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Overweight & Elderly

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  • 30-04-2021 4:13pm
    #1
    funkey_monkey
    Registered Users Posts: 8,088 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    An uncle of mine is in his 70's and quite obese. He has diabetes as well as some other health issues. His ability to walk is impacted - so exercise is not really an option at this stage until he gets some weight shifted.

    He was speaking with GP and is considering getting a gastric band to help him reduce weight. My mum (his sister) is not keen on this idea and wants him to go back to GP in order to see what other options are available for him.

    In order to help she asked me to look online and see what else can be done for him without resorting to surgery.
    He had previously lost weight using appetite suppressant drinks, but it slowly creeped back on him again.

    So, what options are there out there for an elderly person to lose weight?


    TIA.


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    #2
    BabysCoffee
    Registered Users Posts: 4,712 ✭✭✭BabysCoffee


    Has his doctor every discussed the Ketogenic Diet with your Uncle?

    https://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes/type-1


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    #3
    funkey_monkey
    Registered Users Posts: 8,088 ✭✭✭funkey_monkey


    BabysCoffee wrote: »
    Has his doctor every discussed the Ketogenic Diet with your Uncle?

    https://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes/type-1

    I think he must be type 2 as he doesn't jag himself.


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    #4
    Arbie
    Registered Users Posts: 877 ✭✭✭Arbie


    Obesity is a disease. It's not a problem of willpower and it's not just about losing weight through diet and exercise - that's ok for someone who is a few pounds overweight. If someone has tried weight loss methods already and failed then trying again is highly unlikely to work. There are options like weight loss medications but by far the most effective treatment is bariatric surgery (e.g. sleeve gastrectomy).

    The surgery is not as big a deal as many people believe. It is generally no more risky than having your gallbladder or appendix removed. For many people it is transformational and can even reverse diabetes. Not every patient is suitable but that is a discussion to be had with the surgeon.

    Your uncle is an adult and should make this decision himself based on his own preferences and reliable medical professional advice. If he has private insurance he can easily make an appointment to see an obesity specialist, either an endocrinologist or a bariatric surgeon, and they can explain the options.

    At the age of 70 and with diabetes there is not much room for dilly-dallying.


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    #5
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users Posts: 81,297 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    Cut out carbs, cut out red meat, without the ability to exercise it's a long road though.Is he able to walk unaided, if he could do steady 5km walks a day it would really help.


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    #6
    BabysCoffee
    Registered Users Posts: 4,712 ✭✭✭BabysCoffee


    funkey_monkey wrote: »
    I think he must be type 2 as he doesn't jag himself.

    If he is type 2 he should definitely talk to his doctor about the Ketogenic Diet
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325029/

    It's basically low carb, high fat https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes-ketogenic-diet#about-keto


    Check out this Youtube video featuring a UK GP - a story of hope
    https://youtu.be/OlKDM3SDHPA


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    #7
    markmoto
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭markmoto


    funkey_monkey wrote: »
    Hi,

    An uncle of mine is in his 70's and quite obese. He has diabetes as well as some other health issues. His ability to walk is impacted - so exercise is not really an option at this stage until he gets some weight shifted.

    He was speaking with GP and is considering getting a gastric band to help him reduce weight. My mum (his sister) is not keen on this idea and wants him to go back to GP in order to see what other options are available for him.

    In order to help she asked me to look online and see what else can be done for him without resorting to surgery.
    He had previously lost weight using appetite suppressant drinks, but it slowly creeped back on him again.

    So, what options are there out there for an elderly person to lose weight?



    TIA.

    Daily hunger is the best friend he would ever have at this stage. But feeling hungry should be transformed into a positive signal.

    BabysCoffee wrote: »
    If he is type 2 he should definitely talk to his doctor about the Ketogenic Diet
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325029/

    It's basically low carb, high fat https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes-ketogenic-diet#about-keto


    Check out this Youtube video featuring a UK GP - a story of hope
    https://youtu.be/OlKDM3SDHPA

    Absolutely agree.
    + Extremely low carbs, healthy food with one meal a day routine.


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    #8
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,323 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    weightwatchers or slimming world.

    Food portion size, good food choices, social outlet and weekly support and weekly tracking to identify progress and talk through solutions. Far more that you’d get from a nutritionist or medical consultant. WW used have men only sessions if I tecall correctly as an option.

    elective invasive surgery and all
    the risks for a seventy year old is a shocking ‘choice’. And two lifelong bad habbits people I know had it done - in both cases ultimately not successful - one returned for liposuction and the second did not have it reversed after initial weight loss but kept it and managed to put back on much of the weight by workaround cheats. What they don’t tell you is that without the same attention to food and eating habbits and willpower that often were major contributory habbits that got them to the surgery the problem can reoccour again AFTER surgery - people with poor discipline and self control can have bad long term outcomes after beriatric/ stomach inhibiting surgery - this is specifically because of bad habbits and things like milkshakes, protein drinks, rich fat laden soups, syrup laden drinks (eg starbucks chuggers), icecream etc ALL of which are the kinds of food/accessible drinks people can ONLY or mostly consume after surgery. Pureed saussage anyone? They are warned off these ‘slider foods’ but as eating most things in solid form is post surgery impossible these become the norm and are a major cause of failure of the surgery in its outcome - not a medical failure.

    Also for a diabetic who will have age related and medically related poor healing as well as all the additional risks of exposure in situ to covid your mother is right - it is a v bad idea.

    I’d look to helping him online - maybe you could have a weekly meet to help him with the technology if needed and share his successes. He’s 70 y.old - at this stage bad habbits and motivation are a lifestyle issue - surgery that relies on strict lifelong planning and post surgery diet and adherence to strict restrictions on pain of nutrition deficits, vomiting, medical complications, infections and burst stitches as well as the option of reversal surgery and more medical and healing risk is not the solution IMO.

    with the country opening up no doubt both these classes may start up again physically too. Be a social outlet and walk to the local centre also - habbit forming after the initial weightloss.


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    #9
    BabysCoffee
    Registered Users Posts: 4,712 ✭✭✭BabysCoffee


    markmoto wrote: »
    Daily hunger is the best friend he would ever have at this stage. But feeling hungry should be transformed into a positive signal.




    Absolutely agree.
    + Extremely low carbs, healthy food with one meal a day routine.

    Yes Intermittent Fasting could definitely help to achieve really good results


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    #10
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,323 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    BabysCoffee wrote: »
    Yes Intermittent Fasting could definitely help to achieve really good results

    You’re read the part that says he is a DIABETIC ???????


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    #11
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,267 ✭✭✭✭fits


    I really think you should seek the help of a qualified dietician ( not a nutritionist). GP should be able to refer. A lot of suggestions here are either fads at best or a terrible idea for diabetics at worst.


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    #12
    markmoto
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭markmoto


    JustAThought wrote: »
    You’re read the part that says he is a DIABETIC ???????

    According to Harvard intermittent fasting is the way forward for diabetics
    https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156


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    #13
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,485 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    This individual need professional help, loosing this sort of weight while under a number of medical conditions is a serious thing and needs not to be dealt with by quacks and people online throwing out silly advice.

    This gent should be referred to a community dietician and follow their professional advice under guidance from the gp.


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    #14
    markmoto
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭markmoto


    _Brian wrote: »
    This individual need professional help, loosing this sort of weight while under a number of medical conditions is a serious thing and needs not to be dealt with by quacks and people online throwing out silly advice.

    This gent should be referred to a community dietician and follow their professional advice under guidance from the gp.

    I think they should do research first.
    Look at the video of many presented by the University of California 11 years ago. And nothing changed since then.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM


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    #15
    BabysCoffee
    Registered Users Posts: 4,712 ✭✭✭BabysCoffee


    JustAThought wrote: »
    You’re read the part that says he is a DIABETIC ???????

    Yes a Type 2 Diabetic

    Have a look at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCzm9-J_Ok


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    #16
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,323 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    BabysCoffee wrote: »
    Yes a Type 2 Diabetic

    Have a look at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCzm9-J_Ok

    This thread should be closed - full of lunatic advice and more quacks that a lake of ducks.


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    #17
    BabysCoffee
    Registered Users Posts: 4,712 ✭✭✭BabysCoffee


    JustAThought wrote: »
    This thread should be closed - full of lunatic advice and more quacks that a lake of ducks.

    Just because you don't agree / understand the advice does not make it lunatic advice.

    The video I suggested should be watched features the below UK GP:

    Dr. Unwin is the RCGP National Champion for Collaborative Care and Support Planning in Obesity & Diabetes, as well as a Clinical Expert in diabetes. In 2015 he won the North West NHS ‘Innovator of the Year Award’ and in 2016 he won the National NHS 'Innovator of the Year Award' for his work in treating diabetes with a low carbohydrate approach.


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    #18
    forestgirl
    Registered Users Posts: 254 ✭✭forestgirl


    I definitely agree with the low carb diet and a obviously walking *everyday* I think consistency is the trick here.
    I understand he probably can't move to well right now but thats probably due to carrying weight but as time goes on he will be able to go a bit further each day plus due to the low carb he will have more energy to.
    I also think support here is very important and people do have bad days then tend to give up so my advice would be if your uncle has a bad day just park it and move on.
    If he even lost 2lb a week thats absolutely brilliant ðŸ‘


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    #19
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,485 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    markmoto wrote: »
    I think they should do research first.
    Look at the video of many presented by the University of California 11 years ago. And nothing changed since then.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

    Most people thinking they can watch a few videos on YouTube amd they have done research is laughable.

    They can neither understand the theory behind the concepts nor tell the difference in the credentials of the people making them.

    Seek professional advice through your GP. It will be based on proven science and there is no agenda behind it.


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    #20
    markmoto
    Registered Users Posts: 788 ✭✭✭markmoto


    _Brian wrote: »
    Most people thinking they can watch a few videos on YouTube amd they have done research is laughable.

    They can neither understand the theory behind the concepts nor tell the difference in the credentials of the people making them.

    Seek professional advice through your GP. It will be based on proven science and there is no agenda behind it.

    For legal reasons GP can't tell anything nowadays except giving prescription for synthetic drugs or refer to another consultant.


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    #21
    Arbie
    Registered Users Posts: 877 ✭✭✭Arbie


    markmoto wrote: »
    For legal reasons GP can't tell anything nowadays except giving prescription for synthetic drugs or refer to another consultant.

    What legal reasons are these? GPs see more patients per day than any other type of doctor and they do a lot more than prescribe medication or refer patients to hospitals.

    I agree fully with the posters above - the OP's uncle is best to seek further advice from his GP who can link him in with obesity specialists if required.


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    #22
    Kurtosis
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 2,881 Mod ✭✭✭✭Kurtosis


    Mod note

    Closing this thread as it's descended into dubious medical advice. OP best for your uncle to speak with your GP who can advise on other options and refer if necessary.

    A reminder to all posters that medical advice is not permitted (diabetes and overweight/obesity are diseases).


This discussion has been closed.
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