How is weight loss for people over 50? Can we still expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week with the band?

Hi Gang.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Thanks for all your wonderful insights & encouragement..<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><v:path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></v:path><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape id=_x0000_i1025 style="WIDTH: 12pt; HEIGHT: 12pt" alt="0" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:href="http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif" src="file:///C:DOCUME~1JPIMEN~1.DESLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml101clip_image001.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape>. I don't have lung cancer <v:shape id=_x0000_i1026 style="WIDTH: 12pt; HEIGHT: 12pt" alt="0" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:href="http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" src="file:///C:DOCUME~1JPIMEN~1.DESLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml101clip_image002.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape> - My x-ray was clear - The Pulmonary Dr did say that these entire visits were to insure that there are no complications during surgery - Dr Bobbie doesn't want anyone dieing on him <v:shape id=_x0000_i1027 style="WIDTH: 12pt; HEIGHT: 12pt" alt="0" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:href="http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/eek.gif" src="file:///C:DOCUME~1JPIMEN~1.DESLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml101clip_image003.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape>. Got fitted for the cpac did the whole mask thing - cuz I wasn't sure if I breathe through my mouth or nose.. It was ok. I slept with it last night. I fiddled with it a few times that I remember - but it kept me in bed and I didn't get up to eat so that's a good thing. I am still very anxious this morning... Just seems like so much to do... Not enough hours.... I know that that I will be happy once this is all done... I am lucky I don't have to drive 2 hrs one way to get filled - I need to look at things differently - in a more positive light... I think the xanax I just took is kicking in... I think I just get too wound up… <o:p></o:p>

I know all this is good for me… But I am an impatience person. The only time I have patience is Christmas – Tis the season to wait in lines… So I guess I will just have to apply this mind set now to get through all these doctors appts so I don’t go CRAZY… Again Ladies THANK YOU for all your support - I truly appreciate it..<o:p></o:p>

Xoxox Janet :confused:<o:p></o:p>

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I am on HRT because I can't sleep. As soon as I stopped having

periods, I stopped sleeping. The dr. prescribed sleep medications

and they didn't even work. The HRT has made all the difference

in the world. I can't live without sleep. I am pretty sure it

makes a difference in my weight loss.

A lot of young girls quit the pill because they say it makes them

gain weight.

Crabcake - I have some similar reactions.

IndigoGirl, hope you're feeling better. Maybe this will help you put things into perspective.

I quit smoking (after 36 years!!!) 3/17. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but lately, I've been wanting a cig a LOT. I don't want to stink like cigs though and I want my family to be proud of me. Most of all, I want to be proud of myself.

Me too. I miss cigarettes lots of the time. However, I smoked for only 6 years, then quit when I was 26. I had lung cancer 4 years ago, it was a malignant encapsulated tumor. No chemo, but a great big bonk on the head that jump started me taking care of myself.

I had my first fill 6/12. I've pb'd about 5 times since then; a really bad one last night. I called the dr's office this a.m. and went in this p.m. for a .25 unfill. Last night I filled my tank up to the tune of $40. This p.m., I drove for 2 hours to the dr's office (and of course...2 hours home!), using up about half my tank, so I could get the unfill. I spent 20 mins. at the dr's office. All that gas and all that driving for 20 mins.

So, let's see...

Smoking 36 years @ a pack/day @ $1.5 /day (I wish!) = $20,000.

4 hours sick leave + half tank gas = $70 (multiplied by however many times I need to go back to get my band adjusted properly...)

Banded for life...priceless!

Amen, sista! What price is good health? It's the whole enchilada (sorry for the food analogy)!

Would I do it again? In a NY heartbeat!

Me too!

This time next year, all those dr's appts and all that fat will just be a memory and the dr's appts will seem a cheap price to pay! :clap2: Hang tough!

From your mouth to God's ears, let it be so!

:eek:

Hi Gang

I haven't posted in a while - been really busy - trying to get my desk cleaned up before 7/17..

Lets see did i tell you all that i had my shrink visit and it went find - she said she would say i was ok ... I think i told you guy this already - but you know we are on the 50+ board so I think ya'll will understand my repeating myself..

Ok i don't think in reported this... On Friday i had my stress test - do you wonder how i did... How do you think a fat morbity obesty 52 yr old couch potato who smokes did runing up hill on a treadmill... Well, the answer is - I didn't run long enought (to me it felt like 5 minutes but i bet it was only 1 minute) so now i have to go to a nucluar stress test on friday.

I haven't smoked for 2 days - Sat midnight last cig....

It's 8 p.m. and i gotta go fix something to eat.... but wanted to ck in and say hi to everyone..

Indio Girl,

I just had a nuclear scan stress test yesterday. I went for a stress echo prior to my surgery. The tech took one look at me walking stiffly on my arthritic knees and said I would have to come back for the test where a drug increases your heart rate. I had that test and then was told that I needed to come in for the nuclear scan.

It totally freaked me out that something could be wrong with my heart. My family has really good genes (no cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc.) and my lipid profile has always been excellent. Of course I am the only obese person in my family but still convinced myself that I would somehow beat the odds despite being overweight all my life. I'm lucky that my wake-up call came after being banded so weight loss won't be such a struggle. I was allowed to have the surgery if I went on beta-blockers which was great--they eliminate anxiety and make me happy!

I can't believe that I only found this thread today. I think I'm going to like it here!

Of course I am the only obese person in my family but still convinced myself that I would somehow beat the odds despite being overweight all my life. I'm lucky that my wake-up call came after being banded so weight loss won't be such a struggle.

You said it absolutely perfectly. We all have this magical thinking that redesigns our reflection in the mirror, insulates us from medical issues, and just ignores the data we are being given. All these defenses have saved us too. That is what I am learning in therapy. I have come to my obesity with care taking intentions, it was the best solution to issues I couldn't deal with in other ways.

So glad that you are doing well, have good genes and are on the way to a healthy life.

Best wishes,

IndioGirl: good luck with your surgery! All the before stuff is a pain, but than you know that you're good to go! Wish you the best!

What a wonderful observation! Over the years I have often hated myself for my binge-eating and turned it around, concluding that only someone who loathed herself would defeat herself by overeating. I like the notion that we are nurturing ourselves in the best way we can.

I've been in therapy for about 85% of my adult life. I've applied that thought to other behaviors but not to my overeating. Duh!

Thanks for the good wishes.

Previous post should have been addressed to DynamoMini.

Ah, the power of magical thinking. This is such a human trait and we are all equally prone to it.

Serena

I am not as lucky as you my family does have the heart & cancer problems - so this test worrys me a tad... Heck for years I have said i am pretty healthy for a fat person who smokes - I don't get sick or run to the doctors like my thin friends do... But truely, I think it was becuase i don't want to hear what they have to say - You need to loose weight and quit smoking....

oh yea - Its Official - the insurance called today to tell me that i will have acesss to a nurse (i guess all blue cross ca bariatric clients do) and she told me that I was approved yesterda YEA!!!!!

Well still have tons of test to do... I am tried...

Talk to you all later

Hi I guess I must be the oldest of the older and am scheduled for surgery July 16. I've been working on this for about a year. So am going to pay myself but have had one Dr. refuse to do it because I'm on coumadin chronically and am 66 years old but he is the only one who has said I shouldn't do it. Any comments anyone?

Serena - The other tricky part of it is that "knowing it" doesn't take the blaming and shaming we have put on ourselves, it is the heartfelt unconditional loving of myself that is so difficult for me to get to.

Like a Starbuck's pastry isn't going to "ruin" my chances for success and mean I'll be a fat person for the rest of my life, yadda....yadda....My mind was going crazy beating myself up. After I was bruised, I attempted my "new" behavior, I entered the pastry on my daily log of food on CalorieKing.com and found it wasn't the end of the world, I didn't have to starve to get RID of it. My long winded point is that a person who unconditionally loves themself wouldn't have gone through all that mental anguish over a pastry, but just take it in stride (like the "new" Michelle did) and adjust her eating the rest of the day. Oh well. I have a long way to go, but I find I can obsess about "perfect" dieting like nobody's business which is as crazy as mindless overeating then self flaggulation.

Bottom line - I am practicing being really kind and accepting of myself, trying to notice crazy behaviors and let them go. It isn't overnight. It'll probably take years, so what else do I have to do? But I do know that I deserve a healthy life - like we all do.

green - so you recognize that magical thinking too? Birds of a feather.... that's why I love it here, you all "get" me

ckbw - I know that coumadin is a powerful drug that affects surgeries and healing, and I think you are wise to get many opinions. Good luck!

Hugs to you all.

ckbw- I am on coumadin for life- had blood clots in both lungs. Dr just had me quit the coumadin for a week before surgery and I started right after surgery again with the shots and the pills till i got to a decent level. The only problem is you will need to test regularly because with the change in eatting it is hard to stabalize and i seem to be going in a lot. Just when I thought I had it down and went 5 weeks between appointments my inr dropped to 1.5 which is no protection at all. So I am back to weekly tests for awhile.

I have metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance) so I can loose on weight watchers if I eat high protein, lower carb meals. If you look at recent studies on weight loss that count calories: One group eats 1200 calories per day, but a high protein, moderate fat, lower carb diet. The second group also eats 1200 calories per day, but a higher carb diet (we all seem to love the carbs). The first group loses 12lbs in a month. The second group loses 3lbs in a month. So........for some of us there is more to losing weight than just counting calories. We need to keep track of carbohydrate intake also to maximize weight loss.

Hi I guess I must be the oldest of the older and am scheduled for surgery July 16. I've been working on this for about a year. So am going to pay myself but have had one Dr. refuse to do it because I'm on coumadin chronically and am 66 years old but he is the only one who has said I shouldn't do it. Any comments anyone?

My mother had been taking coumadin for some years when she had knee replacement surgery at the age of 82. She survived the operation and went on to live a further 5 years. Surgery is certainly much more complicated when you are taking an anti-coagulent and I would imagine that you will have to be off coumadin for at least a week before your surgery. Your surgeon may also want access to more machines and trained personnel if something arises during your operation. You must remember that no doctor wants anything to go wrong on his watch and so if you are approved you need not worry.

I would suggest that you PM your questions concerning your medical condition and the operation to Was A Bubble Butt. She is a member of this site and she is also someone who is very knowledgable on medical procedures. She is, you see, a very experienced and knowlegable nurse as well as being a fellow lapbander. She does not post in this thread but she posts in many other threads and I cannot think of anyone more capable of answering your questions.

Of course I am sending you all my wishes for your success with respect to getting yourself banded.