Hey, arthritis sufferers -- liquid Vioxx!!!

One week before my surgery, I fell and dislocated my knee cap. The swelling has been going down ever since BUT it's still not great. I finally was able to give this some priority and got in to see my orthopedic doctor again. She wasn't happy with the swelling and thinks I also tore through the bursa. Overall, I was just lucky I didn't crack it or need anything that would have postponed the surgery. So it's back to physical therapy and meds for me. Anyway, I know VA suffers with her knees, as do others here. Just didn't know whether any of you have explored liquid Vioxx. It took even Walgreen's a while to get it and my insurance wanted pre-authorization. I have wanted to go off arthritis meds completely, but I have to admit, I feel miraculously better. Other than the obvious knee thing, I am dramatically more comfortable and stronger when I work out. I can up my work out and feel much better while doing it, push myself harder and have a good time instead of just getting through it. And, unlike the liquid medicines I've had for my other complications, this actually tastes all right. Highly recommend if that's what is indicated for you. If you are suffering, call your doctor and explore it! Gano -60 3/2/04 -67 from my alltime high

Wow, Gano, your weight loss is going well! I hope you get some relief for your knee too! Joy -51

I've been struggling with getting my new lifestyle in gear. I find as I feel a little better, there is a tendency to backslide. This doesn't surprise me, I expected it, but I'm really trying hard to use my new life and be more active. What a drag to be injured for that reason. The PT arm of my health club is not that great but I'm using them this time. That way, I get my rear to the gym and can do the cardio before they work on me. I'm looking for new motivators. One thing that helps, I could throw out my nasty old workout clothes and get something cute. I still had to get it from Junonia but I am now their lowest size. Next, I'm aiming at that new store, Lucy. It was funded here in the Bay Area and does up to size 18, though a lot of their workout clothes have those skinny tshirts I am not really comfortable with at my age. I love the pedal-pusher pants though, or stretch shorts that go below the knee. WAAAY more flattering than shorts. Lucy goes online sometime this fall!!! How are you doing? I'm not able to get here as often as I've just still been so tired and am also starting a new company, which probably doesn't help. I also went nuts and am reaming out and repainting my whole house. It seems I'm on some "off with the old, on with the new" kick that is just very profound and hitting almost every area of my life. But I'm happier if a little unsettled. Gano

Well, the painting/remodeling is definitely exercise (remember the Karate Kid? "Paint the fence"!) Workout clothes don't motivate me, but I did make it to the gym 5 times this last week. I get measured this week (end of first month of membership), and I want to show a significant loss. Also, I have vacation planned in 2 weeks to Alaska--planning hiking and I don't want to hold up my fit 26 year old daughter so much that she is sorry I came! Besides if we encounter grizzly bears I need to be able to outrun her! You are showing an amazing amount of energy--starting a company is no small feat. I am still working 50-60 hours a week and it really takes it out of me. But the fact that I am still doing it says that my energy levels have improved. I think that is more exercise than weight loss alone. I hope the knee gets better quickly and the PT makes a huge difference. I was taking celebrex for arthritis before surgery, but thankfully, have been enough better since then to do without. I hold the liquid Vioxx in mental reserve though for when I do need it again. Just think if you were trying to do all you are doing in your pre-WLS condition!!! We are blessed! Joy

I would be doing 1/10th of this pre-WLS. I'm going on a family trip to Maine in two weeks and look forward to my first vacation without being morbidly obese in a decade (or is it TWO decades, how time does fly). I remember you were going to Alaska and it was a huge motivator initially. And now here it is!!!!! Pretty cool. Starting a company doesn't take 50-60 hrs. per week yet. I take my hat off to you. Once it starts, it will take 80 hrs. but that is still several months away, thank goodness. I just had to take my office hours down again, but I'm trying to be patient and know how much I am accomplishing overall (I stink at realizing that, alas). Gano

Gano, Hi!! I've been back on Vioxx in pill form for 2 months now. My ortho doc was pushing it but wouldn't OK it without my surgeon's approval. When I asked him, he played deaf, (wonderful fella). So the next morning I started back on it and life as been much more bearable since then. I had gotten to the point with my hips that I could hardly walk across the room. Compound that with the knees...well I was ready for someone to shoot me!!! After I had my knee scoped the end of April, my ortho doc started me on a series of 5 "Supartz" shots. It's Rooster comb cartilage, that the body can use as cushion between joints. It's injected directly into the knee and I finished the series a week ago last Thursday. The knee does seem to be better. I have to be off of the shots for 3 weeks then he'll re-evaluate and possibly do another series. Sounds like your really doing well energy wise. Are you still having problems with foods? I know I do...what I ate successfully last week will knock me flat today. Weird!!! Great to hear from you. Happy thoughts, Va Was/Am/Wannabe 232/175/130

Hmmm, maybe I can do the pills. Never occurred to me that Vioxx was smaller. Oh well. Celebrex comes in capsule form (my drug of choice) and I can't do those yet. They're watching me for blood pressure problems, so I'll see if the Vioxx is going to continue in about a week. Vioxx has that side effect. It would be ironic since I've just thrown away all my blood pressure meds. If it goes up, they'll be taking me off Vioxx. Like you, my arthritis predates my obesity. I'm sure being that overweight exacerbated it, but it looks like losing weight will not make it go away. Which only makes sense -- I just don't like accepting it. I do sound accomplished when I read the stuff but, actually, I have a lot of trouble with my energy. I know that every week it's a little better, but it's far from good. I'm starting each work day about 10 in the morning and, boy, it's fortunate I'm the boss. Of course, being the boss also means that I have a lot of worry and after hours stuff, so maybe it would work out if I were back in my 8/9-5 existence because then I could just get away. Yeah, food is problematic. I haven't thrown up again largely because I'm not adventurous. I'm sticking to my Phase 3 food list, which is pretty much beans, ground turkey, fish, and the like, with some fruit and yoghurt and low fat cottage cheese. I've started to work on a few recipes and variants just to keep from getting bored, but each little addition is really a big deal. My big thing is to try to get a healthy schedule going in which food, exercise, work, and play all fit together. Since I never took care of myself, it really boggles my mind. And the fact that I don't always have the energy to meet the task is sometimes overwhelming. And then, when you have to replace every stitch you have without going broke, that takes a lot of time, too. It's a good problem to have, but wow the trips to Goodwill, the scrutinizing for price, it's a lot of detail. I mean, I rarely went to the mall in a decade, so I'm like a space alien who has just landed. ("Take me to your underwear.") I'm getting nearer to liking the way I look and at least I now do not HATE the way I look. Being rid of that constant cloud hanging over me is worth it all...it's just....wow...it's a lot. I'm so happy to hear you are in less pain. THAT is a big deal. Gano

I'm having a body image crisis. I look at clothes and say that can't fit me, but if I take the time to try it on...tada...it usually does. I'm trying very hard to resist the temptation to buy clothes now. I know that it will be months before I stop losing and the ones I buy today won't fit in a month. Money WASTED!! But if I'm running around town with my shorts falling down around my ankles...well that's just not very attractive!! I did finally go out and buy new underwear this past weekend. The droopy drawers look was just not working for me!!! I bought good ole Hanes, cheap but good, and I won't feel horrible when in a couple of months they end up in the trash, as I shrink out of them. I can't wait until I can invest the money to buy MATCHING bra's and panties!!! I've never had MATCHED SETS!! I hope your blood pressure settles down, mines been real low since surgery. I still take a low, low dose BP med for migraine maintenance, which I'm too frightened to go off of to see if I still have the headaches. I don't throw up- Unfortunately!! - I have gagged and dry heaved for HOURS in the past month. Seems now since surgery, I can't throw up! Can't even force myself to throw up. I'd make a lousy bulimic at this point. I know bad attempt at humor!! It's horrible but I actually envy people that CAN throw up!!! I'm finally to the point of being able to walk for 20 minutes non-stop. Which, between my hips and my knees is a MAJOR accomplishment!! My ortho doc won't clear me for doing anything to work out other than walking or swimming. Embarrassingly enough, I really can't swim. I can tread water, but that's about it. So I walk. As I said before...GREAT to hear from you!! Keep in touch. Va

My husband can't swim either. When we was little, he was in the hospital every summer having surgery for his cleft palate. He was one of the first children they could ever repair, quite a thing. His mother, of course, could have taken care of this during the winter here in CA but she coddled rather than launched, grrrr. Anyway, there are lots of classes now for adults that can't swim. How about something new? What a thing it would be to challenge yourself with. I'm pushy about the whole challenge thing right now as I'm having to do them myself and I want partners in crime. One of the phone calls I have to do today is to the pool to set up some lap swimming lessons. Why, you might ask, does she need a lesson for something so simple? Well, along with my other fun, I have an old spinal chord injury that makes it hard or painful to turn my neck. So, they tell me I can adapt a stroke and buy this swim cap with a snorkel attachment (used for training now) so I never have to turn my head. I'm going on vacation where I can't work out and I've vowed to keep up my cardio. Also, see if you can get an upper body workout. I used an upper body bike after my shoulder surgery. But, then, if your arthritis is really pervasive, that might be out too. All this pushiness. (Which I had better apply to MYSELF). That'll 'larn you to communicate with ME. Gano

Gano, My biggest problem with swimming is that I panic. As long as I can stand on the bottom of the pool and still breath, I'm fine. But the second I get in water "over my head" I freak. Stems from a little prank my brother and two "friends" pulled at a public pool when I was about 6. I don't know if I need counseling or swimming lessons. I took swimming in college 25 years ago and the coach finally gave up on 3 or 4 of us chickens. I made an A in the class but he never did "teach" me to swim. I guess I need to try to find a "scaredy cats" swimming class. I have trouble with my neck too, arthritis from C1 to C6. Then my spine I have arthritis from my waistline to the tip of my tailbone. Swimming is by far the option of choice for the arthritis, just gotta get my courage up. Prod away!! TTYL Va