Robin,

Thank you for posting. I can understand where you are...so many of the same complaints that I had---stairs, getting in a low car, trying to put on socks--uuugghhh! I ended up waiting 15 months for my surgery after my ortho first suggested it. I now know that I should NOT have waited so long. After my surgery I told my doctor how great I felt and he said the worst part about this surgery is "getting here".  The procedure itself was only about 90 minutes---which I think was less than my RNY.  Are you having the anterior approach? You certainly should if you can.  I was surprised when I talked with the anesthesiologist prior to the surgery and found out that they weren't even giving me a general---just a spinal with conscious sedation. They preferred that so you don't have to deal with the nausea post op.  I woke up right after surgery feeling not the least bit groggy.

I'll be two months post op this weekend and I'm nearing the point that it doesn't feel like I had surgery. I still have some numbness over the incision and it make take a year for that to completely subside. But even if it doesn't, it is more just a passing bother than anything else and well worth the trade-off. No one really told me about the thigh numbness and that was my biggest problem post op---numb from groin all the way to the side of my thigh. But the numb area (sometimes pins/needles) shrank daily to the point it is just over the incision. 

My husband and I coach softball (10U this year) and I was out there last night batting and running the bases with the girls! I started going to practice at 10 days post op--just catching and throwing--but it felt so good just to be able to move around.  I have some arthritis in my "good" hip and ortho said that hopefully I'm 5-10 years out on needing that one replaced, but I can tell you that I certainly won't wait as long as I did the first time!

I've been going to PT 2 xweek and now down to 1 xweek. It was optional but I'm glad that I did it. We are working on strength and flexibility---I lost so much on that right leg! The PT is able to really get it stretched out further than I could on my own.  I'm able to take stairs without any problem (38 of them at work) and I am now walking to work since the weather turned nice. It is about 15-20 minute walk.

Please try not to be anxious---the anxiety is worse that any problem you will have with the hip surgery! Especially given your small stature, you will be a model patient.  Get your crutches ahead of time and practice with stairs, steps and getting in/out of the car before your surgery. If you have never used crutches before, there are lots of tutorials on YouTube. It really made a difference post op. PT at the hospital cleared me during the afternoon session of my first day because I was already "well versed"---I did admit to her that I had been practicing ;o)

Congrats on being five years out and maintaining. That is AWESOME! I'm just over two years out and have maintained the same weight for just over a year  (5'4"--137#). I'm hoping now that I'm finally 'mobile' I can drop another 12# and finally reach my goal weight--although I'm content to stay where I am too!!

Please let me know if you have any other questions--either pre or post surgery. I'm sure you will do great and be so very happy that you finally made the leap to have it done!

Blessings,

Amy

My father had some problems similar to yours.  He'd done construction for decades before severe arthritis, aggravated by obesity, made it impossible for him to work anymore.  He tried going back to school, but had to quit when he had knee replacement. He then put on more weight, and also developed type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea.

He ended up getting on disability, which paid for him to have RNY. He's lost almost 200 lbs.  His pain has decreased so much, he no longer needs the other knee replaced, he's talking about taking classes again, and he is now able to do volunteer work.  No full time job, not because he's not capable, but because he's now over 65, so he's officially retired. 

You might look into getting disability and having them pay for the surgery.  Afterwards, you may be able to go back to work, and if not, you'd still have the disability income. It's not an ideal situation, but it worked out so well for my dad that I'm now looking into WLS for myself. 

I was on Enbrel for my sleeve surgery in July of 2012.  For me Enbrel was not the cause of weight gain although prednisone sure doesn't help.  I switched to Actemra in December 2012 and had revisional surgery on May 3rd 2013.  I still have soreness from RA off and on but the weight loss has made me feel more positive mentally about the rheumatoid arthritis.  Weight loss will certainly improve mechanical arthritis (OA) and it will make it easier for you to deal with RA flares in your weight bearing joints because they don't have to work so hard- but because RA is an autoimmune disease weight loss will not cure it.  If you are not getting enough improvement on Enbrel you need to talk to your rheumatologist. 

Good luck with your upcoming surgery!

Hi - I skipped my Humira shot before surgery (shot was normally scheduled a few days before surgery).  My rheumy and surgeon said I could resume the shots a week after surgery, but I waited two weeks.  It didn't seem to affect my RA at all (my uneducated opinion is that my wacky immune system decided to focus on the wounds and internal plumbing stitches instead of my joints!).  I'm not familiar with Actemra or other infusion therapies - so can't offer any insight about those.  

OMG..interesting to read   that Autoimmune and wls is difficult....have my vsg in Jan & have only lost 52 lbs.  Is there fact to support this?  I am now suffering with shoulder arthritis/tear/impingent which is restricting me from exercising.  Waiting to see an osteo surgeon...which can take months here in Canada.  Depression is starting...which feels like anger. 

Carol