Aches and Pains?

I'm starting to experience knee and back pain again. Not as bad as pre-surgery, but I am getting achey. I was talking to my physical therapist about this. She said that she has been studying overweight people as they loose large amounts of weight and says that the aches and pains are normal as our weight shifts and redistributes. I knew that this was true in the initial months, but didn't expect to go through it again this late in the game. Anyone else feeling achey these days? Connie

Connie, I have ongoing hip and shoulder pain problems. Thought the shoulder was at first a rotator cuff problem, like yours, but turns out not to be. Doctor is stymied. I'm taking tylenol with codiene every night before I go to bed...otherwise, would not be able to sleep a wink with the pain. I am hopeful that as I continue to lose and tighten up this poor old tired chassie, the pain will go away. Take care, sweetie. Maureen

I have been having more pains lately as well. My latest is a rib that has been out for the last 3-4 days or more. I can't get in to see my physical therapist until after the 1st of December, so I'm stuck trying to cope on my own right now. I have shoulder and neck pain as well as back pain but it comes and goes. I think the thing that bothers me the most is I can't take anything that really helps. My doc gave me Celebrex saying it won't cause stomach ulcers like the other NSAIDS will but I am still very afraid to take it. I did one day and although I was desperate enough to take it, I didn't feel it did much for me. I needed my Orudis, but I can't take it. I think I'm just going to have to go in and demand a small Rx for Vicodin. Some days that is going to be the only thing that will do it for me now. I hate to take the stuff because it makes me sleepy, but I don't have much of a choice. Dina

I've been having some severe back pain. So much so that I decided to see a chiropractor. He said that my weightloss was directly related. He said that when people lose weight very quickly your center of gravity changes and that causes other things to get out of place. I felt instant relief the minute I got off the table!! Karen -111

Yes! My lower back has been bothering me. I think my body is confused about where my center of gravity has gotten to. I've had flare ups of arthritis, the worst of which was several weeks after surgery. However, the general trend seems to be toward hurting less. That is, after the flare up passes, I feel better than I have in years. I'm guessing that all the junk stored in our fat cells might play a role, too. We have to process it out and, when that's happening, I think we get more sensitive to a lot of things. I'm still on the fence as to whether I'll need any medication. I had gotten spooked about Vioxx before it was even taken off the market and am still not taking anything. I'm open to it if I can't push my workout the way I want, but, overall, I'm hopeful I can use ice, stretching, biofeedback, and so on instead.

Oh yes indeed do I have aches and pains too!! One thing I've found that helps me is everytime these start to come on again I go buy new shoes and new bras. Nurse friend told me that those two items get 'broken in' by your weight, center of gravity, stride, etc., but just as they get broken-in they start causing problems because our weight changes so fast. With the rapid weight loss they quickly start to cause pains because they no longer support as they should even though there is still lots of wear left in them. I know it sounds strange but honestly, this does help me every time so give it a try. Good luck, Ali

Hi Ali, I hope this note finds you well and healthy! The March 2004 Board needs your help. Please go to the Board and read the post, AND THE SURVEY SAYS, and PLEASE respond to it by answering the few questions. We really need to hear from you. Thank you! Maureen