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New, Unexpected Health Snafu...



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Feeling pretty good after surgery, had been enjoying a tiny bit more energy and taking walks and suddenly last Monday my left knee stiffened up pretty significantly. By Tuesday morning I was completely immobile - to the extent that we were back in the ER (sigh).

After x-rays, which can't really see much, they said it looks like my kneecap is very thin, lots of bone chips and spurs in there, and just about bone on bone. They also suggested I may have both a meniscus tear and an ACL tear - After another appointment with an orthopedic surgeon on Thursday, he diagnosed severe degenerative osteoarthritis (sigh) - I have an appointment on Wednesday morning for an MRI take a look at the soft tissues and ligaments. There was no event/accident that triggered the injury.

I hope that things may be resolved with physical therapy rather than surgery - I have had ligament reconstruction done on the opposite ankle and the recovery time for me was significant and that was 25 years ago at a 100 lbs. less than I am now. I am thinking that a lifetime of being heavy, bearing the weight of injuries on the right side, and a job that had me on my feet 11 hours a day for 22 years has finally taken its toll.

The WL has slowed down a little bit because I can hardly move right now - but I am not worried a bout that at all. I am wondering if anyone here has also experienced musculo-skeletal issues post vsg and how you handled them.

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Chimera

I can't give any advise on this, but I can tell you that I will keep you in prayer over it. I really hope this works out for you for the best.

Eric

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Chimera, I've had several major injuries to my left knee and was Dx with RA in both knees pre-op. For a few months after surgery, I had significant pain in both legs and was having a tough time walking/keeping my balance. I make sure I do low impact exercise so that I don't injure either knee. As my weight has dropped, I've noticed that I have less pain. I hope that will be the case for you.

I can't offer any advice about your injury, but I will keep you in my prayers.

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Thank you so much guys :) I was really nervous about pain, especially since we cannot take any NSAIDS. The orthopedists have been prescribing more oxycodone and I was wondering what I should consider for pain meds when this flares up.

Funny thing is how much more painful this is than the surgery and aftermath was - no contest.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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