How to decide

[Guest guest]

I guess you have all seen the newspapers warning us that if we are

over 65, we should reconsider surgery. I don't know how to make a

rational decision. I'm 65 and it shows that I am at very high risk. I

made a list of pros and cons but it has not helped me make the final

decision. How did you make this decision to go ahead? I am having

trouble.

[Guest guest]

Bambi, I work in a hospital as a respiratory

therapist. People your age are in surgery every day.

Most times they do fine. Sometimes they have

complications, but do recover. Please note that I'm

speaking of surgery in general, not bariatric surgery

specifically. People with bad hearts and bad lungs,

wo I expect to have a slow recovery continually amaze

me with their bounceback.

For what it's worth,

Laurie

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[Guest guest]

Hi Bambi,

There is a woman in the Elk Grove Support Group who states that she is

the oldest patient Kaiser has operated on. I think she is 70. She

was operated on December of last year. She had been in a electric

wheel chair for over 10 years. Now she can walk with the aid of a

cane. Last meeting, she laughed about doing Texas Line dancing at the

state fair.

Her recovery hasn't been perfect, but mostly smooth. Where do you

live? Can you come to Elk Grove the first Tuesday of the month at

7:00? Maybe you'll get to meet her.

>

> I guess you have all seen the newspapers warning us that if we are

> over 65, we should reconsider surgery. I don't know how to make a

> rational decision. I'm 65 and it shows that I am at very high risk. I

> made a list of pros and cons but it has not helped me make the final

> decision. How did you make this decision to go ahead? I am having

> trouble.

>

[Guest guest]

Go to support groups and really get to know people, on here is great, but what helped me were seeing and meeting people in person. Donnabambiwoodward wrote:

I guess you have all seen the newspapers warning us that if we are over 65, we should reconsider surgery. I don't know how to make a rational decision. I'm 65 and it shows that I am at very high risk. I made a list of pros and cons but it has not helped me make the final decision. How did you make this decision to go ahead? I am having trouble.Donna JordonDSJordon@...

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[Guest guest]

Bambi,

When I decided to go ahead I based my decision on my honest deep-down

answer to this question: Would I rather die due to WLS surgery, or due

to obesity?

At the time, I was feeling down and depressed about my quality of

life. I was healthy, but I'd seen lots of obese patients older than me

who were dying in nasty ways and having major hygiene problems along

the way--a big fear of mine. So while I still had fears and worries,

my answer to that question tipped the balance for me.

But I was only 49 when I had surgery. A lot depends on what kind of

65-year-old you are. Are you pretty healthy, or do you have a lot of

problems? Do you have heart, circulatory, or lung problems? Those

bring your risk up quite a bit. How have you done in past surgeries?

And what does your primary MD have to say?

This is a decision that you must weigh carefully. The laparoscopic

procedure is much safer than open. But no one can absolutely guarantee

you a lap because once they're in there, if they can't proceed due to

scar tissue or some anatomical anomaly there's a chance they'll have

to open you up.

If you decide to go ahead, start exercising, and start some

deep-breathing exercises (but don't hyperventilate--go slow). Good

exercise tolerance is a great way to prevent blood clots and pneumonia

after surgery.

Good luck with your decision.