I've noticed most of the lap band postings are from women who seem younger. I would like to hear how the over 50 crowd are doing with their bands. Is there anything different as far as the age issues? I am suppose to be getting the band in about a month. It appears that a lot of the things I have read seem to relay the message that if you have a lot of weight to lose that banding might not be affective. Is this true, I need to lose over a 130 pounds. Have people lost as much as that on the banding technique?

Thanks

vericks

Thank you this pain has brought me to some tears, at least now I know that this is part of the surgery. What causes the pain, do you know?

Do I hear any Houston Texas over fifties out there. We have a great group anyway.I am 62 and on my15th day out, Doing absolutely great.

Down 15 since surgery. Started my mushies this week and doing very good.Do my 1 1/2 mile walk every morning and drink that water. Have lost lots of inches. I set my goal at 150 and will see from there. I am only 5'4"

tall so may need to go a little lower will just have to see at my age.

We will all have to do what the younger ones are doing and have a get together somewhere one of these days.Keep it up and lets get er done.:confused:

got cleared with the anesthesiologist.....surgery date is may 25th....talk about scared!!! getting excited too. i have to confess...this is so "me". i have been trying to eat anything and everything i can lay hands on now,because i know after the siurgery it wil be getting down to business....you would think i had some control

Hi, I'm sixty and was banded this last Monday and am doing great. I do have shoulder pain, but not enough to take anything for it. When I returned home I took liquid Vicodin the first night and then liquid Tylenol that next two nights and that was it for pain medication. I'm able to sleep on either side, but haven't had enough courage to sleep on my stomach yet.

Question: The day after my surgery my Gout flared up. Did anyone else have this problem? My doctor says that she gets 2-3 patients a year with the flair up after surgery.

58 and I am also feeling younger every day. It is so amazing! I started above 200 lbs and am now at 165 lbs. Surgery was Feb. 24, 2006. Things are going very well. I have had 3 fills with little effect. But the weight is falling slowly. I really don't feel restriction. I have 10cc band and it only has 2.6 cc in. I highly recommend the band to anyone.:confused:

I am 51 and hope to be banded in July before I turn 52.

Sheesh how did I get to be 51??????? eeeekkkk!

vericks, the pain is from your diaphragm. I know it hurts in your shoulder but that is migrated pain. Your diaphragm is distended when you are filled with the gas when your surgery is done. They literally puff you up with air to get the instruments to be usable inside, and to give the Dr.'s a field of view. Thats the best way I can describe it being a layman and all. sometimes later it seems to come and go. Walking around and bending over to pick stuff off the floor can help but it can also hurt. Just experiment with movement and see what works for you. I don't know but maybe the movement is just a distraction, All I can remember is that if I just sat there with the pain, I wanted to go nuts. Some say a heating pad helps too. I remember it did help me some too. take care!!

I'm getting depressed. You have all done so well. I was banded on 3/7/06 and have only lost between 10 and 15 pounds. I gave up the breads, etc. I never was one for sweets. I am consuming less than half of what I was eating before the band and still don't seem to be losing. I have only had 1 fill and am due for my second next week. But having been fighting this battle since grade school, I am still not sorry I did it. I just hope I starting losing more soon. I have some difficulty with exercise right now because of severe arthritis, but hopefully when I can lose some, the pain won't be so bad. Oh yeah, I'm 51.

55 here and hoping for a June/2006 surgery date. Dr. Hung's wonderful Nurse just faxed over my paperwork to the insurance company and I am trying to be patient lol

Guess I've been patient enough to wait till I'm 55, another week or so won't kill me.

Good to have a group where I'm not the oldest or the youngest.

I'm just now compling my list of liquids to pick up for after surgery and mushies I can plan on as well.

Ordered a *Magic Bullet* so that I can whip up my protien drinks and keep em in the fridge for dinner when I get home from work.

In my head I understand there's bound to be some pain afterwards, but I am hoping for the least, as I'm such a big baby lol.

Hello Everyone, it appears their are going to be some slick over fifties chicks with all this lapbanding! Thank you so much for the support. I am taking all the suggestions, heating pad, walking, moving, etc. It's been most helpful. All in all, considering now it's my third day since lap band, the surgery seems to be quickly recovering. I have stuck to liquids, jello and broth. The hot liquids seem to go better in my stomach. I've backed off the popsicles a bit. I haven't felt hungry, but the smell of food brings back old memories. My husband keeps trying to convince me that the jello is a pizza…yeah right! I can't stand the taste of the pain medicine, but I find if I take it on a regular basis I prevent myself from less gas and pain, so I sip it down with a sip of water. It makes me so sleepy I want to get off of it as soon as I can. Lots of us are being banded around the same time and this is exciting for me since we can share in a lot of the same experiences. I can't try mushies until next week, but come to think about it I think I can just have my protein drinks. I haven't been eating very much, but it sounds like I should be trying to get down a few more things than I have. I eat an ounce or two of jello or broth about two or three times a day. I don't feel hungry so I guess that's okay? Feel sooooo much better today, looking forward to the upcoming weeks. I do get a little heartburn, nothing terrible, shoulder pain is getting better.

Luv ya'll and us ladies in purple will persevere!

Vickie in North Carolina

Hi everyone,

I am 57 and about to be banded in two weeks!!!! YEAH! Of course I am also concerned about not healing as quickly and my skin not being as elastic and not coming back but not having high blood pressure and not getting diabetes seems to make it worthwhile.

I am on pre-op and doing well!

I am 57 years young and have lost close to 60 pounds now.

I was banded 8 months ago on 9-13-05 at age 56 and went back to work fulltime four days later! I was truly amazed at how fast the recovery was for me!!

I'm a non-profit director and do mostly management and computer work but also have to do trainings and attend meetings out in the community. I've had no problems other then a little fatigue after a long day (I generally work 10-15 hours a day.) One of my incisions was just above my bra line between my breasts. It has not bothered me a bit. I'm a double D cup so there's plenty hanging around that could have been a bother!!!

I was up and walking an hour after I woke up from recovery...was a little unsteady on my feet but got better pretty quickly. My DH and I had to drive an hour to get home...I still felt awfully groggy so just wanted to get there and sleep it off. Once home I slept three hours and finally woke up with a pretty clear head. That in itself made me feel a whole lot better! I feel I've had a very easy time adjusting to the band. Getting the fill level one needs is critical and so very individual. Some need none others need several (I had my 7th fill today!) It's getting close to where I feel it needs to be.

Sometimes my weight loss seems soooo slow (I average about 1.5 pounds a week) BUT, I now weigh less than I have in 25+ years! So, I just can't complain...slow but steady. I honestly think being older affords me the patience that will enable me to successfully reach my goal weight.

I will get there...and so will you!

Hey Jude, (had to say that line, makes me chuckle)

Anyway, It has now been nine days since the operation and today I am feeling quite well thank you. Hurray! So if I can get through this I know you will. I felt the same as you, high blood pressure and diabetes was comin around the mountain. I even went out and about today and enjoyed it immensly. Admittedly the first week had a few ups and downs, but got them in control quickly due to the encouragement of my fellow bandsters. Stick with the Bandster group, they will lead you through, they did for me! Good Luck, let us know how you are doing!

Vickie

Thanks DVSA Boss

Your feedback was soooooo inspirational and promising. I need to remind myself a step at a time. Yay, another over fifty, we are out there!

Vickie

I use to live in Houston back in the 1985 for about six years, then in Dallas about 4. Love those Texans, and miss them. I still have a son living in Arlington Texas. We live in North Carolina now, love those North Carolinians also, and are very happy here as well. Sounds like you've done well. I got banded this week and this is my best day yet, looking forward to continual improvement and success. Keep us informed!

Vickie