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Can you be too old to do this?


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I am 55. I am concerned about doing this at my age. I don't recover as quickly as I did when I was younger and I am worried that I will be down longer than the 10 days or so I keep reading about. All you 50 and over tell me what your experiences were.

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I am 55. I am concerned about doing this at my age. I don't recover as quickly as I did when I was younger and I am worried that I will be down longer than the 10 days or so I keep reading about. All you 50 and over tell me what your experiences were.

I had the lap band surgery done last August and I was 56 years old. My only thought was why did I wait so long. Sounds like you are not having the band but a more intense WLS. Don't let your age, age you. :D

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I am 55. I am concerned about doing this at my age. I don't recover as quickly as I did when I was younger and I am worried that I will be down longer than the 10 days or so I keep reading about. All you 50 and over tell me what your experiences were.

I was almost 59 when I had my lapband done in October 2010. I don't recover quickly from medical procedures and was off work for 2 weeks. I wasn't in any discomfort necessarily but just felt kind of "off". Now that I'm down 45 pounds, those 2 weeks are a distant memory. Seriously, you're not too old to have this done and once the weight starts to come off, you're physical and mental well being will combine to make you feel younger than your 55 years.

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I am 55. I am concerned about doing this at my age. I don't recover as quickly as I did when I was younger and I am worried that I will be down longer than the 10 days or so I keep reading about. All you 50 and over tell me what your experiences were.

I was 54 when I became lap banded. Smartest thing I ever did. Wish it was available when I was 16.

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Quick hi there.I had plication surgery Jan 27th this year, and I am 56 years old. Not sure what type of WLS you're having, but do talk over your concerns with your surgeon. Like Dolittle said, my only wish was I had done this sooner. My recovery time was near zero.....day after surgery I was up and ansy to get released, day following that I went exploring in Tj, Mexico followed by 5 day holiday in San Deigo including the Zoo. Oddly enough the pre surgery diet upped my energy level, must have been from improved eating habits. Everyone responds to surgery differently, remember, the pre surgery prep and the post surgery eating guidelines need to be followed. You might find post surgery during the first 10-14 days a drop in energy until you add protein shakes back to your diet. All the same, don't let your age stop you from having WLS............just talk out your concerns with your surgeon and voice your emotions and queries here...somone will give you information or support. I've found people in the WL community very supportive, we've been on taht same road you're on. Cheers, Katie

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  • 1 month later...

I am 55. I am concerned about doing this at my age. I don't recover as quickly as I did when I was younger and I am worried that I will be down longer than the 10 days or so I keep reading about. All you 50 and over tell me what your experiences were.

Edmund, Never let your age prevent you from doing something to restore your body or health. Yes, healing might take a wee bit longer, but I think you will ultimately feel much younger in a short time. This site is wonderful for sharing and support. You came to the right place. Good luck!

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  • 9 months later...

I guess I am the Old Lady. Had my surgery at 62 after a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and regular aerobic exercise. Finally, life got the best of me when my husband died and the weight crept steadily up with the abandonment of exercise, altered food and activity routines and increased stress. Additionally, I required a hip replacement at age 58 and, by age 61, the hip was starting to hurt from the extra weight.

On a steady upward weight gain trend, I believed that the deck was stacked against weight loss and I needed a powerful new tool to avoid the inevitable problems (joint damage, high blood pressure, diabetes). I decided on bariatric surgery and headed for the internet for information. My only health concern was a slight reduction in pulmonary vital capacity from a chronic bronchitis. OCC simply gave me a preventative breathing treatment to open up the airways fully before surgery and everything went fine. As a retired RN, I was surprised and appreciative of OCC's attention to this detail as I have seen far inferior care in my experience in the US. I had no post-op discomfort beyond the usual bloaties/burpees.

I have always believed that age didn't matter much from the "inside" looking out but with my nursing training, I also knew that physiologic age does matter. Simplicity and non-invasiveness were top priorities for me--at my age--and that is why Gastric Plication was at the top of the list. I am quite happy with the outcome and no longer have hip pain, have regained full mobility, have increased exercise tolerance and am shopping for smaller clothes. Extra caution makes sense when you are more mature, but don't let age alone be the limiting factor!

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I got my sleeve done in monday and tere is a lady in her 60s getting bank to sleeve revision she might even be in her late 60's. She had her band placed 2 years ago with Dr Ortiz and had it removed in the states due to meidacal reasons.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have my Vertical Gastric Sleeve scheduled for May 28, 2012. I will turn 69 yrs old on May 6,2012. I do not have Type 2 DM or any major cardiac or pulmonary risk factors. I feel quite confident that i will do fine. If I did have any of the above i would need to weigh that against the increased mortality from the obesity itself. It is risk vs benefit. I think for most of us the benefit outweighs the risk.

My husband and I are both retired physicians and have researched the surgery and the surgical site extensively. Obesity Control Center was our number one choice. The Bariatric Surgical Excellence award cemented my decision.

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  • 10 months later...

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