Leenkath

Thanks for sharing. It's not easy and I hope no one "polices" you. (Good word)

I'd say go for it IF you are truly committed. It's a tool, like they say, and it isn't the "easy way out" as some say--you still have to monitor nutrients and calories, probably for the rest of your life. But the tool will really help.

I'd say go for it IF you are truly committed. It's a tool, like they say, and it isn't the "easy way out" as some say--you still have to monitor nutrients and calories, probably for the rest of your life. But the tool will really help.

Thanks for sharing. It's not easy and I hope no one "polices" you. (Good word)

I can tell you an answer, at 70 you will weigh 320, and you looking will start looking for help, you will try to find a program, nearly complete the only one you think will accept you , for many have a 55, 60, 65 year old age cutoff, then for reasons not yours your job and insurance terminate and you resign yourself to trying to lose weight on yourown, and you start trying multiple diets, and it doesn't work, you might lose 5-10 pounds only to regain it all and then some. You drag your fat self to your Primary Care doctor, humble yourself. and ask for some chemical help. You are put on a medication other patients have used with success, you keep a perfect diet journal, and you really are trying hard. At the end of the month you go back to be weighed and re-evaluated. And you have LOST no weight, instead you have GAINED 30 more pounds which you can ill- afford. PCP looks from you to your journal and back again. He does not say so, but you can see disbelief in his eyes. Finally he throwshis hands up, says " I have done what I could, go back to the Bariatric Surgeon." So once again you go back , at 365 pounds, more than you weighed for the first attempt. Since it is now 18 months later, you have to re-fulfill all the previous requirements plus now they add 2 more specialists. But still you go do them in good faith, and the time is approaching to be scheduled a surgery date. And you wait and wait, finally you start calling the office, and each time you are given a new excuse, flimsy as they be. Finally the end of February, when they bled all the monies out of your insurances, they announce they will not perform your surgery. I will not dignify them by stating their reasoning but it was an attack upon my very psychological/ emotional being. The only thing keeping me from binging on good at this point for solace was the fact I was too nauseous and somewhere deep inside remained the one shred of self- respect they had not stomped to death. I cried, I puked, considering suicide but they had convinced me I was such a screw-up I couldn't do THAT right either.
A week passed, I looked at my swollen eyes in the mirror, Said " Old Girl, you are better than this- are they going to kill all your hopes?" There were 2 other facilities in this city, all rated Bariatric Centers of Excellence, what would it hurt to explore their programs? So I booked at their seminars, looked up bios on all the surgeons at both places, did the research I should have done before attempting facility #1 where I was assigned someone. This time I would do the picking, I would secure someone wh9 be as close to perfection as I could find. After #1 had told me No One Would Want Me, this new facility welcomed me with open arms, asked how they could Help me to achieve My Dreams instead of being "takers" that regarded me as little more than a meal ticket, these were giving loving individuals who seemed to have my interest at❤and I had the feeling of being home. So I was accepted into their programs and it will be soon time to chose a surgeon , after some minor loose ends of requirements were tied up.
And I looked , I prayed, I thought about both of them, and I knew which one I was hoping for but when Jessica one of the pre-coordinators called I was nice and. said " Whichever has the first opening" finally I stated the one I REALLY WANTED, Dr Bradley J Needleman, the chief of Bariatric Medicine and Metabolic Weight Loss at the Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio, who performed my RnY on September 5th 2018, at 72 the oldest patient he had ever had, but in many ways healthier than the run-of-the -mill 72 year old and I will be forever in his debt. In my ❤of❤ he is a miracle worker. And even though facets of my recovery have been and remain difficult, He and his Partner Dr Sabrena Noria have worked to make things better and like me, we will see things through to their conclusion. I wish I had found them sooner, wish I had not had Dr Evil Mc Nasty and his band of misfits in my past, wish I could have had my surgery at a much younger age, you simply heal much slower in your 7th or 8th decade of life, but at least they have given me a chance to live healthier, longer and Praise God thinner than I once was. Don't wait until your BMI surpasses 50 to seek yours, I have lost 110 pounds since High weight but I STILL have about 80 to go, I was carrying around an NFL linebacker on my body, my body was breaking under the weight, I have sacrificed both my knees to science, and replacements,nice as they are, only 85% as good, there are activities my body cannot do again, I was a power forward/basketball center, a baseball/softball catcher, I was so good my boy cousins stopped challenging me to "Horse" their tender egos couldn't stand being trolled. And I was the only person in my neighborhood with a strong enough arm to throw to bases, didn't pitch because I DIDN'T want to, and the windup in Girls Softball was asinine in the first place.
So have I given you enough reasons to seek surgery at this Golden Time? Don't let Obesity side-line You like it ended up for me, Go and enjoy fitness in Your Life! Frustr8 out for I have spoke my piece.????and Happy Christmas!

Thanks for sharing. It's not easy and I hope no one "polices" you. (Good word)