Guest guest Posted August 10, 2000 Report Share Posted August 10, 2000 Jim, My mother just had the MGB in May and she is 73. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2000 Report Share Posted August 10, 2000 Hi. According to the person who answers e-mails at Dr. R's office it is not. Judith in Seattle, WA MGB age factor > I'm 62 years old and understand that a weight loss would greatly enhance my life but there is an age limit of 55. Does anyone out there know if this is a firm fast rule and what is the reason for it? > > Thanks, > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2000 Report Share Posted August 10, 2000 Jim Miskelly wrote: > > I'm 62 years old and understand that a weight loss would greatly > enhance my life but there is an age limit of 55. Does anyone out > there know if this is a firm fast rule and what is the reason for it? > > Thanks, Dr. R. has gotten stricter lately because he has an overwhelming patient load, so what has applied in the past may not apply now, however, he has had patients over 55. I think the oldest was 71. Several people in their late 50's and early sixties are post-ops. I have no clue what the criteria is, but I would make a guess that if you are in great physical condition with no previous surgery/adhesions/scarring, and no major problems, and good family support/PCP support, that would make you a more likely candidate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2000 Report Share Posted August 10, 2000 Flo, I am smiling! Your posts make me smile and make me ponder! But mostly they make me smile! Dinah > Regarding the age factor: I am 57 and have had the surgery. Pat from Texas is 59 and she > had the surgery, Pat from NC is 60 something..and she had the surgery and a 71 year old > lady had the surgery The manual says age 55 as a general guideline...if you read it carefully it > says IDEALLY the surgical candidate should ...and the age 55 is listed as one of the qualities > of the ideal candidate. > > However, Dr. R has made exceptions. I am very healthy (no major organic trouble often > common to us " older folks " ) and was readily approved. I have fared well. I have fared better > than well! I know that several of the " older folks " who also had surgery did very, very well. > > One of Dr. R's qualities is his flexibility...he'll listen and he'll consider. From what I've seen his > decisions are made medically..what is medically sound...what he needs on paper to make a > medically sound decision...his non-negotiable things have to do with his ability to make a > medically sound decision in the end. He acts in the best interests of the patient..each and > every patient. If he tells you he needs certain things at certain times, it is because in order to > make the best possible decision, on your medical behalf, he must have these things in > advance of the decision making. > > If you want the surgery, take the steps to get the surgery. If you meet all of the other > requirements, he has not thus far barred people because of age alone that I am aware of. He > has barred younger people with medical conditions which constituted an inability to have the > surgery laparascopically, or with medical conditions which presented a greater a risk. > > I had surgery based on quality of life not my desire to be a Barbie. I reckoned with the fact > that my skin and other age factors were not going to allow me to be a Barbie. Damn it! > > On both sides of my family, our relatives live to their high 80's and 90's. Thus, I expect that I > will follow the path of the genes I was given and will most likely experience longevity. For > me the surgery has to do with the ability to remain active in body for just as long as I can. My > physical abilites were, at 57, already becoming diminished. I think that anyone who wants to > be Barbie should go for it! And I think that anyone who has " lost their body " to obesity and > wants only improved quality of life should go for it. Both are very valid reasons to have this > surgery, to my mind. In my case, 50 years out of 57 of obesity was no longer an option. I'd > had it. I'm going to have hanging skin, that's a reality, and my hair is grey..not blonde any > more. But I feel good. And for me, the surgery was a miracle and something I am so grateful > I pursued. > > Go for it..no matter what your age. If your health is good and you want to improve the quality > of your life you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. > > Flo from land > > > > > > > Florence Ballengee > Hollywood, land > florence@u... > > Download NeoPlanet at http://www.neoplanet.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 10, 2000 Report Share Posted August 10, 2000 Regarding the age factor: I am 57 and have had the surgery. Pat from Texas is 59 and she had the surgery, Pat from NC is 60 something..and she had the surgery and a 71 year old lady had the surgery The manual says age 55 as a general guideline...if you read it carefully it says IDEALLY the surgical candidate should ...and the age 55 is listed as one of the qualities of the ideal candidate. However, Dr. R has made exceptions. I am very healthy (no major organic trouble often common to us " older folks " ) and was readily approved. I have fared well. I have fared better than well! I know that several of the " older folks " who also had surgery did very, very well. One of Dr. R's qualities is his flexibility...he'll listen and he'll consider. From what I've seen his decisions are made medically..what is medically sound...what he needs on paper to make a medically sound decision...his non-negotiable things have to do with his ability to make a medically sound decision in the end. He acts in the best interests of the patient..each and every patient. If he tells you he needs certain things at certain times, it is because in order to make the best possible decision, on your medical behalf, he must have these things in advance of the decision making. If you want the surgery, take the steps to get the surgery. If you meet all of the other requirements, he has not thus far barred people because of age alone that I am aware of. He has barred younger people with medical conditions which constituted an inability to have the surgery laparascopically, or with medical conditions which presented a greater a risk. I had surgery based on quality of life not my desire to be a Barbie. I reckoned with the fact that my skin and other age factors were not going to allow me to be a Barbie. Damn it! On both sides of my family, our relatives live to their high 80's and 90's. Thus, I expect that I will follow the path of the genes I was given and will most likely experience longevity. For me the surgery has to do with the ability to remain active in body for just as long as I can. My physical abilites were, at 57, already becoming diminished. I think that anyone who wants to be Barbie should go for it! And I think that anyone who has " lost their body " to obesity and wants only improved quality of life should go for it. Both are very valid reasons to have this surgery, to my mind. In my case, 50 years out of 57 of obesity was no longer an option. I'd had it. I'm going to have hanging skin, that's a reality, and my hair is grey..not blonde any more. But I feel good. And for me, the surgery was a miracle and something I am so grateful I pursued. Go for it..no matter what your age. If your health is good and you want to improve the quality of your life you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Flo from land Florence Ballengee Hollywood, land florence@... Download NeoPlanet at http://www.neoplanet.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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