Did your arthritus improve after being sleeved/ losing weight?

[Italiancurves 117]

Or did it stay about the same?

What do you take for your arthritus post op?

Joint juice? Seems expensive though. Is there an economical way to go?

[Arts137 1,811]

Generally yes, though I still have more weight to go. PS, I assume you are talking about osteoarthritis, if it's rheumatoid (inflammatory) arthritis then no, all bets are off.

However I have a bum knee that has NOT gotten better and I see the Orthopedist next week.

The bad news is there is not a lot out there in OTC pain relief meds... This may be a case where you and your docs will need to make 'the best of bad' choices...

[becky2013 11]

I'm just a week post - op and i sure hope it helps. I have osteoarthritis in both knees and back. Doc said i would need double knee replacement. Trying to avoid this. I will sure keep you updated.

[chris54 106]

I am 11 mos post op and I hve Arthur in my hip I need a hip replacement doc wants me to lose 50 lbs I already hve lost 87 lbs. For me I do Water exercise. 5 days a week and do weights and treadmill but I stop taking celebrex Bc of insaid so I take pain pills as needed until surgery maybe in Jan keep moving as much as possible good luck.

[becky2013 11]

When I am released for exercise I am joining a gym that has a large pool that does Water exercise and I can also swim laps. I so can't wait to get this started. Good luck on your hip replacement chris54.

[LindaS 316]

I have severe degenerative arthritis in my ankle, and I qualify for ankle-replacement surgery. Trying to avoid this is one of the reasons I had WLS.

Before WLS, I was taking at least 1 NSAID a day (naproxen 500mg), and my ankle tended to swell almost daily.

For several months after WLS, I didn't have any problems with my ankle even when I exercised a lot.

After about a year, my ankle would swell up when I really over did it with the exercise. It doesn't happen often anymore, but it still happens.

Now, I try to do preventative care. If I know I will be doing something that will put a lot of strain on my ankle, I take a Naproxen first. I don't have to take one daily, but I will take one several times a month.

Earlier this summer, it was acting up (I was doing bootcamp 2x a week). I had a cortisone shot, which helped.

Yes, Naproxen is an NSAID. My surgeon doesn't have a problem with me taking it. My risk, he said, isn't any higher than it was before my surgery especially since I don't take them daily.

I haven't avoided ankle-replacement surgery, but it has helped push off into my future more.

My ankle surgeon also said that although exercise and lots of walking puts a strain on my ankle, the health benefits are worth more than the damage it does to my ankle.

[chris54 106]

Thxs much Becky for those of u who r avoiding hip knee surgery I jst want to say I had my right hip replaced b4 the sleeve and immediately after surgery the pain was gone, now my left hip needs replacement and as soon as I lose more weight I will hve the surgery don't b afraid we hve gone through to much not to maximize our our sleeve also we r not getting younger if u r to old they wont do the surgery good luck and keep the line of communication open we need each other. Tucson and god bless u all

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Actually, no. The weird part is I developed some kind of RA in my finger joints in both hands that I never had before. strange, huh? May not be directly related to VSG, but I do know it started about 7 months post op after I started cross fit. Regardless, it is a new experience for me. My wife has SA (had since early adult / teenager) and I will ask her how it is doing now that she is a few months post op. I think the symptoms may be less now.

[gamergirl 4,609]

Actually' date=' no. The weight part is I developed some kind of RA in my finger joints in both hands that I never had before. strange, huh? May not be directly related to VSG, but I do know it started about 7 months post op after I started cross fit. Regardless, it is a new experience for me. My wife has SA (had since early adult / teenager) and I will ask her how it is doing now that she is a few months post op. I think the symptoms may be less now. [/quote']

Fiddle when I first had symptoms of RA, I was working out very actively, weight lifting and lifting heavy. In was working with a trainer, and when I started to hurt, we thought I'd lifted incorrectly. But that was when my RA got triggered. Weird to hear you show a similar pattern.

To the OP, I'm 7weeks post-op, and after 6 weeks of no pain, my RA is back. Pain, inflammation, and apparently it's time to get back on the meds and shots again.

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

I'm in my 40s but I'll chime in anyway, Mine improved from diet! Prior to changing my diet my knees were in so much pain I could barely make it through a 7 hour shift. I could no longer close my hands all the way and I had given up crocheting because it was painful. After about a month of a wheat free diet, about 90% of my pain is gone. My hands are 100% pain free and I have complete range of motion in all digits... and my knees still have some aches but it's NOTHING like before.

[Italiancurves 117]

Very interesting responses.

Serendipity happens...that's exactly what I'm hoping for. I really only have pain in a couple of fingers, definetley planning on going sugear free and glueten free post op...hoping my overall wellness improves. I hear that a lot of our pain and swelling is directly related to dietary intake. And of course less weight equals less pressure on the joints, so theoretically things should hopefully improve. Though apparently, not always the case. Be well, everyone!

[homersmomma 77]

I have osteoarthritis of both knees and hips and at three weeks post op and the amount of weight that I have already lost I have seen an improvement.

[gamergirl 4,609]

So here's some new information from my rheumatologist, with whom I met today. He said that my chances of remission due to weight loss were close to zero. This is because I test positive for both Anti-CCP as well as Rheumatoid factor. He almost never sees remission in these cases.

In contrast, amongst those who are seronegative, he says he ROUTINELY sees remission due to changes in lifestyle, including weight loss. So the key appears to be to find out if you are seronegative,or if you have osteo-arthritis, because both of those seem to remedy with weight loss. In contrast, sero-positive RA apparently is something we will just have to grin and bear.

HTH

[Indigo1991 1,612]

I have PsA - think RA with psoriasis, it's an autoimmune system arthritis. Since my sleeve, I have stopped the methotrexate I had been taking for almost 10 years and halved my Enbrel injection. I have no swollen joints for the first time in years and my arthritis is officially in remission after 30 years. This started immediately post op. No one can explain what's happened. But I am taking it day by day and feeling grateful.....

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Fiddle when I first had symptoms of RA' date=' I was working out very actively, weight lifting and lifting heavy. In was working with a trainer, and when I started to hurt, we thought I'd lifted incorrectly. But that was when my RA got triggered. Weird to hear you show a similar pattern.

To the OP, I'm 7weeks post-op, and after 6 weeks of no pain, my RA is back. Pain, inflammation, and apparently it's time to get back on the meds and shots again.[/quote']

Yes, I am still having achy fingers and hand all the time now. The strange part is when top of hand aches. Taking minimum 5g fish oil daily. It is not debilitating, just annoying. Hope it goes away eventually.