Knee Arthritist Pre-VSG

[lkcraig316 4]

I have arthritis underneath my kneecaps. Walking is painful, especially up and down steps. I'm having a really hard time trying to get into an exercise habit right now. Even the recumbent bike hurts. I don't have anywhere near enough arthritis to even consider knee replacement. But I wanted to know of other people's experience. As you lose the weight after surgery, does the knee pain abate?

I am 48, 5'4", currently weigh 232, and am hoping for insurance approval within the next month. If any of you, especially any near my age , had knee problems beforehand, please let me know how you are doing as the weight drops off.

Lisa

[Virginia S 13]

Lisa I have the exact same problem. I haven't been sleeved yet (April 18) but I went to the Ortho and had a series of 3 orthovisc injections. They just cushion the knee and keep it from hurting so bad. They've allowed me to start walking every day, stairs are a lot easier and I feel like I could ride a bike. I gotta tell you it aches the first few days after each injection, but at the end your knee is a lot more comfortable. They last 6 months to a year, by which time I hope to be much lighter.

If you can't do that, is there somewhere you could swim or take Water aerobics until you get some of the weight off?

[lkcraig316 4]

I actually work for joint replacement surgeons, so I should already be checking into those injections. I did have a cortisone injection in my right knee back in January and it helped SO much, and I think I can get another one this month. Our docs do Synvisc, Hyalgan, Supartz and Euflexxa. I don't even know which one to ask for. My dad did the Synvisc series and my mom did the Euflexxa series, but neither one seemed to get any better. HOWEVER, they were both bone-on-bone. I am not nearly to that point.

Until our neighborhood pool opens in mid-May I really don't have access to a pool. I will decide in the next week whether to do another cortisone, or move up to something stronger. But the pool will definitely be an option when the weather warms up!

Why do we wait until we are falling apart to do something about it? I should have considered surgery years and years ago.

[iegal 460]

Hi lkcraig & virginia;

Okay - within 5 years of your age and horrible knee issues. I have had 3 knee surgeries this far with the weight on. I too was scheduled for the shots but ortho doc said with my extra weight shots would not be a significant help. (thanks for letting me know my knee will be sore for a few days afterwards). So, with other comorbidity issues, I self paid for my VSG surgery here in US.

Back to today, yes, my knee still crackles and crunches when I move, go upstairs/downstairs, hike or ride a bike. But, I do not have the pain or aches to the severity before. Send a message to Sleeve4me - she also has/had knee issues where she was unable to walk up and down stairs prior to VSG. Two weeks ago sleeve4me was hiking the Grand Canyon. IMO the sleeve with help you simply because you will be carrying around less weight and less stress to the knee for everyday chores. Good luck!

[Roseib 13]

Yes the weight loss alone definitely helps. My cartilage is gone (age 63) so I will have knee replacement I imagine. Holding off a few more months until I've lost more weight to make recovery easier. I still have a lot of weight to lose but I already take less pain Med (hydrcodone) and cam walk longer and farther than 9 months ago. My balance is better. Have been using seated exercise videos but plan to add Water aerobics when school is out (in education). Synvisc didn't help me when I had it several years ago at weight 290. Probably just weighed too much for it to work.

[myrori 55]

I have arthritis underneath my kneecaps. Walking is painful, especially up and down steps. I'm having a really hard time trying to get into an exercise habit right now. Even the recumbent bike hurts. I don't have anywhere near enough arthritis to even consider knee replacement. But I wanted to know of other people's experience. As you lose the weight after surgery, does the knee pain abate?

I am 48, 5'4", currently weigh 232, and am hoping for insurance approval within the next month. If any of you, especially any near my age , had knee problems beforehand, please let me know how you are doing as the weight drops off.

Lisa

Hi Lisa,

I have a knee I injured in JR some 20 years or so ago It has NO cartilage, no acl and huge ball of arthritis on the inside side. I go get cortisone injections and they make a world of difference for me.

As for after the weight comes off,, let me tell you, never in my life would I have believed it would make such a huge difference in my pain. I had sciatica so bad that every day I was hurting to tears, my knee ached and did not want to move. My back has not gone out in months now and the sciatica is a distant memory. I have had any knee injections for a year! So YES it makes a world of difference.

[lkcraig316 4]

Thanks so much for all your experiences and encouragement! I was getting so down, because I knew if I couldn't exercise AFTER the surgery, I would be limiting its success.

We bought a house with two sets of stairs (there's a bonus room halfway between 1st and 2nd floors) 18 years ago. My mother said then, "You're going to regret not getting a single-level home one day." Boy, was she right. But at 30, I had NO idea. Now I try to limit going up and down the stairs as much as possible. I try to get everything done downstairs before I go up to bed in the evening, and vice versa in the mornings. It is to the point where I just don't want to have to go up or down at all.

As soon as I'm eligible for another cortisone injection, I'm going to do that. Hopefully that will get me through surgery and maybe I'll only have to have one more before I lose enough to start seeing a difference.

You guys are all the greatest and I'm so thankful that we have a place like this to come to for help and support.

Oh, and on a happy note, my final surgeon appointment is this Wednesday and then my paperwork goes off to Aetna! Wish me luck!

Lisa

[sleeve 4 me 910]

I have arthritis in both of my knees, I've had knee surgery on both knees, bone on bone (left knee). Last year I could barely walk up the stairs of my own home . I was literally using a cane at one point. My ortho surgeon assured me that the weight loss would help me, and I was super skeptical since I really didn't start feeling relief until I hit around 165 lbs. My knees still crackle and crunch, but I don't have pain ...I am walking and hiking. I EVEN HIKED THE GRAND CANYON LAST WEEK (OK calming down now lol). My surgeon was soooo right. The weight was killing me. I literally felt disabled . I am living once again. The weight loss will not repair any permanent damage BUT it will take off the pressure from your knees. 1 pound equals 7 pounds of pressure on our poor knees.

[lkcraig316 4]

I have arthritis in both of my knees, I've had knee surgery on both knees, bone on bone (left knee). Last year I could barely walk up the stairs of my own home . I was literally using a cane at one point. My ortho surgeon assured me that the weight loss would help me, and I was super skeptical since I really didn't start feeling relief until I hit around 165 lbs. My knees still crackle and crunch, but I don't have pain ...I am walking and hiking. I EVEN HIKED THE GRAND CANYON LAST WEEK (OK calming down now lol). My surgeon was soooo right. The weight was killing me. I literally felt disabled . I am living once again. The weight loss will not repair any permanent damage BUT it will take off the pressure from your knees. 1 pound equals 7 pounds of pressure on our poor knees.

Wow, I am so impressed! The Grand Canyon!!! Well, I'm not going to set my sights that high, but just to be able to walk for extended periods of time will be great. Since I am not even close to bone-on-bone yet, I hope to see a LOT of improvement. Arthritis runs on both sides of my family, so I know it will be something I will eventually have to do something about, But I sure hope to delay it as long as possible.