"The Benefits of WLS for Arthritis"

Interesting article in Everyday Health:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/benefits-bariatric-surgery-arthritis/?xid=aol_eh-arth_6_20150622_&aolcat=AJAhttp://www.everydayhealth.com/news/benefits-bariatric-surgery-arthritis/?xid=aol_eh-arth_6_20150622_&aolcat=AJA&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl38%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D785653390

hotlink to article

I know this is going to probably sound rude, and I don't mean it to be, but it isn't exactly news that losing weight takes some of the stress off of joints and therefore can potentially decrease the pain in arthritic joints. 

Unfortunately, this article makes it sound like losing weight is guaranteed to alleviate the pain from arthritis, and as many here can attest, that isn't true... it depends on how advanced/severe the arthritis is before you lose the weight.  Once the damage to the joints is done, losing weight doesn't undo the damage, and for a significant number of people, the decrease in pain even after losing significant amounts of weight is minimal. 

Before I had my RNY 8 years ago, I read lots of posts here about how people's knees, backs, ankles, etc. no longer hurt, and my PCP told me losing weight would help my knees, so I went into surgery expecting to get significant pain relief.  After losing nearly 200 pounds, I learned the truth the hard way.  

I endured the pain in my knees for as long as I could (because I was scared to death to have knee replacement surgery), but have now had both knees replaced.

Lora

I'm in Lora's group as far as arthritis pain goes. I think most people do have less joint pain after WLS, but I was not among them. My joints are just as bad after losing nearly 300 pounds, and it is the ONLY thing that disappointed me.

No relief for even after losing 130 some pounds. It sure helped with total knee replacement surgery

I have far more pain in my knees since losing weight than I ever did before so while weight loss is a good thing it doesn't fix everything.

I was told before I had my wls surgery that in the future I was headed for a double knee replacement and that the only reason I wasn't getting it done now was because of my weight and My age I wasn't a candidate for it now. Instead I had to get cortisone shots every four months to help reduce the pain ( which only helped for a few weeks each time) but since surgery my pain has decreased dramatically. It by no means is gone but I went from never wanting to do anything or minimal as I could to now being able to do almost anything I want. My knees do still get sore and my dr says that one day I probably will still to have one or both replaced but for no as long as my pain is "gone" there is no need. The decrease in pain has changed my life for the better my only regret is not having wls sooner 

I have to agree totally with Lora;  for me the pain relief lasted for five years.  In that time I was able to hike and do team walks, etc., which was wonderful, but gradually the pain started coming back.  I eventually had double TKR in 2014, which was complicated by some regain I've had to deal with.

But the five pain-free years was a blessing, and the TKR has made it much easier to get back into exercising again, which was a big part of my regain.

WLS has mixed blessings but overall has definitely been great for me and others.

On a side note, has anyone tried that glucosamine-chondrotin (sp. ?) therapy for rebuilding their worn-out joints?  I'm thinking of trying it, but am wondering if it is just "hype" and doesn't really work ..    

It can help some for some people, but it is mostly hype.  It seems to depend a lot on how bad the arthritis is.  Once the natural cushioning is gone, there is little that can be done about it.

I've tried it, didn't find any benefit.  No pain relief, no reduction in pain while mobile, etc.  Asked an orthopedic surgeon about it, he said "snake oil".  

If you think it might help, try it.  Make up your own mind.  It's your money.