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Hi everyone. New to the group just starting my WLS journey.

The journey started with a visit to an ortho surgeon for very bad knees. Recommended knee replacements and obviously weight loss. Being only 50yrs old I am going to focus on the weight loss and hope the knees improve greatly with weight loss. I believe with me wanting to lose over 50% of my body weight that bypass makes the most sense. I just had my consultation yesterday.

My question is how much less pain, especially in the knees and feet, have you successful WLS patients experienced after 100 or more lbs lost?

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I have had a right knee replacement and the left might eventually be replaced. I had to stop taking NSAIDS right after my knee replacement because they were giving me duodenal ulcers. I have had a revision from a lap band to a RNY, and have only lost 34 pounds, and can already tell a MAJOR difference in both of my knees.

If you have severe enough osteoarthritis, you may still need a knee replacement. But you will likely buy yourself several years before you might need one by losing weight.

Good luck!

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Thanks for the reply. That is my guess as well, kinda common sense, but I was looking for confirmation. I still have a choice between VSG and bypass. The Nsaid is really the only issue with bypass which i prefer.

Thanks again!

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My knees have been pretty good, but my ankles were my problem. I couldn't stand for more than 15 minutes before they woul start hurting. I took ibuprofen four pills at a time almost daily. Probably at least 5 days a week. When I got to my heaviest most days I would take it right before bed because my hip, leg and back hurt and I needed it to sleep. Some days I took three or four doses of four pills. I still wonder why I never developed an ulcer. I am two weeks post op and over 100 lbs lighter than my heaviest weight and I have zero joint pain. I feel better than I have in years. I wish I would have done this sooner. Even losing 20 lbs you will feel a difference in you knees. Stick with it, it will pay off.

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Thanks for the reply. I knew there was another one out there. I'll take the chance and do the bypass. Thanks again.

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2 hours ago, Tom Greeley said:

Hi everyone. New to the group just starting my WLS journey.

The journey started with a visit to an ortho surgeon for very bad knees. Recommended knee replacements and obviously weight loss. Being only 50yrs old I am going to focus on the weight loss and hope the knees improve greatly with weight loss. I believe with me wanting to lose over 50% of my body weight that bypass makes the most sense. I just had my consultation yesterday.

My question is how much less pain, especially in the knees and feet, have you successful WLS patients experienced after 100 or more lbs lost?

I already had one knee replacement in my 50's and the next one was soon to come. My mobility was greatly restricted because of pain. I was using Aleve twice a day. Since surgery, I have not used an NSAID. My pain is GONE. Even the joint space in my bad knee has expanded and I have no pain at all. I had low back pain 24/7. No back pain now at all. It's quite amazing and feels like a miracle. Since surgery,I have completed a 52 mile bike race, am working toward my 2nd triathlon, and training for a rim-to-rim (24 miles in one day) Grand Canyon hike later in the year.

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I was 59 when I had bypass surgery. Prior that I had moderate to severe pain in my right knee, particularly when walking up stairs. After losing 110 pounds it has essentially disappeared.

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Wow everybody.. thanks for the replies. You all have confirmed what I had hoped. I will go forward with bypass and lose the weight. I expect my pain will be very little to none afterwards. Thanks again!

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I used to get cortisone shots regularly and was looking at an eventual hip replacement. I was in constant pain. I'm almost never in pain anymore, and the few times I am, it's very tolerable. As in I don't even take anything for it.

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NSAIDs aren't recommended after a sleeve or bypass by most doctors. I have a bad back and I take Tramadol when I have to. Losing 87 pounds has helped a lot, but it was not a cure-all for my back pain.

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      · 1 reply
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