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 had RNY surgery last Oct. I was 61 yrs old at that time. 62 now, and of course I am now at 1 yr post op 100lbs gone so far. You will do fine! Follow your plan and take it 1 day at a time Best of Luck!

Edited October 24, 20214 yr by WendyO

I was 63 at time of my bypass surgery 3 years ago last May. I lost 150 pounds in about 18 months. I have regained 30. But have leveled off. I am restarting my liquid diet to restart weight loss. I feel great most days however I still have an occasional dumping.
All in all I would have it done again if I knew all of this. Wish I had it done decades earlier though.

On 8/6/2021 at 2:11 PM, timmytommy said:

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 just had a sleeve to RNY revision due to severe reflux and a large hiatal hernia. I had sleeve surgery at age 50. (I'm 62 now) I lost 93 lbs from my pre-surgery weight. I reached my goal and went five lbs below for a 'pad'. I stayed at or below goal for 8.5 years. I was diagnosed with arthritis in my hips, ended up on thyroid meds for a while and then Covid. Grazing and less walking put on 40 lbs. (I was NEVER a gym rat, actually I never did any formal exercise) Take advantage of the honeymoon period. Follow the rules, I highly recommend logging your food. It will help you make better choices. I stopped doing that after shoulder surgery and it was a downward spiral. I'm back to logging! This was medically needed, but since I had to do this, I hope to lose and keep off between 25 - 30 lbs. I had surgery the day after Thanksgiving, I'm down 17.5 lbs since my pre-op diet weight. Good luck!!!

Edited December 7, 20214 yr by StratusPhr

On 12/4/2021 at 1:24 PM, Grammyrusty said:

I was 63 at time of my bypass surgery 3 years ago last May. I lost 150 pounds in about 18 months. I have regained 30. But have leveled off. I am restarting my liquid diet to restart weight loss. I feel great most days however I still have an occasional dumping.
All in all I would have it done again if I knew all of this. Wish I had it done decades earlier though.

I had surgery the day after Thanksgiving. I'm still on the liquid diet until this coming Friday. Tell me about dumping. What does it feel like and what causes it for you?

On 10/24/2021 at 1:55 PM, terigetshealthy said:

I’m 62 and scheduled tomorrow. I know it’s not going to be easy but it’s better than feeling the way I do now. Good luck to you!

Hi, I'll have my surgery in about a month. I'm 68. How was it?

1 hour ago, oldandtired said:

Hi, I'll have my surgery in about a month. I'm 68. How was it?

Honestly, it was rough in the beginning — constipation and really bad gas pains (nothing from the surgery). Once I got that figured out and passed the two week mark it got better every day. And when I added more foods and being able to walk a little and not being tired all the time, it’s been a blessing. Good luck to l look forward to hearing your progress! And message me if you want. ?

8 hours ago, StratusPhr said:

I had surgery the day after Thanksgiving. I'm still on the liquid diet until this coming Friday. Tell me about dumping. What does it feel like and what causes it for you?

I know not sure if what I had was dumping (I’ve had the “foamies”) but I get it with leftover meats (chicken, roasted pork) I think because the meat dries. I thought I chewed enough but it sat in my chest like a brick and all of a sudden, I started burping and up the foamy mucus came. It’s nothing like regular vomiting. I now reheat with a little broth and that seems to help.

Am 52 and this past October I am at the three years surgiversary RNY .Yes, it can be a little of a roller coaster compared to when I was younger because of menopause and slower metabolism, but it’s doable. I find I have to cut the carbs a lot and I have stalls my lowest was 175 but i am still in the 80s . I lift a lot of weight so a few extra pounds I noticed when I start lifting weights like five pounds if I stop for a few days I noticed I weigh less . The temptation is always with certain foods once I eat them I dump or have heart burn so I don’t touch some foods but it’s a challenge and hard work nothing is easy about this journey

Dumping for me is nausea , metallic taste in my mouth , stomach ache and am unable to digest what I eat it sits on top of my pouch until I take a digestive enzyme or it goes away

On 12/7/2021 at 5:08 AM, terigetshealthy said:

I know not sure if what I had was dumping (I’ve had the “foamies”) but I get it with leftover meats (chicken, roasted pork) I think because the meat dries. I thought I chewed enough but it sat in my chest like a brick and all of a sudden, I started burping and up the foamy mucus came. It’s nothing like regular vomiting. I now reheat with a little broth and that seems to help.

Sounds like foamies. I got those a lot the first couple of months, the pressure is sooo painful ugh. I'm going on my fifth month and rarely get them now. Dry meat gets me almost every time.

1 hour ago, Tomo said:

Sounds like foamies. I got those a lot the first couple of months, the pressure is sooo painful ugh. I'm going on my fifth month and rarely get them now. Dry meat gets me almost every time.

Thank you! I’m hope I’m like you!

On 10/3/2021 at 8:24 AM, terigetshealthy said:

I’m 62 and will be having bypass surgery on 10/25. I’m so happy for this next chapter to begin.

How are you doing? I have surgery the day after Thanksgiving. Whey protein smell is killing me. I'm supposed to be on clear liquids, but I started RTD Quest Protein drinks a couple of days ago. I couldn't do the other, and found myself doing very little. Decaf coffee and tea both taste different, not bad, just I don't enjoy them now. I put the Benefiber in a hot cup of coffee every morning.

1 hour ago, StratusPhr said:

How are you doing? I have surgery the day after Thanksgiving. whey Protein smell is killing me. I'm supposed to be on Clear Liquids, but I started RTD Quest Protein Drinks a couple of days ago. I couldn't do the other, and found myself doing very little. Decaf coffee and tea both taste different, not bad, just I don't enjoy them now. I put the Benefiber in a hot cup of coffee every morning.

Sugar free ice pops, chicken broth helps too. There’s a clear protein drink that’s 20 grams of protein i had to water it down it’s super sweet to me. You can make your own broth with chicken and veggies too, just strain it.

I’m better, but it wasn’t fun in the beginning. Things still don’t taste right to me but today I was so happy to finally drink a whole cup of coffee. I didn’t have to drink decaf after I went to full liquids. I actually like Peets decaf it helped me that week I had to. Once I started eating more food I wasn’t as tired anymore, thank goodness. I would sit and just fall asleep like I had narcolepsy. ??.

You can’t drink Premier Protein? I hated whey protein though and I used to like it. I want to try it in the blender with peanut butter powder and half a banana. Someone know said it’s good so I’ll give it a shot.

Every day is better. Just remember sip sip sip and keep moving. I felt almost normal by The end of the fourth week. I had 16 here for Thanksgiving, too!

17 hours ago, Tomo said:

Sounds like foamies. I got those a lot the first couple of months, the pressure is sooo painful ugh. I'm going on my fifth month and rarely get them now. Dry meat gets me almost every time.

Foamies, I was told when I was in the hospital foamy's is actually throwing up even though after bariatric surgery (rueny) you can't actually throw up (I was told) . And ask for sugar-free items keep those very very limited as you know how bad most sugary placements they use in products are so bad for your gut

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!