Sorry, just need to vent a little. I'm generally a pretty positive guy,but my body seems determined to work against me.

As background, I am 9+ months post-op and have lost 185lbs and currently weigh a little under 150.

One of the many reasons I was motivated to do this was that my joints are a mess. I need both knees and one of my hips replaced. I knew there was a possibility of delaying some/all of the surgeries if I lost weight. And even if I couldn't delay them, the surgery itself as well as the recovery would be much easier at a healthy weight.

Well, my knees actually feel quite a bit better, but I am having the hip replaced on the 23rd of this month.

I've been going to the gym since mid-last summer, but primarily focusing on weight lifting with my upper body given the joint issues (I did complete the C25K program, just to get good conditioning and prove to myself I could do it, even with joint issues).

Ok, to get to my point, a months or so ago I started having some pain in my shoulders (along with a ton of crunching and grinding which had been there since I started lifting). I thought it best to take a little time off to avoid an injury.

Well, about 2 weeks ago I was cleaning out cupboards and when I reached up to get something something from the top shelf there was an awful debilitating pain that shot through my right shoulder. It has happened several times since when I forget and use that shoulder to reach for something. I am also experiencing similar, but less acute pin in my left shoulder.

I went to my PCP and then to my orthopedic and they think I may have torn my rotator cuff (waiting to get in for an MRI). Meanwhile the pain continues to get worse and that pain is now causing me to have beck pain and SEVERE headaches that are interfering with day to day life and my ability to get a reasonable amount of sleep.

It's so frustrating that at 43 years old my body feels like it's falling apart. Knees, hips, shoulders. Chronic pain sucks and I am feeling like there is no end to "fixing" me at this point.

Just feeling a little sorry for myself. I know I'll shake it off and things will get better, but I could sure use a little break right about now.

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I got the surgery after I tore my PCL. I couldn't walk at all for a month. The doctor said there wasn't anything they could do medically, and the only treatment was time and weight loss. Well, then I developed plantar fasciitis in my other leg. At 43 I couldn't walk down stairs. I had to sleep in the living room. I started worrying if I could even survive 20 more years.

Now that I'm 90 pounds down, the plantar fasciitis had completely resolved, and though I still can't completely bend or straighten my leg with the PCL tear, the pain is almost gone.

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@

I am so sorry you are dealing with these things. I will tell you from personal experience although we lose the weight, our body makeup changes drastically. I was told by my orthopedic spine surgeon that all that fat was actually providing some structure even though it was causing pain then too.

Since having my RNY bypass I had a 3 level cervical fusion (9 months later and down 100lbs), then I had to have a second surgery in my mid back relieving pressure in my mid back 4 months after that. Then, like you my left shoulder finally got so bad that It was causing severe headaches and neck pain. Turned out I had a 50% torn rotator cuff and bone on bone arthritis so back to surgery I went. (that put my plastics on hold for 5 more months.

In 2 weeks I have my second plastics surgery and about 8 weeks ago, my right shoulder started kicking up again. I saw the orthopedic surgeon, we are trying to hold off so we are trying cortisone first. Well, we did and it helped for two weeks but I am completely unwilling to reschedule my plastics so we agreed that we would address my right shoulder sometime after my plastics.

I guess the good news is, my knees, ankles and feet are definitely much better since losing all the weight. I am hoping it stays that way.

I am 53 so a little older and I do have an auto immune disease called psoriatic arthritis. My Mother had infectious rheumatoid arthritis and I am showing signs of that disease as well. I have to go back to my rheumatologist and have him test me. The good news is, I am on a biological that should help both diseases.

All that being said, I have so much more energy and ability even with all of this crap going on with my joints.

I hope you are able to get resolution quickly. If they do rotator cuff repair it takes a while to recover but I should tell you my left shoulder feels and works fantastic now. I can even sleep on that side.

Best of luck to you!

@ I understand your pain, both literally and figuratively. I had 3 major joint surgeries (including rotator cuff repair) by the time I was 25, all due to athletic injuries.

I hope you can get your issues resolved soon. Keep your head up and keep pushing on. I don't have any great advice other than something my dad told me that stuck with me. He said to get any and everything you need medically done as soon as possible because the younger you are, the better you heal. Even a year can make a difference.