I thought it would be good to have a thread for the senior set to help encourage each other during our journey.

I'll start:

My name is Candy - I kid you not - and I'm 64. I have my orientation with Kaiser on 1/6/18 with a phone appointment with a surgeon the next week, 1/13/18.

I'm very excited to start my wls journey. I'm 5'7", current weight 220, BMI 34.5.

I have degenerative disc disease exacerbated by my weight. I also have GERD, general arthritis, costochondritis (inflammation of the rib joints in my chest), arthritis at the site of back surgery, Type 2 diabetes, peripheral neuropathy in my feet. There could be more but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Let me know who you are and how old with all your stats. Maybe we can be a support group.

Candy

Sent from my LG-V410 using BariatricPal mobile app

Nudging 62 years.

Had my surgery NINE weeks ago today.

From eastern Australia.

Some mobility issues which are fading away day by day. (Knee and ankle joints in a bad way.)

WLS and exercise have meant my blood pressure (HYPERTENSION) medicines have been cut over time: from 20mg of Felodopine and 20mg of Ramipril daily to 10mg of each then 5mg of each and, as of last Monday 2.5mg per day of each. Not long now and I'll have a normal blood pressure range.

Retired from 42 years in the workforce in mid-2016.

Edited December 14, 20178 yr by Rainbow_Warrior

I'm 60 and had WLS surgery 8/29/17 i am a type 2 diabetic who took four medications to control it. When I left the hospital I was taken off the meds. My a1c is now in the acceptable range. My BP with two meds was 120/80 I discontinued the meds and am down to 117/74. I had gerd and to a med for that. My gerd is gone and so is my med. This surgery helped me get off so many meds and in the process probably helped save my liver and kidneys also. Its doing what I wanted so Im happy.

Thanks for sharing. Your disclosures are inspiring.

Nudging 62 years.
Had my surgery NINE weeks ago today.
From eastern Australia.
Some mobility issues which are fading away day by day. (Knee and ankle joints in a bad way.)
WLS and exercise have meant my blood pressure (HYPERTENSION) medicines have been cut over time: from 20mg of Felodopine and 20mg of Ramipril daily to 10mg of each then 5mg of each and, as of last Monday 2.5mg per day of each. Not long now and I'll have a normal blood pressure range.
Retired from 42 years in the workforce in mid-2016.

Congratulations on your surgery and especially the reduction of your blood pressure meds. That's awesome!

And your joints improving - spectacular!

How are you handling your food and water intake? Your surgical pain should be easing, right?

Keep up the good work and let us know how you're doing.

Candy

I'm 60 and had WLS surgery 8/29/17 i am a type 2 diabetic who took four medications to control it. When I left the hospital I was taken off the meds. My a1c is now in the acceptable range. My BP with two meds was 120/80 I discontinued the meds and am down to 117/74. I had gerd and to a med for that. My gerd is gone and so is my med. This surgery helped me get off so many meds and in the process probably helped save my liver and kidneys also. Its doing what I wanted so Im happy.

I'm so happy you've been able to get off your meds. I understand all the meds you were on. I'm there.

Are you having any problems or has it been a smooth transition? I'm hoping you had a good post-op adjustment.

Keep us updated.

Candy

Thanks for sharing. Your disclosures are inspiring.

Diva, are you a senior, too? Where are you in the process? I'm way in the beginning, haven't even had orientation yet. I'd love to hear how you're doing.

Thanks,

Candy

2 hours ago, CaliforniaCandy said:

How are you handling your food and Water intake? Your surgical pain should be easing, right?

Food okay. Water okay.

My surgical pain was only an issue for less than two days.

Hi! Can I join? I'm 55, female, and have completed all of my per-requisites for surgery except the 6mos with an RD. I have 2 more visits which will wrap up in early February. I hope insurance will allow RNY upon re-submission. I was rejected the first time.

I'm 5'4" at weight 227.2lbs this morning. My highest weight is 325lbs. I had a recent regain from 250-287 last year and have been dieting since May. Since May, I've lost about 60lbs. It's been very difficult.

I am a 6year survivor of a late stage hormone positive (obesity mediated) breast cancer. I'm on a drug that is a metabolic chemo to prevent recurrence and will be on it another 3-4 years. I have degenerative disc disease, chronic bursitis in both hips, arthritic bone spurs on my spine and hips, neuropathy from chemo in my chest/feet/hands, fluid around my heart and a fibrous mass on the pericardium from radiation. I have secondary lymphedema in my left arm, chest, back and neck from the surgeries and removing all of my lymph nodes. I also have GERD, pre-diabetis, asthma, and high blood pressure with 3 medications (and it's still over 140/80). I just found out I have low thyroid and am on medicine. I live with constant pain (a 6/7 out of 10) and sleep only in about 2 hour stretches. For the first time in many years, I'm exercising daily and pushing my body to build muscles and improve my balance.

Good gawd, I sound like a broken down mare who needs to be led off behind the barn and shot! ROFLMAO! I'm rolling the dice and betting that there's still a little life left in this pony and the weight loss will help reignite the spark!

Welcome to the boards, Candy. It's a fun place and many of us are hangry--so there's occasional drama to keep it spicy! LOL. I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better! Congrats to you big losers!!! You inspire me!

Edited December 14, 20178 yr by FluffyChix

8 hours ago, CaliforniaCandy said:

thread for the senior set

@CaliforniaCandy et al

you are all embarking on a wonderful trip

in WLS land!! we are alllll very smart people,

as we made the wise decision to have WLS!!!

i will celebrate my 6th year surgiversary tomorrow!!! (12/15)

the sleeve and i are quite the happy, good lookin', cute, couple

I will be 64 years YOUNG next month (1/12)
many of my physical problems have improved. dosages lowered.

i still consider myself at GOAL, but i am now 8.4 lbs over (pleases don't tell

anyone else!!) no doubt in my mind, i'll nip those excess lbs in the bud before

you can say, "I have the cutest 3 grand-kids in the world!!" present

company excluded of course! LOL

come and join me, the more the merrier!!

good luck to all of us "mature" adults

i am enjoying being a successful, sexier, sultrier "smaller" sexagenarian!!!!

kathy

@proudgrammy I you!

48 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

@proudgrammy I you!

@FluffyChix

awwwww, back at ya bud!!

huggggggs

me

[mention=329567]CaliforniaCandy[/mention] et al
you are all embarking on a wonderful trip
in WLS land!! we are alllll very smart people,
as we made the wise decision to have WLS!!!
i will celebrate my 6th year surgiversary tomorrow!!! (12/15)
the sleeve and i are quite the happy, good lookin', cute, couple
I will be 64 years YOUNG next month (1/12)
many of my physical problems have improved. dosages lowered.
i still consider myself at GOAL, but i am now 8.4 lbs over (pleases don't tell
anyone else!!) no doubt in my mind, i'll nip those excess lbs in the bud before
you can say, "I have the cutest 3 grand-kids in the world!!" present
company excluded of course! LOL
come and join me, the more the merrier!!
good luck to all of us "mature" adults
i am enjoying being a successful, sexier, sultrier "smaller" sexagenarian!!!![emoji6]
kathy

Kathy,

You are amazing! I'm hoping to join you in your success. I've got the orientation and phone appointment in the second and third weeks of January so I'll know more then. Can't wait.

@FluffyChix

You have been through so much. Why were you denied RNY before? It seems to me you have enough comorbidities to warrant insurance coverage.

I look forward to getting to know you better.

Candy

Hi all! My name is Maggie and I am 62 years old. My sleeve surgery is scheduled for 1/2/18. I have a number of conditions that prompted me to consider VSG: sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, degenerative disc disease with 13 bulging discs and 1 herniated disc in my cervical and lumbar spine. I was also recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism (aha! Probably a good reason I couldn’t lose weight!). I also had hypertension, but I was taken off medication for that when I lost 38 pounds last year on a combination of Belviq and phentermine. After 6 months, this combo of weight loss meds stopped working and I regained all but 7 pounds. I am 5’3” and as of today weight 228. I am so disappointed in myself because while on the weight loss meds, I did manage to get below 200; I reached 198 (ONEderland). I guess it could be worse because at my high point I weighed 240. I have been a yo-yo dieter for much of my adult life and I want to end this madness! I figured that VSG was my best bet for losing weight and being able to climb stairs without huffing and puffing, getting rid of the sleep apnea (my grandkids tell me I snore like a bear), and also hoping to take stress off of my arthritic joints.

All great reasons for wls! You're only two and a half weeks away. Are you on a preop diet?

This will be one of the best decisions you've ever made. You can do this!!!

Candy