Hello to you all!

[PattyCakes]

Hi, my name is Tanya and I am having Lap Band to VSG revision surgery on 1/21. I was fairly successful with the band and was still losing slowly until I began to throw up everything I ate. They let all the fluid out of the band to let things settle but I began to gain weight almost immediately . Two years of useless adjustments
Later, I decided to go for revision. I am 56 years old now and afraid I won't lose as much weight with the sleeve as younger patients do. I have severe back issues so many activities/ exercises are out . Are there any other > 55 yr old members of the group that found post sleeve weight loss to be slow? I look forward to any info or advice that's out there ! Nice to meet you and thanks !

 

[Spiky Bugger]

That's my story, off by a year...same concerns. So I had the DS.

My sister lost 100 pounds with the sleeve. She's two years out and has regained twenty. All she has at her command this point is diet and exercise...

 

[JackieOnLine]

Hi Tanya!



I have also lost 100 pounds with a sleeve (in my 40s) but I had to "work" really hard to regain. I mean, eat a bunch.

how is your metabolism? seriously, do you have any idea how many calories you can eat without gaining?

how are you on low-carbing?

tell us more & we'll say what we think. anyway, glad to have you here.

 

[PattyCakes]

Hi Tanya!



I have also lost 100 pounds with a sleeve (in my 40s) but I had to "work" really hard to regain. I mean, eat a bunch.

how is your metabolism? seriously, do you have any idea how many calories you can eat without gaining?

how are you on low-carbing?

tell us more & we'll say what we think. anyway, glad to have you here.

Thanks ! I made a lot of mistakes with the band ( but ultimately, the band failed me) and I intend to approach the sleeve far differently . I have not low carbed before but I'm planning to do so now .
I think my metabolism is pretty slow and my back pain keeps me less active than I want to be . Currently , I can't even walk my dogs . I am researching exercises that I can do without hurting my back further . My hope is that as I lose weight, my back pain will improve .
Weight loss will not cure my back diagnoses but I am sure it will improve my comfort level.

 

[Larra]

Hi and welcome!
The failure rate of the band is high, and the reoperation rate is the highest of any bariatric surgery presently being done. Please don't feel that you failed. It was a flawed gadget that failed, not you.
I agree that weight loss should help with your back pain. With a slow metabolism, though, you should at least consider revising to the DS. The sleeve is certainly better than lap band, but doesn't offer the metabolic changes of the DS that help to make it so effective both for weight loss and for maintenance of that weight loss. Esp if your ability to exercise is limited, getting the most metabolic bang for your buck would be a good idea IMHO.
Meanwhile, if you have access to a pool, exercise or even walking in the pool might be easy on your back and other joints. Sit and be fit type of stuff might also be an option.

 

[brooklyngirl]

 

[Barb1]

Welcome ! You are in the right place for help and support!

 

[PattyCakes]

Hi Tanya!



I have also lost 100 pounds with a sleeve (in my 40s) but I had to "work" really hard to regain. I mean, eat a bunch.

how is your metabolism? seriously, do you have any idea how many calories you can eat without gaining?

how are you on low-carbing?

tell us more & we'll say what we think. anyway, glad to have you here

Hi and welcome!
The failure rate of the band is high, and the reoperation rate is the highest of any bariatric surgery presently being done. Please don't feel that you failed. It was a flawed gadget that failed, not you.
I agree that weight loss should help with your back pain. With a slow metabolism, though, you should at least consider revising to the DS. The sleeve is certainly better than lap band, but doesn't offer the metabolic changes of the DS that help to make it so effective both for weight loss and for maintenance of that weight loss. Esp if your ability to exercise is limited, getting the most metabolic bang for your buck would be a good idea IMHO.
Meanwhile, if you have access to a pool, exercise or even walking in the pool might be easy on your back and other joints. Sit and be fit type of stuff might also be an option.

Well, Larra, the DS was not presented to me as an option so I had not researched it. And it's too late in the game to change now , but thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to go with the sleeve. After the band surgery, I had family issues that took up my time and attention and I wasn't able to make the most of the initial opportunity to lose as much as I could. Those issues are gone now so it will be just me and the sleeve against the weight, with no distractions . I am worried , though , as I said earlier, that my age will work against me .

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Well, Larra, the DS was not presented to me as an option so I had not researched it. And it's too late in the game to change now , but thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to go with the sleeve. After the band surgery, I had family issues that took up my time and attention and I wasn't able to make the most of the initial opportunity to lose as much as I could. Those issues are gone now so it will be just me and the sleeve against the weight, with no distractions . I am worried , though , as I said earlier, that my age will work against me .

It's only too late to change after you're cut. PLEASE reconsider.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome @PattyCakes
As EN said, it's not too late. Until you are under and in the OR, then yes. But you aren't there yet. And the most likely reason the DS wasn't offered is the surgeon doesn't do it.

 

[Larra]

I'm glad the family issues have improved.
However, I must agree with EN and Southernlady that it isn't too late until you are in the OR. In the years I've been here and on other bariatric surgery websites, I've "met" so to speak, lots of people who were not informed about the DS by their surgeons and stumbled onto it doing their own research. Some of these people cancelled surgery a week (or less!) before their scheduled dates when they realized that the DS was their best option. Many had to change surgeons, though fortunately whatever testing is already done can be used with a different surgeon.
I hope you will continue reading here and researching ALL your options, and yes, you do still have options. There is a lot of good general info about the DS on dsfacts, and of course you have lots of well informed people to interact with here. If you decide the sleeve is really your best option for long term success, great! But if you really do have a slow metabolism, an operation that doesn't alter your metabolism probably isn't your best choice. Do you really want to have to face a third bariatric operation in a few years? We've seen this also. It's not a happy situation to find yourself in. Take this opportunity to learn more and make the best possible decision for yourself.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Well, Larra, the DS was not presented to me as an option so I had not researched it. And it's too late in the game to change now , but thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to go with the sleeve. After the band surgery, I had family issues that took up my time and attention and I wasn't able to make the most of the initial opportunity to lose as much as I could. Those issues are gone now so it will be just me and the sleeve against the weight, with no distractions . I am worried , though , as I said earlier, that my age will work against me .

You age will not be the issue. The issue will be...can you, given a head start like you had with the band but with the sleeve this time, live on a diet forever?

I am too crazy. After living with the band for three years, I KNEW I could not live on a diet forever. So I went for the DS. I thought my sister, who has the sleeve, would be more compliant. But she is regaining at a steady pace.

And this "too far along" thing! Isn't that like feeling you can't walk away from the marriage to the jerk you KNOW is not what you need, just because you already had the wedding invitations printed?

I'm not saying the DS is the ONLY surgery, because I think the band is perfect for some people. But you're already getting one WLS "divorce," do what you can to make sure you won't need another!

 

[Jen-2]

Hello! I'm pre-op. Scheduled for the DS on February 2. This board has been invaluable to me. It's full of very well informed ladies (and a few gents) who are willing to help and will tell you like it is. Very humorous at times too! Good luck w your research and decision.

 

[Will2014]

Hello! I'm pre-op. Scheduled for the DS on February 2. This board has been invaluable to me. It's full of very well informed ladies (and a few gents) who are willing to help and will tell you like it is. Very humorous at times too! Good luck w your research and decision.

Hiya and welcome Jen! This board saved my life...literally. So great to have you here, and to see what a blessing having these wonderful people guide you has been for you. I had computer problems and was gone for awhile, but I'm happy to be back! I've had a momentous 8 months since my DS. Lost an entire human beings worth of weight (174 lbs) and plan to lose 50 more before my surgiversary of May 8th. Some day I'll posts pics and fix that thing that so many have that shows their weight loss progress, but I haven't figured out how yet. Anyhoo-great to have ya aboard!

 

[Will2014]

Hi, my name is Tanya and I am having Lap Band to VSG revision surgery on 1/21. I was fairly successful with the band and was still losing slowly until I began to throw up everything I ate. They let all the fluid out of the band to let things settle but I began to gain weight almost immediately . Two years of useless adjustments
Later, I decided to go for revision. I am 56 years old now and afraid I won't lose as much weight with the sleeve as younger patients do. I have severe back issues so many activities/ exercises are out . Are there any other > 55 yr old members of the group that found post sleeve weight loss to be slow? I look forward to any info or advice that's out there ! Nice to meet you and thanks !

Tonya please understand everyone here has you best interests at heart. But the medical industry...I'm sad to say...has IT'S best interests at heart. Please have the surgery best suited for YOUR needs. Don't you dare let the industry dictate to you which would be best. Listen to these seasoned vets here...and learn. They can help you find a Dr. in your area that does the DS...if that's what would be best for you. You will find folks here are a frank bunch, and opinionated as all get out. But it's because of personal experience and extensive research derived knowledge. These guys here would be considered expert witnesses on the subject of DS, vetting doctors who perform it, vitamins, literally every facet of this subject! I know you are new here...but please trust these people because they know of what they speak. This is bar none the greatest resource for bariatric surgery generally, and the DS procedure in particular, that exists today. Please use it wisely to make your decision. Again, and I say this as an RN of 23 yrs, doctors too often want to coerce patients into doing the procedure THEY want to do. Chances are if a doctor speaks out against doing a DS, he/she probably doesn't have the skill to do the damn thing. Just please do your own research and ask good questions here. It's probably the most important thing you'll be deciding in these final decades of your life. Give the matter the attention it deserves.