which I did by 1998. Now recently 238 and ready for my surgery 9/12. It never occurred to me I might not be able to eat some things like sugarless popsicles. And I am happy for the tip to try 1/2 tsp of things at first to see how they go down...but I will remember. Thanks.

I can't wait...9/12/13 sleeve date...and I will be looking forward to one egg filling me up!

hahahah...typo or auto correct and I am unsure which... I do have to admit I look pretty good for being 170 years old though. Glad you picked up the error. Now if I can correct it I will be doing well. :-)

Ready to go! Very exciting!

Good luck with your surgery!!!

I don't like the chocolate muscle milk or the ESA vanilla or the Atkins caramel. They can be doctored up... I think to be at least somewhat palatable...but they are all really chalky..to me. And I bought the ready to drink liquid ones. I am searching for Premier Protein which I have read the most positive reviews on.

Still searching for Premier shakes...RTD... and no luck yet...but recalled reading many people think chocolate muscle milk very good... I don't like it...another chalky taste. I have to find something to put in these to make them better. I recall when I did 90 days of all liquid diet Cambridge food for Life powder mix I used to just add all sorts of flavorings (a few drops of peppermint or other flavors and they were DELICIOUS. My skinny husband at that time used to ask me to make a shake for him...as good as a thick shake at a fast food place and no one would guess it was a diet drink. So I think these can be salvaged with some sugar free flavors...but I hate drinking anything that my description of it is "NOT TOO BAD". lol

Where do you get Premier RTD? I would get some and try them. Which is your favorite flavor? Did you ever try the ones I bought today? I want to get something that is DELICIOUS and not just simply "not too bad" ... lol. Thanks.

So today I decided to buy a blender and some "ready to drink" (RTD) shakes, thinking that a can of powder is going to turn me off immediately (vivid memories of Carnation Instant Milk in a box and other powdered Protein drinks I had years ago). I found the cafe caramel, came home and poured half of it in the blender, added ice and tasted it in a few minutes...drinkable, not terrible...or particularly flavorful but CHALKY...so I added 3 packets of Splenda, a couple TB of fat free Greek Fage yogurt and a splash of sugar free caramel syrup from Starbucks...quite an improvement. Next time I will throw in some instant coffee as well. I also bought a 4-pack of the Atkins mocha flavor. The Atkins RTD 11 oz. shakes have 15 g Protein, 160 cal. and 2 net carbs. I also bought two 4-packs of EAS AdvantEDGE...11oz French vanilla and a Dark Choc. RTD shakes...and they have17 g protein, 100 cal. and 2.5 net carbs. I will try one tomorrow. One thing I liked about the Atkins is it has a twist off cap like a bottle of soda...so I could seal off half to make another frosty concoction later. The EAS brand has just a fold down container like a cardboard milk container....could spill in a cooler. By the way, I drank some in the glass after blending but poured the rest in my Bodum insulated stainless container I always used for coffee. When I went to pour some more into my glass it wouldn't pour...it had gotten COLDER in the container and I could eat it with a spoon...much improved!!! I will be getting some more Bodum insulated containers...shorter ones to eat my drinks! Anybody have any suggestions for doctoring up some of these RTD shakes? mojaleski

Hoping to have my sleeve surgery in September at Lahey Clinic Hospital in Burlington, Ma. with Dr. David Brams if all goes well with my pre-op testing. I am excited! 70 years old, retired RN and ready to be done with this weight and how it gets in my way. Had thought I would only consider the band, since it is reversible, I thought...but after lots of research I found myself thinking I wanted to do this only once, that is have surgery only once and read myself into believing the gastric sleeve was the best option for me. The nurse practitioner, who went over my particular family history, agreed and so here I am...waiting...but not so nervous as I was a week ago. I am excited to have it and move forward. mojaleski from NH

I am a 70 year old woman with no comorbidities and a BMI of 41.8. Medicare is my primary insurance now but BCBS has to approve to pay what is not covered by medicare. I have my fingers crossed. Anyone have any personal stories with BCBS of NH?

Good morning and thank you for the personal email. I did get your number and will give you a call. When is a good time for you? I am in Eastern time and don't want to call you at 0-dark-30 your time! I am really happy to find you, someone my own age, who has had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy so recently.

Hi...glad to find you here on this forum. Not so many of us in our age group. How long had you had the band and what caused you to be doing the conversion to sleeve? I had initially thought I wanted the band...but now am believing the sleeve is the right procedure for me. I have been to the info session and also my first appointment at Lahey Clinic in Ma... saw nutritionist, nurse practitioner (a wonderful woman) and a psychologist...came away feeling at ease and confident in the choice. If all goes well with the upper GI series next month and Medicare and NH Anthem BCBS approve I should be having the surgery in September. I am looking forward to it and getting my body back...it won't be how it looks nearly as much as how I feel. Meanwhile I will join a gym for exercise and take off some weight! Would love to hear about your experiences. Where did you have it done? mojaleski from NH

I was in quite a state last night when I discovered, in just googling Lahey Clinic and one of the surgeries my posting in one of these forums. "Beside myself" comes to mind. To think of all the very personal and generous shares people post in these forums, believing only others considering or having had weight loss surgery could read what they wrote or perhaps see a very personal photo... It never occurred to me that people who I have not told I am going to do bariatric surgery yet could google a hospital and discover my post on the forum without finding the forum to begin with or joining it. I have deleted my photos...and will just use my nickname, mojaleski from here on...and hope to continue participating because it is so valuable to me, although I am still very new. I am feeling confident about the surgery...now hoping to have the sleeve after discussing at length with the nurse practitioner at Lahey. It seems the most prudent option for me, given my age, osteopenia and family medical history...so if my upper GI fluoroscopy is okay that is the direction I will keep heading. I am also a good candidate for the band so it is still an option. Started weight loss plan today too...tracking my food...and will be joining a health club so that I can exercise, in earnest. (argghhh) Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. me

Anyone else 70 years old and having had this surgery?

So this morning I headed down to Lahey at 0-dark-30 before the morning commuter traffic and settled in to wait...nervous as a cat, I realized, and excited at the same time. There were 3 of us. One was a woman who currently has the lap band, has had no complications in 6 years with it, but had lost 80 lb. but it was not successful to get the other 50 or 60 lb. she would like to achieve; she is wanting the by pass procedure. The other woman wanted by pass surgery too. I was thinking sleeve or band...and vacillating between the two, having done my due diligence and thought with my family history I might one day need my "absorption" of medications and nutrients to be intact and may need access to my stomach through my mouth for testing...I was correct in my self recommendation...I should not have by pass surgery, for just those reasons. I met with the dietician, and then the nurse practioner...and then a psychologist. Great experience! Wonderful team there...I felt like I was in good hands. The nurse practioner remembered me from the info session a couple weeks ago...she had noted I had asked really good questions...and noted today I had really done my homework and knew the procedures and possible complications well. I am a really good candidate for the sleeve (assuming my upper GI series does not show I have GERD or a big hiatal hernia. And if that all goes well, and assuming the surgeon makes that recommendation as well, that is the surgery I will likely have...hopefully before the end of September. I am also a good candidate for the lap band...BUT...I might not be such a low risk candidate in 10 years when I am 80, if I were to have a problem with the band requiring another surgery...so that is what I am thinking today. And all this is, of course, predicated on my insurance covering the surgery. My BMI is high enough but I don't know that I can have documented proof that I have been seriously obese for these last 5 years...because when I went to the doctor I would decline being weighed!!! So we will see. I have an appoinment in 1 mo...for the GI series and appointment with nurse practioner...and then a morn later the last week in August I meet again with the dietician and finally with the surgeon...and get a surgery date! I left really "UP" and relieved...and confident that this is the right thing for me. So whether I have the sleeve or band...I think I can do this and do well. Christine

So...I met with my friend who had rny bypass surgery 5 years ago (and who looks wonderful and feels great) and additionally I have been devouring all I can read about complications of lapband and the very high percent of re-surgeries and other complications, some of which make me have 5th thoughts (not just 2nd thoughts) about my reasons for choosing lap band surgery. Now I am reading of issues with bypass too but seemingly not as many after the initial surgical risks of bleeding and infection etc... I am remembering the surgeon who did the info session at Lahey and how I thought he sounded a bit biased against the band...which was the reason that when I made an appointment to meet with a surgeon I chose the other one...I wanted to know if he, too, might discourage the band. What the doctor had said was about 3 out of 10 band patients had complications requiring further surgery. Optimist that I am, I said to myself..."I am healthy and I will be one of the 7 who don't have complications". Good, so far... but then I am 70 and if I have to have further surgery at 80 I might not be such a good risk. And some of the ports and bands get really embedded in scar tissue, making them very difficult to remove...and sometimes it is not possible to put a new band on or to move to by pass surgery by then because of strictures, infections and scar tissue. The doctor said NOT to be thinking the lap band is the first stage...or "let's start with the simplest procedure and if it doesn't work for me I can always move on to by pass" So when I go to meet with the surgeon on Th. next week, the 27th, I have lots of questions, no answers and I am both excited and scared...and will likely choose what he tells me he thinks is my best option, given my family history, age and any other mitigating factors. We will see. Christine (mojaleski nickname)

So I am new...have an appointment with surgeon at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Ma. next week. Fairly open mind as to which surgery would be best for me, which is a switch since only yesterday. I had thought lap band was what I would consider until I met with my friend who has been very successful since r n y surgery 5 years ago. I have known a couple people who love their bands...but now am worried if I do that if I might be one of the unfortunate people with complications...and since I am 70 I don't want to be facing that at 81 when I would be more of a surgical risk. My BMI is just 40 and I have no co-morbid conditions. Worried that insurance may not cover me since my BMI has not been consistently this high for past 5 years. Thanks for any feedback, suggestions and your experiences with Medicare (assuming there might be at least a few of you old enough to have Medicare as your primary insurance) lol Christine (mojaleski is my screen name nickname)

Sending you prayers at 10:08 for a very uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery. I will be meeting with my surgeon for my first visit a week from Thursday, and am thinking how I would love to be having my surgery at 10:30 this morning. Met with my friend who had RNY 5 years ago...she is normal weight, feels and looks fabulous and would do it all again in a heartbeat. Post op was painful and she had 2nd thoughts...for first couple months...and then now can eat most everything and loves her life and vitality! Let me know how it goes for you. :-) christine from NH (mojaleski is my screen nickname)

Sending you prayers at 10:08 for a very uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery. I will be meeting with my surgeon for my first visit a week from Thursday, and am thinking how I would love to be having my surgery at 10:30 this morning. Met with my friend who had RNY 5 years ago...she is normal weight, feels and looks fabulous and would do it all again in a heartbeat. Post op was painful and she had 2nd thoughts...for first couple months...and then now can eat most everything and loves her life and vitality! Let me know how it goes for you. :-) christine from NH (mojaleski is my screen nickname)

Hi...I am new. I attended info session Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Ma a week ago and thought I was heading toward lap band surgery option. Worried about all the complications I have been reading about. I am 70 years old and wonder if I am not setting myself up for possible further surgery at a time in my life down the road where I might not be such a good surgical risk. Today I met with an old friend who had her RNY gastric bypass surgery 5 years ago. I had actually tried to talk her out of it at the time. I was active in OA, struggling along...and she had been told by the team she needed to lose weight prior to surgery. I said "if you can lose 20-30 lb. prior to surgery, why do you need surgery? Why wouldn't you just keep going?" Needless to say I have put just under 100 of the 140 lb. I lost back on this body...and I know I need help to get my vitality and my body back before I am having to have knee and back surgery!!! My friend is thrilled with her choice of this surgery. She has lost more than 100 lb. and kept it off. She looks FABULOUS and says food and weight are no longer an issue. She loves how she feels and strongly recommended I reconsider thinking of the lap band and get the bypass. After talking with her I am thinking this is a better option. I will be meeting with my surgeon next Thursday, the 27th...and will have my mind open to whatever he tells me I should do. My hunch, right now is that the by pass surgery will be what he recommends . Looking forward to any comments and to reading more in this forum. Thanks. Christine (my user nickname is mojaleski)

Well, here I am, reading everything I can on the successes and failures and complications of lap band surgery vs sleeve gastrectomy or bypass surgery. It is overwhelming. I want to lose ALL of my excess weight...and want to keep it off. I don't want scar tissue around my esophagus. I don't want a band eroding into my stomach. I want a band to do what it is supposed to do...help me feel satiated with less food...so that I will lose weight fast enough to see results which will keep me going. I want my energy back. I want my clothes to fit...the little ones hanging in my closets for more than 10 years now. I don't care if they are out of style! :-) I am waiting for a call from an old friend who had the by pass surgery done at Brigham & Women's Hospital, perhaps 4 years ago. I have not see her since a few weeks post surgery. At that time she wasn't so sure she was glad she had done this...but looking at her fabulous photos one can see clearly that she is beautiful and happy with her surgical result. She and I have planned to meet for lunch today but in the meanwhile her e-mail said I should NOT do the band because no one she knew lost their weight with it and she advises the by pass surgery strongly. I will listen to everything she can tell me and ask questions and take it all to Lahey next week and discuss it with the surgeon. Who knows...maybe it will be a choice only to have one surgery or nothing once my exams and family history and my age etc. are factored in. Waiting is hard!

This was a "1st" for me...whoever heard of a significantly overweight woman getting on a scale with shoes and jeans!!! Even to get on any scale naked would not be something I would be doing at home in the "afternoon"...always stood on the scale on my left foot, wanting the scale to 'tip down'...the games we play trying to weigh less over the years...waiting for my hair to dry after a shower...and before breakfast...after going to the bathroom...jewelry off. How much did I think a small bracelet and stud earrings could weigh??? Weight (with sandals and jeans and after lunch!) was 238.9 lb. this afternoon at my doctor's appointment. Took the shoes off to be measured though... I am 5' 4.5"...and they calculated my BMI to be 40.37 which should just marginally get insurance to cover, hopefully, since I was told 40 was what I would need at Lahey. I wanted my BMI to qualify me as "morbidly obese" so I could be covered for bariatric surgery. (I am sure those of you reading this can understand this illogical thinking...happy momentarily at least to be 'morbidly' anything!!) It seems (happily) that I have no co-morbid conditions which would allow me to be considered if BMI was between 35 and 40. So I will not be doing anything to lose weight until I have my appointment at Lahey when I will get officially weighed and submit paperwork to insurance company for approval. I am a bit worried because of my age. Looking through this website and doing some google searches it would appear that it would be unusual for many people at 70 get this done. My pcp is very much in favor of the band and has had many patients who have done extremely well with it, and a couple at Lahey Clinic where I have my 1st appointment with surgeon on the 27th of this month, just 13 days from today. He was surprised to realize I have never had hypertension, high cholesterol, take no meds for anything routinely and am not diabetic...says I am an excellent candidate for surgery and expects I will do well. He is quite knowledgeable about obesity...and why it is hard for some of us to lose weight and keep it off, just by dieting and exercise. I also got a referral letter from a psychiatrist I have known for many years, stating I have no mental illnesses nor personality disorders and am a good candidate for this surgery. So I think I am ready to go...looking forward to finding out more and once insurance approved (hopefully) then I can begin working to get as much weight off as possible before having the surgery so that I am an even better surgical risk and can be "on my way" to a healthier, more active ME! I plan to join a health club...and think some yoga and zumba would be really good for me!

Gathering further data today, researching the two different Lap band systems, educating myself about benefits of banding over plication...printing some info for my folder to have readily available. Also put together the points I want to discuss with Dr. Brams when I go for my first appointment with him at Lahey on June 27th...some of my own and family relevant medical history and questions I need answered adequately which could not have been covered during the informational session earlier this week. Will be meeting with my local pcp tomorrow afternoon and hopefully will have a referral and support from him. Would like to have this surgery later this summer but am a bit concerned about it being a teaching hospital and new medical staff in training this time of year...another item to discuss at my 3 hour appointment on the 27th! This website is wonderful and I have friended some folks who I want to follow and who are so encouraging, sharing their experiences so generously. Thank you all so much. Christine

Thank you.