I have been hypothyroid for 25 years, I take Synthroid .125mg daily, I'm also 53. I had the surgery May 21st and have lost 22 pounds. The last 2 weeks I've been roughly the same weight. I haven't had near the results as others around the time of my surgery. I'm glad I had it done because I wasn't having any success in getting the weight off. My sister said that I may have even kept gaining little by little. I've had two long stalls and I know if I were dieting with as little as I am eating, I would have given up. Even if it comes off slow, I know it's going to come off. As excited as I am to lose, I know it's better for me to lose more slowly, at my age I think it gives your body a chance to catch up with the weight loss so you may not have the issues with as much sagging skin, only time will tell for me. Good luck, I'm sure you won't regret it!