Hi Pookah -

I was dx with RA over seven years ago, and sometimes I still feel like I wa**** with a sledgehammer after my methotrexate pills and Humira shots.  Because you are new to RA, have patience with the treatment plan your rheumy and you have come up with.  Listen to your body, and if it needs rest, you need to abide.  While I understand the need to achieve certain fitness goals for the day, part of the weight loss journey (I'm finding) is also getting enough good rest.  Consider asking your doc about folic acid.  

Best of luck.  Feel better!

HI...I LVE DR.> ESLAMI !!!!!!

You will do great with the surgery, which one are you having?

I told Eslami to shut up about the walking cuz it wasn't going to happen , and I have lost all my weight without ANY exercise.

I did have my hip done 9 week ago , the first week I thought I was going to die , the second week I thought I might live , didn't need any help after 2 weeks , although my husnand is doing a lot of work.

I am scheduling my left knee so I may be at methodist the same time as you , who know.

Whe I was in for my hip , eslami walked past my room and saw me ( and the fam) and came to visit every day and sent over his staff to make sure I was doing o.k. , they were awesome and I wasn't even there for a surgery he did.

I am just 1 year out and Eslami is thrilled with how I have done. I am down to about 170 and prob will stay here ( size 10 ) at my age (59) don't need more saggy skin :)

Best wishes on your surgery

Hi!  We have the same MD!  I am scheduled to have my surgery on 5-1. I had a knee replacement in 09 (left knee) and a MCL reconstruction in '10.   i need another knee replacement, a hip, and most reconstructive work on my ligaments. I can walk, buit not very well,...I use a chair quite a bit, because i fall so much due to my knees going out more than I do....LOL..With me, it's about balancing my body upright.....I can't balance very well, because my knees are so shot. I have heard that the hip surgery has a faster recovery time, so my strategy, (based on how many times I fall, and my pain level over time)....is that I am doing the WLS, then getting the right hip done, and then all of the ligament suff on my left knee....get that one really strong first, and keep using the brace on my right  knee and do that one last.  My thinking is that between my left leg getting stronger, and fixing my right hip, I can maybe balance better, and at least get out of the wheelchair. 

patches work "ok" on my pain for a few days....I use then when I know i am going to be more active.  I don't know how i will tolerate the pain meds after surgery, but based on my pain levels right now I am sticking with the liquids...I don't think the patches would be enough to hold the pain back after another ortho surgery for me.

Thanks Reb.  You have some great ideas about getting the money.  I wish I had a rich relative, but sadly I come from a family who are not so lucky in the "wealth" department!  So I will take some time, research my options and then figure out where to get the money.

I find it sad that so many people who want and need to be well can't.  It's especially sad when they want to be a productive member of society, but are unable to have the medical treatment they need to accomplish this simply because they have no insurance and no money.  

So I am just going to have to trust that it will come and I WILL get my life back.

I understand as well. Have been on MS Contin and Vicodin for some time. Had one hip done 8 years ago, but I have ballooned up in weight since then. Now that the left one is giving me trouble my surgeon also stated that he would not do my hip until I lost weight. He recommended Bypass surgery, but my insurance will not cover it. It can be overwhelming to deal with the pain and have no hope of resolution.

I was also lucky enough to have a family member step forward, and my surgery is actually next Wed. I also found out today that I have some form of RA and will probably need to deal with that after I lose some weight.

My suggestion would be to sit down and make a list of all of your family members and friends. Think about the ones that are more likely to listen to your story and show some compassion. Think about creative ways of raising money, like "Sponsor a Pound." Figure out how much you need to lose, divide the number of pounds against the cost of surgery and come up with a number. Then you can say "Sponsor a Pound for $150" This is a lot easier than asking for large sums of money if your family is not able to come through in that way. Just one suggestion.

Hope everything works out for you.