Any 45+ year old women on here with gastric bypass experience?

[MSWDiet 64]

I was 47 when I had RNY gastric bypass twelve years ago. There was no "honeymoon" period where the pounds melted away for me. I do not believe this was age related because my surgical peers at the time lost weight at about the same rate as younger women. Nonetheless, I exceeded my surgeons goal and have maintained this with a lot of difficulty.

An autoimmune disorder, hypothyroidism and medications are to blame for an average loss of less than half a pound weekly. Watching the scale go down and up then repeat was frustrating but I had a good experienced surgeon who also had the same procedure. The metabolically challenged as he put it need to stay on plan even when it seems there is no progress. Not what I wanted to hear at the time. I was angry and beginning to have regrets but a good support network "talked me off the ledge".

After a year of following the rules I made changes to my doctor's plan. Using information from the body building community I Incorporated eating practices used to increase lean muscle mass. None conflict with the needs of gastric bypass patients. I researched options I believed could serve me better. At 17 months post op I made my desired maximum weight. I'm still pushing to get 5lbs lower.

I deliberately left out the numbers. Not because it's a secret, I've posted this info in the past. Some individual readers may distinguish between weight/BMI classifications then rate difficulty and speed of weight loss to evaluate "success". That is not the point of my reply. Also, I make no claim to post op diet perfection nor do I blame metabolism for my obesity.

No matter where you start at any age you will need to work your plan. You may work hard and see only small results as you watch surgical peers break their surgeons rules and do well. Further, you will likely have to make Healthful adjustments to augment your progress based on your needs.

I've met many success stories since I committed to surgical intervention and I'm in good company. Today my weight is 30lbs up because of steroids, hypothyroidism, and binge eating disorder. It was 40lbs up a few weeks ago. Age is not the only issue in my struggle but "I Got This".

This is one of a few episodes of rapid fat gain. I'm not talking about pounds and Water weight. You will not hear me say I've gained my weight back. What I've put on is fat but it's not mine and I'm not keeping it.

I've learned how to "re lose" body fat and curb weight gain in spite of menopause and other factors. There is no secret to my maintenance. Never buy a larger size, period. Clothing measurement, not size number is my guide. I avoid stretch fabrics when I can without sacrificing style. I also monitor my body fat percentage. Formulas used by the YMCA and the military are easy to find. Ten years plus post op forced me to figure this out.

A support network even before your procedure can help you learn what you need for the long term. If you have access to counseling or mental healthcare take advantage of it. Many of us with recently recognized mental health concerns like binge eating disorder and compulsive over eating do not know these illnesses exist. They can even be incorporated into a healthy post op eating plan with your nutritionists blessing. The more you know about why you are obese the easier and more successful your maintenance plan will be.

Yes, I said maintenance plan. You asked for post op support but You WILL Succeed. We all find our way here because we want to be well and we all can be. I've included what I wished I knew pre op. This process is emotional as well as physical. Every pound lost is joyful but for some even a week with no change feels devastating. Get ready for the highs and lows knowing will be the Winner.

Some famous writer somewhere is quoted as not having had the time to be conscise. For me include spell checking and grammar too. You have my story and I hope it's helpful. All the best!

[ladydi765 0]

I’m 64 and had surgery in July. I am now 65 and have lost 79 lbs.

[GiGi 1970 28]

I'm 48 and in the beginning phases (dietician visits and tests) of bariatric surgery. I am probably getting the RNY. A lot of posts that I see are from younger women (which is great!), but I'm concerned that the weight will come off slower now that I'm older. Especially since menopause is probably around the corner. Could you share your stories (successes or challenges), so I could get an idea of what things look like for women close to their 50's. Thanks!

I'm 60ish.. had my bypass Nov 26. Down just 18 pounds. But I can't walk as much with bad back and need a new hip. Just stick to the plan. It will happen might take a little more time because we are older but we have the time. And we won't have the drastic look of our face looking as old because it will come off slower. It will happen. We have time that's for sure! You will be fine.

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