How are your general pain levels?

I ask because I'm about 150 pounds overweight and I have a lot of aches and pains. My knees, hips, back, etc. hurt almost constantly but especially when I'm moving, which deters me from moving and makes me not want to hit the gym which is the opposite of what I should be doing because movement is very healthy. I'm wondering if the weight lost from RNY will help me get back to the gym and get rid of the pain. I tried physical therapy but most of my treatments were temporary fixes (like traction for my back, needling my tight muscles, massage). It made me feel better but the pain returns.

Do you feel less pain now that you're lighter? Or is the damage pretty much already done? I want to run and jump and hike again so badly!

Thanks everyone! This is very helpful. It sounds like significant weight loss has helped a lot of folks with their chronic pain. I'm hoping the same will be for me, too. I thought most of my pain was postpartum related but my twins are nearly 1 now so it seems like that would've healed by now, or maybe my healing has slowed/stopped due to my weight. In any case, I have hope now! I was immobilized during my pregnancy and it was awful. I want to get back to moving again!

I’m down 86 lbs since surgery. This weekend my husband and I travelled to the LA area. We’ve walked at least 8 miles each day while here. I have NO pain in my feet, legs, and back. No way I could have done this a year ago. Plus, as an extra bonus, I had room to spare with my seatbelt on the plane and no fear of not fitting on the rides at Six Flags and Disneyland :)

I haven't had surgery yet, but I can say that the pain in my back, knees, and feet have only got worse as I've gained more weight. I bought a dance pad that I could hook up to my computer to play Stepmania 5 with, which made exercise a lot of fun, but you don't even have to do that. Turn on some music and dance for as long as you can. Any movement is better than none at all. As you lose weight, you'll be able to do more and more!

I definitely feel like my overall aches/pains/weaknesses have improved, and started to do so way earlier than 100 lbs lost. By the time I'd lost 40 or so lbs, I was already amazed at my noticeably increased energy levels and stamina, and how doing exercises that I was already doing at my high weight were worlds easier for me and could be done without strain. At 100+ lost it's almost inconceivable that I ever felt as much pain just from movement as I did before.

On 1/24/2020 at 8:38 AM, lbugher said:

How are your general pain levels?

I ask because I'm about 150 pounds overweight and I have a lot of aches and pains. My knees, hips, back, etc. hurt almost constantly but especially when I'm moving, which deters me from moving and makes me not want to hit the gym which is the opposite of what I should be doing because movement is very healthy. I'm wondering if the weight lost from RNY will help me get back to the gym and get rid of the pain. I tried physical therapy but most of my treatments were temporary fixes (like traction for my back, needling my tight muscles, massage). It made me feel better but the pain returns.

Do you feel less pain now that you're lighter? Or is the damage pretty much already done? I want to run and jump and hike again so badly!

well to answer the question after the weight started to come off yes the pain does go away i have lost 160 and i dont take pain meds anymore at all i was eating a lot of vicoden prior for back feet and knees could not walk any distance as it hurt to bad and would get short of breath today i walk 5 miles a day and enjoy the freedom of no med s at all my balance took some time to catch up to my weight loss as i was wobly for a while now there is no pain when i wake up and none before bed i dont sleep with a heating pad on my back and ice on my knees anymore

On 1/24/2020 at 11:38 AM, lbugher said:

Do you feel less pain now that you're lighter? Or is the damage pretty much already done? I want to run and jump and hike again so badly!

I didn't experience pain while overweight. None that i can remember. However the amount of things I can casually do now is astounding.

I run (when needed) and rarely lose my breath, walk endlessly without a need for breaks, jumped rope, go up & down stairs like its nothing, any seat on a flight will do, random hiking trips, etc (but I gave up formal exercise - health reasons ?)

Good Luck ?

I had started my WLS journey because I needed a right total hip replacement due to osteoarthritis and my ortho surgeon wanded my BMI to be under 40 before he would do it. Fast forward to the shots in my hip no longer working so I had my hip replaced on 5-29-2018. I had gastric bypass on 9-5-2018. Today I have lost 149 pounds and I am still recovering from my left total hip replacement on 1-17-2020. Recovery this time was so much easier - I was back to work in 17 days. I am still doing PT to make sure I have the proper gait and muscle recovery. I look back at pictures and think how did I walk 60 miles in 3 days with all this excess weight? Like everyone else, I only regret not doing the surgery sooner.

I had a rny on 12/20. Have lost ~50 pounds since my high weight. Have 50 more pounds to lose. My hip and back pain is already gone — it’s amazing!

I started working out with a trainer when cleared by my surgeon after surgery. I’m shocked by how much I can do already.

I had a staged duodenal switch. When I started I was 441, now I’m sticking at 295 but mostly because of a lymphatic mass that I hope will be removed this spring. The plastic surgeon says he thinks it is easily 30 to 45 pounds.
My pain is less that it was 150 #s ago... it is not gone but I have more mobility and more ability to do more things for myself! Both of my knees are bone on bone and I use a walker to get around at home, and a wheelchair when we go out. There are “inconveniences” after having the surgery but I sure don’t want to go back!

I have lost 116 lbs (some before surgery, 61.5 since surgery). I have, very honestly, never felt better. I really believe it's the combination of no added sugar/super low sugar, hardly any carbs (I have only eaten sweet potatoes, barley or fruit), exercise and vitamins. I feel like a teenager again, at 41.

2 minutes ago, Cherylmilla said:

I have lost 116 lbs (some before surgery, 61.5 since surgery). I have, very honestly, never felt better. I really believe it's the combination of no added sugar/super low sugar, hardly any carbs (I have only eaten sweet potatoes, barley or fruit), exercise and Vitamins. I feel like a teenager again, at 41.

i know the feeling for sure every time i go for a walk its so rejuvenating to feel the movement without the pain or heavy breathing