Average age of a Bandster?

[Kara 0]

I was 62 when I was banded on April 28. My doctor was afraid that if I waited any longer to get banded, that some might consider me too old. I love it when younger doctors just toss you off as if you're done. In a week I should get my first fill and then take off from there. I am looking forward to it.

[lose2regainme 0]

I am 40 and will be banded June 19th. I wish I had done it six years ago, the first time my doctor recommended it. I never had a real problem with my weight until having my babies in my mid to late 20's. By the time I was 30 I was having so many health issues. I have had 7 surgeries in the last 10 years. I sort of feel like I missed my thirties, but I am looking forward to making up for it in my 40's!!! :redface:

[BJean 16]

I have always been curious to learn if there is a difference in the rate of success between persons who were younger versus those who were older when they got the band.

It makes sense to me that the longer you live with lousy eating habits, the harder it is to change them. But I do not know that to be true. Can't help but wonder.....

I do know that with the band or the sleeve or gastric bypass there are no guarantees that you will be slim for the rest of your life. I have watched too many people in the public eye go through losing a lot after surgery and then regaining much of the weight, and it doesn't seem to matter whether their surgery involved the band, the sleeve or gastric bypass.

Anybody have any input?

[Sue Magoo 71]

Hi:

My LapBand surgeon told me that the bandsters that are under 30 years old do not do as well as the over 30 group. Not sure if there's been any research to support this. I'm guessing it is because those that are under 30 are alot more social than those of us that are over 30. In addition, having not carried the weight for as long, it may not be as much of a burden to the younger bandsters. Just my opinion.

Sue

[BJean 16]

Sue that's very interesting conjecture. It makes sense, I guess. But I might take exception to the thought that people under age 30 are more social. Unless you're talking about dating. And if you are, it seems that dating should motivate a person to be slim more than if a person were married or a confirmed bachelor or bachelorette.

I do agree that not having carried the weight as long, it is probably not as much of a burden than being overweight is to older people. Especially if we're talking about health ramifications. As we all know, there's such a thing as late onset of diabetes or secondary diabetes and that's not something one should ignore. Also, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are both issues that older obese people have to deal with that those who are under 30 probably don't have yet.

Thanks for your insight. It would be interesting to know why your doctor believes that people under 30 have a lower success rate with the band.

[Sue Magoo 71]

Hi:

I think that those that are under 30 have more social committments and they go out alot more than older people. Because of this, they also have more occasions that can involve alcohol and food. Maybe I'm wrong.

My doctor told me that his under 30 patients are less successful than the older patients. I can only assume this is based on his experience. You know the old saying about assuming, so I probably shouldn't make any assumptions. I think he and his partner have done about 300+ bands. Perhaps this is too small of a number to use as a base. There are probably more stats somewhere on this board that relate to this. They have a great support system and follow up at their group, so I would think that if the Under 30 group is less succesful it's not because of the effort made on the part of their practice.

Maybe people in their 40's and 50's are in more of a hurry to get to their goal weight than someone in their 20's.

I hope that everyone succeeds that gets banded.

I love my band and my new flat tummy.

Sue

[Carrie_C 9]

I think anyone at any age can be successful with the band, but I am glad I didn't get it when I was in my 20's. I just don't think I would have had the mind set and the discipline that it take to succeed with the band like I do now. I was too worried about where the next party was going to be! I wasn't really as concerned about my weight then.

[sweetheart181 10]

I'm 22 and I started looking into the band when I was 18. I have worked really hard at making my band work for me and I've done things I would have never imagined that I could do (being on Clear liquids for 1 month and 10 days then mushies for another month before I could eat solid foods). I don't think someones age determines their amount of discipline or how much of a burden this is. I have been overweight my whole life I have no idea what it feels like to be skinny or feel atractive, this is my biggest motivation for success. I have waisted so much time obsessing about my weight now I just want to get healthy and have some fun! I'm very social but there is a way to be social and still follow the rules. I go out to bars about 3 times a week and I still loose every week. In fact my doctor told me that I'm in the 99th percentile for weight loss and when I asked him why he thought I've done so well he told me that I'm lucky I got this surgery while I was young because my metabolism is faster. And one other thing, don't you remember how cruel people can be when you're young? It's a great motivation to remember what people have said to you and try to show them just how wrong they were!

I know if someone wants this bad enough they will be successful no mater what their age is.

Edited June 19, 2009 by sweetheart181

[bmooney364 30]

I am 53. I was always afraid of WLS. I thought about it seriously for a couple of yrs. I am a poster child for need. Diabetes , heart disease, high blood pressure. I should have had something yrs. ago before I developed all my problems. Better late than never.

[BJean 16]

Having the surgery when you're young seems to be to be better to me for long-term success.

When you're older your metabolism has slowed a lot - especially if you are past menopause and past having children.

Also, you haven't spent 20 years yo-yo dieting which also wrecks your metabolism. After yo-yo dieting for such a long time your body becomes very efficient at storing fat because it thinks you may go into another starvation mode at any time.

And thirdly, you are not as active as you were when you were younger. A few people are still running and playing racquetball and rowing and playing tennis, etc., when they're into their 50s and 60s, but that itsn't the vast majority of Americans. Most of us are couch potatoes. And the more we sit on our couches, the slower our metabolism is too.

So although someone said that their doctor believes that younger people are less successful than older people, I have to wonder if he has an unusual practice that is primarily young people or primarily older folks.

[Mary_Thompson 7]

I am 24 I was banded when I was 23 I think that it doesn't matter about your age all it matters about how much will power and how motivated you are I was looking in to getting the band for 2 years before I got it.

Now Ive had the band for 2 1/2 months and Ive lost 50lbs since surgery. I never ever thought that I could be on Clear liquids for 3 weeks, Full liquids for 2 weeks and Mushies for 2 weeks, I never thought that I would have enough willpower to do it. I go to the gym 5 days a week for at least an hour, and I don't cheat, I don't even think about cheating because when that is all you think about then you will!

so I really do not think it matters what age you are as long as you do what you are suppose to, what the Dr. tells you, I I think that its the amount of discipline, and motivation you have that will determine your sucess!

[BJean 16]

You know what Mary? You are right. It's all about discipline and motivation.

Everything else is just an excuse. And that's why you've lost more weight in a year than I've lost in nearly 3 years. No excuses! Just not motivated or disciplined enough.

Congratulations for having what it takes!

[Carrie_C 9]

Having the surgery when you're young seems to be to be better to me for long-term success.

When you're older your metabolism has slowed a lot - especially if you are past menopause and past having children.

Also, you haven't spent 20 years yo-yo dieting which also wrecks your metabolism. After yo-yo dieting for such a long time your body becomes very efficient at storing fat because it thinks you may go into another starvation mode at any time.

And thirdly, you are not as active as you were when you were younger. A few people are still running and playing racquetball and rowing and playing tennis, etc., when they're into their 50s and 60s, but that itsn't the vast majority of Americans. Most of us are couch potatoes. And the more we sit on our couches, the slower our metabolism is too.

So although someone said that their doctor believes that younger people are less successful than older people, I have to wonder if he has an unusual practice that is primarily young people or primarily older folks.

I think you are being very biased. I think it depends on the person's attitude more than the age. I don't think I would have been successful if I would have had the band when I was younger because of my mindset. But that doesn't mean other people who are younger than me won't succeed just because I might not have. Yes, it is true that your metabolism slows the older you get, but there are ways to speed metabolism up, especially with exercise. And the part about younger people being more active is not always true. I know plenty of people younger than me who sit around on video games all day. So success depends on more than just someone's age.

[Sarah.R 2]

All that matters is that you have focus and will power to change your life. Other than that it shouldn't matter what age you are as long as your doing this for the right reasons.

[BJean 16]

I totally understand what you're saying Carrie. And they're points well taken. I was just the opposite when I was young. Now that I'm older and have been heavy for 20 years, my knees are so shot that I can't exercise like I did when I was young. I played a lot of racquetball and volleyball and did long bike rides. I gradually stopped being so active and that's when I began to have a weight problem.

Everyone is different. Lots of people were overweight when they were young. I was very small. I didn't party much when I was young either. I was way too serious. I'm over that now and as far as I'm concerned, I'm wanting to have as much fun as possible in the freakin' years I have left.

It looks to me like you are going very well with the band and I congratulate you on your success!