New 60+ Thread

[wildercrews 0]

Welcome. I was banded on April 14 and have lost a total of 25 pounds including the pre and post op diet. Yes, you can have Pasta and rice at about 4 weeks post op. bread, I don't know when that occurs. Follow your doctor/nutiritionist's instructions - it makes life a lot better. There is a thread on food and nutrition that is great. Be blessed.

Grammy in Columbus

[lkgrubb 0]

I make it a habit to not eat bread, rice, starches, UNLESS I am out and it is served as part of the meal. I find I do not crave any carbs since having the lapband done. So I feel lucky that I do not have hunger and no cravings. I am now 3.5 month out and just had my second fill of 2 cc's. Went out to lunch after with a friend and had a salad with a piece of italian bread, (I always chew really well) did not have any problems, but I know others have not been so lucky.

Follow the program and you will become aware of your stomach and what you as a lapbander can tolerate. Best of luck.

[Doddie63 6]

I have read posts from long time banders that it is better to keep a loose fill than a tight one. I have followed those suggestions and find I can eat anything as long as it is not over a cup of food and have been losing 1/2 lb per week for a little over a year. I have 5.5 ccs in a 10 cc band. Some need greater amounts of fill to find their comfort zone.

[SueFromMichigan 1]

Hi all,

I am so glad to have found this forum for senior lapbanders! I am 66 Y.O. and a snowbird, like several others here. I loooove warm weather. We go to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas for Jan. thru March each year. Down there we have a pool at the RV park, but back up in Michigan, I think getting my exercise will be more difficult. We did bring our bikes back, so will try some cycling. We live in a village, so no PT or gyms nearby. My daughter recommends weight training, so I will try that, too. I can't walk much due to spinal stenosis.

I was having some qualms and questions a few days ago, and was so pleased to find the answers here. I am committed to this change of lifestyle, but still glad to know that those cravings for candy will hopefully abate, and that I will be able to enjoy small servings of some of my other favorites. The thought of not being able to even taste the sweet corn in my garden was depressing.

I am handling the liquid diet OK so far- but I have only been on it since Wednesday, and I remember from Medifast days that the 3rd and 4th days were the hardest.

Wish me luck, Sue

[maggiehpp 0]

Hi SuefromMichigan,

Congratulations and good luck on your upcoming surgery next week. I'm from Lansing, MI, and have my first appt. with the surgeon (Flint-Hurley Bariatric Center) on May 21. I wish I could get it done at a local hospital, but there is not a Center of Excellence here at this time. I'm very interested to see how your journey goes, so please update whenever you feel up to it. Who is doing your surgery? Are you going through Medicare and, if so, what did it take to get approved?

Good luck again. Most of the bandsters on this site seem to have done really well and followed their individual plans closely. I hope to be able to do the same when my turn comes.

maggie

:thumbup:

[Doddie63 6]

Maggie you won't have any problem being motivated. The band is a wonderful tool and if you use it wisely by not overfilling it and having too high expectations of instant weight loss you will be successful.

Some individuals are surprised that the weight loss should be between 1 - 2 lbs a week (the same as when you were dieting). The difference with the band is, it keeps you feeling full. At first, I fought head hunger. My favorite vise was binging or grazing for food. After awhile, I no longer look at food at "wanting", now it is I "have" to eat to remain healthy. Treat you band with respect and don't sabatogue it and it will give you the body, health and happiness you want. I know it has for me.

[maggiehpp 0]

Hi Doddie,

Thank you so much for the information and encouragement. How long did it take for you to be able to control the grazing/binging and change your attitude towards food as something you must do to stay healthy?

I am so grateful for anything I can learn from you all who are succeeding in getting this food addiction under control, and leading healthier lives.

maggie

[Doddie63 6]

maggiehpp it took me from Feb.07 to approx. July 07. My mindset was to continue the same eating ways and the band would save me. LOL. I barfed almost every day until I finally acknowledged I had to retrain myself. I started to weigh and measure my food so that it did not amount to more than 1 cup per meal. I emphasized Protein as instructed by my clinic. I recorded my intake on 'Fitday' every day and still do. Then the weight started to come off. Many people do not like to record their intake as it reminds them too much of 'dieting'. I regretfully have to as I need to know how much I have consumed as I still graze when cooking for my DH. As long as I am truly honest when recording, I stay on the straigh and narrow.

Now I look upon food as something I have to have not something I crave. I no longer crave high fat or salty foods. I guess I barfed so much that I have lost the need for food as a pacifier.

My downfall is that I cannot exercise strenuously as I have arthrititis in my knees, hip and shoulders as well as I am a sedintary person by nature. So I purchased a treadmill and I try to walk as much as I can. My journey has been slow, but I have lost 1/2 lbs per week for over a year now and it is amazing how those little amounts add up. Thank goodness for my band.:thumbup:

[skinnydippn42 0]

Update on the updates:

Hi,

More new people, very nice.

I'm still waiting on the Medicare "Seal of Excelents" for CMMC in Jackson, MS. "Might" be approved this month (May '08). I'm still going to the support group meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00PM. Very helpful people. This up and coming meeting their going to be bring the cloths that they do not need anymore because of their weight lose and have cloths exchanges. That should be interesting.

That's it for now,

Don

[Doddie63 6]

Hi Skinnydippin. Hopefully your wait won't be very long and you can enjoy the band like I am doing. Swapping clothes is a great idea because as you lose weight who wants to buy new things just to discard them in a few months. I noticed you psych exam was on your anniversary LOL

[phyllser 3]

Update on the updates:

Hi,

More new people, very nice.

I'm still waiting on the Medicare "Seal of Excelents" for CMMC in Jackson, MS. "Might" be approved this month (May '08). I'm still going to the support group meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00PM. Very helpful people. This up and coming meeting their going to be bring the cloths that they do not need anymore because of their weight lose and have cloths exchanges. That should be interesting. That's it for now,

Don

Good to hear from you again, Don. Glad you check in every now and then. Hang in there... it'll be happening soon!

[skinnydippn42 0]

Hi Skinnydippin. Hopefully your wait won't be very long and you can enjoy the band like I am doing. Swapping clothes is a great idea because as you lose weight who wants to buy new things just to discard them in a few months. I noticed you psych exam was on your anniversary LOL

Yes, what a way to celabrate. I was in there over three hours answering over 600 "Yes or NO" questions, than took home another pile of papers with over 300 more question, not all "Yes or No".

[SueFromMichigan 1]

Thanks for telling your story, Doddie63. I think it is quite encouraging. I think I will also be someone who has to keep a log of my intake. I am looking forward to not craving carbs, especially candy.< /p>

Maggie, I am going to Detroit. My surgeon will be Dr. Gazayerli at Harper Hospital/Detroit Medical Center. I am working with the gals at beliteweight.com. I am happy with their program so far. They have a package deal, even for those of us with insurance/Medicare. It includes the night before the surgery at a hotel, then the night of the surgery in the hospital (while my companion stays at the International Center) and a third night at the International Center for both of us. My insurance is Humana CMS. It is a program that takes the place of Medicare, and includes prescription drug coverage. For those in my rural county, there is no additional premium (they take my Medicare premium), and the coverage is equal to or better than Medicare. For instance, a yearly colonoscopy and mammogram are covered at no cost to me. They follow Medicare guidelines for the surgery, which require that it be inpatient and at a COE. Then I will just pay a $625 co-pay for anything done during that hospitalization. Once my paperwork was submitted (MD letter, mainly & request for approval from the surgeon's office) it was approved in 3 days.

I have a daughter who lives in Lansing and works at MSU. I am hoping that if this works well for me she may consider it, too.

skinnydippn42, are you determined to have the surgery in Jackson? You have probably told the forum before, but why haven't you considered going elsewhere and not waiting?

[skinnydippn42 0]

skinnydippn42, are you determined to have the surgery in Jackson? You have probably told the forum before, but why haven't you considered going elsewhere and not waiting?

__________________

Yes, I have condidered going else where.

When I first learned about the Lap-band I studied into it to see if I really needed it & wanted it. When I desided this was for me I went to a couple of semiars, got the OK from my MAIN Doc. Got the Pyic part overwith. In the mean time I turned 65 yrs. old and found out that MEDICARE was my MAIN Ins. Co. and FBC/BS was now my secondary carryer. Then had to check in to that aspect of everything. I started out looking into one hospital, than found out there was a closer hospital. Later found out that hospital would not be OK'd by Medicare for well over a year, than started back with the first Hospital. Found out CMMC of Jackson, MS was almost finished with the process of being "OK'd" by Medicare so I stuck with them. They SHOULD be "OK'd" the end of this month (May '08). If I found out that THIS hospital would take a long time being OK'd by Medicare I would have possibly gone with the hospital up in the north part of MS.

WOW, I'm out of breath just saying all that. I'm going to the Gastric Surgery support group meeting tonight at 7:00PM. Nice group of people. I alwas learn a lot going there.

There you have it. After all that I might have to go take a nap. (LOL)

Don

[bonnieb 0]

Hi,

I am 62 and had my lap band on May 12. Every thing went well. I went home that night and slept great. Yesterday, I had a lot of gas pain but the biggest problem was diarrhea. My doctor had given me a laxative because of the barium and that worked with a vengance! The one good thing is that today I have very little gas pain! My blood pressure is very low today so I am not going to take my blood pressure meds (89/54) until that goes up a little. I am not having any trouble getting the fluids in (clear liquids for 4 days). I did drink a bottle of Isopure low carb yesterday (it is clear). It has 40 grams of Protein in it and doesn't taste too bad. I am going to drink extra fluids today to get my pressure up. Othewise, I am so happy I was banded. I think we older bandsters are realistic about what we have to do for our health and I think it will keep my motivated. Of course, I will also be happy to look better. Good luck to all of you who are getting banded. It wasn't that bad. The journey has started!

Bonnie:thumbup: