Gastric Bypass surgery as an option for Seniors
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“A study last year in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society estimated that obesity in those age 60 and older will increase from 32 percent in 2000 to 37 percent in 2010. Men ages 65 to 74 and women 55 to 64 are the age groups with the highest prevalence of being overweight and obese.
Many private insurance companies cover bariatric surgery, finding it cheaper than long-term treatment of obesity-related health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Cost of the surgery starts at about $20,000.”
When I read this I thought being older is hard enough as is but having to go thru such an intrusive surgery just to lose weight is crazy. But the more I thought about it I came to the conclusion that weight loss surgery for some senior citizens makes sense. The main factor I think that it would help out is mobility. My great-aunt at 84 years old though she only weighed 130 lbs had a hard time getting around, and that was just because she was older. If she weighed say 330lbs then getting around would have been harder not to mention her diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, glaucoma may have been harder to manage.
These issues were a problem because of her age, but the combination of the extra pounds and her age would have made things a bit worse, so for that reason and that reason alone I think that gastric bypass would be a good thing for someone older. A person in there sixties has a different set of concerns than someone younger so having the surgery and being able to move about on there own, run with the grandkids, drive themselves back and forth is worth the risk of the surgery. The risk factor is slighty higher for a plus size senior than someone younger, but I think the overall benefits are better.
Being able to actually do the exercises that there doctor recommend, regaining independence, actually feeling good, because though there are the inherent aches and pains that come with being sixty, seventy and up there won’t be any added weight to slow them down.
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4 Comments on this post
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vesta44 said:
Oh hell no. Have you read about all the complications that occur with gastric bypass? It’s killing younger people, and if the complications don’t kill you, they’ll make you wish you were dead. Here’s a list of complications those younger people are having: Dehydration, Chronic Vomiting and Nausea, Stroke, Heart Attack,
Arrythmia, Kidney stones, Kidney Failure, Liver Failure, Anemia, Deficiencies (B-12,potassium, iron, B-1, B-6, etc.), Malabsorbtion of supplements
(calcium, minerals, nutrients from food), Blurred Vision, Muscle and
Bone Pain, Loss of Teeth, Bleeding Gums, Rotting Teeth Due to
Vomiting Requiring Root Canals, Hypoglycemia, Headaches, Black
outs/Seizures, Lactose Intolorant, Injury to Spleen during surgery,
Coma, Paralysis/Blindness after coma, Osteoporsis, Burst Pouch,
Lupus, Auto-Immune Disease, Looped Intestines, Ruptured Esophagus
from vomiting, Misfired Staper during surgery, Ulcers, Pneumonia/Lung
Problems, Arthritis, Weakness and Fatigue from Malnutrition, Overall
Pain, Metabolic Bone Disease, Food Blocking Stoma Causing Severe
Pain, Stoma Needing Stretched Repeatedly, Neuropathy, Beri Beri, Put
on Feeding Tubes/PICC Lines, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue,
Fistulas, Atrophy of Muscles, Hair Loss, Hernias, Blood Clots, Leaks,
Peritonitis, Heart Burn/Gerd/Acid Reflux, Bowel Obstructions,
Gallstones and Gallbladder Removal, Severe Depression, Anxiety, Loss
of Memory, Poor Concentration, Irregular Blood Pressure, Diahhrea,
Constipation, Opening Of Outer Incision-Needing Packing Until Healed
From The Inside Out, Insomnia/Sleep Disorders, Unforced Anorexia and
Bulemia, Gas, Silent Stroke, Vertigo, Malnutrition which is the cause
of many of the above problems, Many End Up Becoming Invalids, and
then there is death.
And you think this is a good idea for people in their 60’s/70’s/80’s? I’m 54, 5′8″ and weigh 377. Yes, I have mobility issues, but there is no way in hell I’m willing to risk any of this listed complications for maybe losing weight (yeah, weight regain is another one of those side effects). This is clearly a case of the cure being googols times worse than what they’re trying to cure (and being fat is not a disease that needs curing).March 13th, 2008 at 5:49 pm -
Glen L Johnson said:
If you look at the date on this post then look at the post that I just did today then you would see that I agree with you.
March 13th, 2008 at 5:54 pm -
vesta44 said:
My bad, I didn’t look at the dates on the posts, just saw the one on 10 reasons not to have WLS and then the link to this one and assumed they were both recent posts (shame on me for assuming, I know better than to do that).
Having had a VBG 10 1/2 years ago that failed (yeah, I was younger and much more stupid back then), and having to deal with the relatively minor complications from it, I just don’t think WLS is a good idea for anyone, young or old. There may be good outcomes for a few people who have it, but I think the risks far outweigh any possible good for the majority (2000 people at OSSG-gone_wrong can testify to that).March 13th, 2008 at 7:40 pm -
AnnieMcPhee said:
I thought it was recent too, as it was linked to a recent post. Then I linked to it at my blog. However, my horror is directed at the idea that they would start trying to kill off all the old people who didn’t die of teh fatz like supposedly they’re supposed to be doing. I can not *believe* that they want to do this to old people now, I really can’t. It’s positively horrific.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
