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I'm 69 and have a BMI of 36. Been gaining weight continuously my adult life. I'm OK'd for sleeve surgery mid september.
Can anyone with a similar age and BMI tell me their experience.
Do you regret making the decision this late in life.
Have the post op diet restrictions felt like a sacrifice.
Did the 30% weight loss offset those the diet changes.
Any insight that would help me make a more informed decision is appreciated.
Thank you

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I'm not quite your age, but still in the "boomer" set. I can't tell you if you should or shouldn't have bariatric surgery, only you can decide that.

I did want to point out that if you approach bariatric surgery as something that will "feel like a sacrifice", this may not be for you. Instead, I would suggest you think about the things you are currently sacrificing at your current weight. Are you sacrificing your health? Are you sacrificing activities with family and friends?

The only people I've met that regret bariatric surgery are the ones that didn't think of it as a life changing opportunity to fix their relationship with food. If you have the surgery and go right back to eating junk, you may regret having it done because you won't attain your goals.

in the event you are wondering if it's safe and effective "at your age", I'll leave you with some studies:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11695-019-03718-6

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550728922001605

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ggi.12527

https://europepmc.org/article/med/30175564

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I'm 69 and have a BMI of 36. Been gaining weight continuously my adult life. I'm OK'd for sleeve surgery mid september.
Can anyone with a similar age and BMI tell me their experience.
Do you regret making the decision this late in life.
Have the post op diet restrictions felt like a sacrifice.
Did the 30% weight loss offset those the diet changes.
Any insight that would help me make a more informed decision is appreciated.
Thank you


I am in my 60s. I just recently had a revision WLS. I will speak mainly about my first WLS since revision was made for other reasons. For the first few months, the post-op diet does feel like a sacrifice. Especially the liquid phase. Not actually physically since I had decreased hunger but more mentally, emotionally since eating was never really about physical hunger to me. After the first few months, things normalized. I was able to eat whatever I wanted, just a much smaller amount and social eating was pleasant again. Because of the rapid weightloss, and the positive feelings of losing weight, it was much easier for me to transition to a healthier diet naturally.

Was the the weight loss worth it and did it offset the sacrifice? Absolutely. I feel so much younger now being able to move as my body intended. Most health issues resolved too. I would do it again and again in a heartbeat.

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I had my sleeve done nine months ago, aged 62. I walked with a stick, had severe shortage of breath, high blood pressure and was told 11 months before surgery that I was diabetic. I am a carer for my husband and there were times when he was having to care for me. Things had to change.

I never realised that loosing weight would have made such a huge difference. I gallop through chores, walk miles and have endless energy. The diabetes and blood pressure went within a few months. The only pills I take now are for Fibromyalgia.

The only downside to being overweight and being my age is the loose skin. I will need more surgery .

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I was 59 when I had my surgery and had a BMI in the high 30s, so I was in a similar position. I also hesitated for the same reasons you mention.

As SpartanMaker said, nobody else can tell you whether you should or shouldn't have the surgery. I can tell you that, 3.5 years later, the improvement in my quality of life and overall physical and emotional well-being are tremendous. I have more energy than I did 20 years ago and have a new lease on life. Also, at this point I'm eating more or less normally (just smaller quantities and a healthier diet), and I don't feel I've sacrificed anything.

As you can tell, I haven't regretted my decision for a moment. I've said it often: my only regret is that I didn't do this decades earlier!

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i agree, I'm 64 and the surgery was life changing, i now have low blood pressure, no more back pain, i got a fit bit, started walking 3000 steps per day, now I'm up to 12000. i know long take Aleve, arthritis pain almost gone.

it was game changing for me, and everyone around me has noticed my energy levels increased..

I wish i had done it sooner,

Good Luck

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I'm 62 and had sleeve surgery 3.5 mos ago. My BMI was over 40. I am already down 55 lbs, 2-3 sizes smaller and feeling fabulous. I've had very little discomfort with the surgery and eat whatever I want - albeit in much smaller quantities. I consume on average 900-1100 calories per day. Happy to answer any other questions you might have. I have no regrets other than wishing I had had the surgery sooner!

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I was 58 when I had my VSG; it's been ~nine years and it was the BEST decision I ever made for myself. Yes, you're older now than I was then; but if you've been medically cleared for the surgery, and desire a better, healthier life, more energy, more style, less shame, more confidence, go for it. The few months of "sacrifice" (i.e, adjustment and acceptance of smaller food volumes), is well worth the years of physical improvement and better health, more energy, etc.

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On 8/27/2022 at 7:13 AM, Young 69 yrs said:

I'm 69 and have a BMI of 36. Been gaining weight continuously my adult life. I'm OK'd for sleeve surgery mid september.
Can anyone with a similar age and BMI tell me their experience.
Do you regret making the decision this late in life.
Have the post op diet restrictions felt like a sacrifice.
Did the 30% weight loss offset those the diet changes.
Any insight that would help me make a more informed decision is appreciated.
Thank you

Sleeved on 9-1 and turned 71 on 9-6. No regrets at all. Easy recovery, no pain, no gastric problems, should be off blood pressure and cholesterol meds soon. I have lost 22 pounds so far. It has been great! Looking forward to continuing weight loss and improved health.

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I am in my 60's and BMI is at least 40 right now. Did you all have to follow the protocol of medical weight loss first, and have all the tests that I hear about? Trying to get an idea of how long it may be between my first visit on 10/11 and possible surgery date. I have had most of the tests that I've been reading that are required, except the psychologist.

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I had surgery on 9/12 and it took 2 months after meeting with the surgeon. Key dates in addition to the medical tests were visit with the Nutritionist and getting approval by insurance. My psychologist was a 30 minute zoom.

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I’m close to my pre-op appointment for VSG and hoping to receive a surgery date. As of 2 days ago, I am 69 years old. Did you have your surgery in August/September and did you have any doubts going into this due to age?

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

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      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

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      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

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      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

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      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      · 0 replies
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