What I mean (more pre surgical jitters)...did many of you have health issues prior to the band? I'm going into this with High BP, Diabetes II, and aches and pains, sometimes a hip, sometimes a foot, the back, whatever the flavor of the day is. Recently, I'm tired...just tired to the point where I want to nap.

Just seems that no one really comments on what has been eleviated with the band, such as those pains.

I guess I'm just really looking forward, and HOPING the weight coming off will help me rid myself of this 'stuff/comorbidities'.

The weight loss has helped many issues for me. I was taking Benicar for borderline high BP and am totally off it now. Blood Pressure is very good now. I still have to take Metformin for Insulin Resistance, but my sugars stay under control now. I no longer get edema in my ankles. The difference in the little aches and pains is amazing. I wear heels to work every day now, and before my poor feet would just kill me by the end of the day. My energy level is so much better! I guess I didnt realize just how hard it is for the body to carry around all that extra weight!

I was tired too. I had only gotten to a BMI of 35 but for my body, it was about as much as it could take without beginning to break down. I have friends who are way more obese but much more active and healthier than I was feeling at a lesser weight.

I had a really bad problem with chronic bursitis in one ankle - totally gone. My ankles/heels will always be a weak spot for my body, they were before I got fat. If I'm going to get injured from playing sport, it will be my achilles tendon, no doubt about it. But I can now run up to 50km per week and my ankles stand up to it. That is totally as a result of the weight loss, less burden on them and that has meant I can exercise more to strengthen the area which was getting weak from me favouring it all the time.

I was getting so lazy. Because I was walking with a limp and my ankle really hurt, I'd even drive round to the bank on the top level of the shopping centre if I was on the bottom. I was avoiding lectures at uni because it hurt to walk up and down all the steps from my car. I didnt do any exercise, and the house was a mess. I needed a nap every afternoon - never got one, but needed it. All I ever did in the way of a hobby was sit on my fat bum at the computer.

I didnt have diabetes or high blood pressure or cholesterol problems or anything like that becuase I actually ate fairly well - I just ate more calories than I burned, and I seem to pack on weight very very quickly when I'm breastfeeding, which I'd done 3 times in my life, and that did actually account for about 75% of my excess weight. So I wasnt gaining and gaining quickly, but I couldnt lose it and my body was not coping with the burden of 35 extra kilograms too well.

So yes, I feel like a completely different person a year or so after my surgery.

I also suffered from fatigue and have severe osteoarthritis in my legs, especially my knees. I had to walk with a cane for quite some time and have been able to toss it finally. I still have pain, but I'm getting around much better now. I also got off my meds for reflux. I am still taking BP meds, but hope to get off of them in the future. I also have sever apnea. I'm still using my mask. I just hope that once I have a really significant loss that that will also be gone.

Gday. I am getting banded in less than 2 weeks. I have Multiple Sclerosis which is a disease of the nervous system. Funnily enough I do not have high blood pressure, high blood sugar or any other problems.

Susannah

What I mean (more pre surgical jitters)...did many of you have health issues prior to the band? I'm going into this with High BP, Diabetes II, and aches and pains, sometimes a hip, sometimes a foot, the back, whatever the flavor of the day is. Recently, I'm tired...just tired to the point where I want to nap.

Just seems that no one really comments on what has been eleviated with the band, such as those pains.

I guess I'm just really looking forward, and HOPING the weight coming off will help me rid myself of this 'stuff/comorbidities'.

I was borderline high BP, I'm normal now.

I had hip pain, when I got up to walk the first few steps were bad. I also couldn't sleep on my side anymore, my hip aching would wake me up. That is gone now. My knees don't bother me hardly at all, just a twinge now and then.

Hi,

I'm new here and am scheduled to be banded on 2/23/07. I just introduced myself yesterday and asked a similar question. My house is a disaster, I can't keep up with my kids and everything is such a chore ( I have to talk myself into doing a load a laundry and then rest). I'm glad to hear it does get better, I can't stand being this way, but it's so gradual, you almost can't remember it being different (although I know it was). How much weight did you lose before feeling better? I'm around 290 now and have put on the last 40 in just the last 18 months.

Gretchen

Hi Gretchen, I really feel for you, that's how I was. I was living in utter chaos, I was just so lazy and tired I never did anything around the house. Looking after 3 kids was just a huge task. I reckon it got better almost immediately becuase my attitude was so positive following that first quick weight loss and that made a big difference. I had about 35 kg to lose (80lb or so) and by the time I"d lost 10 of those I was feeling really good.

Once I started running and got really fit - look out! I'm a human dynamo now :-)

I'm curious too, my BMI 38.8, I have sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, borderline diabetes.

I have been told that there is no statistical evidence that banding helps fibromyalgia, but I would imagine that weight loss would at minimum help with the symptoms of fibromyalgia like aches, pains, fatigue, just because I am carrying around less weight.....

It's good to know it could get better quickly. I don't even think I was near this "lazy" 30 or 40 pounds ago. I feel now like I did at the end of pregnancy (or worse). It's so hard, b/c mentally I want to do things, but physically I just can't. I make it to all my kids activities etc., but I just always feel like I'm thinking about my physical issues and how I'm going to make it through etc. I basically do only what I HAVE to.

Thanks for the support!

Gretchen