It's official 1 year today

It was a year ago today that I was on my way to the hospital for what I knew would change my life forever. Weighting in at 264 pounds, my life was miserable. I didn't know if I was going to live or die, but life had to be better than it had been for the past few years. My psoriasis covered my body, engulfed my fingernails and toenails. My arthritis attached every bone in my body but was the worse felt in my hands where I had trouble even picking up a piece of paper. I couldn't walk without panting and needing to sit down because my back would hurt so bad. I dreaded doing even the most simple of activities. My children were left to care for themselves cause mom was just too sick to do it. Cut to one year later as I sit back and remember that time. What a different world it is now for me. I have lost a whole person now weighing in at 131 pounds, which is a difference of 132 pounds. Half of me is gone forever. I know I am going to live now and life is good. My psoriasis is almost completely gone. I no longer limp when I walk and my disabled knee feels like new with no pain like I had been experiencing for years. My arthritis is still there but near none existent with my medical treatment and I can do anything I want and need to do now. I have to stand back every once in a while after I do something now and say, "wow, did I just do that" and think only a year ago I would have never considered doing something like that in million years. My children have their mom back now. I am able to play with them and often find myself teaching them how to play baseball in the front yard, cycling with them on bike paths and camping and fishing in the wilderness and they have to work to keep up with me now. Exercise is now a way of life for me and I hate missing a day of working out. I enjoy the way my body looks with all the cut muscles that now define me. What a difference a year makes. I have not had one problem with my surgery and even wondered when I woke up if it had been done for the lack of pain I was in. I am healthy, happy, and full of life again. Would I do this surgery again? I say, "Yes, in a heart beat." Has it changed my life? I say, "Yes, for the better." The world is mine and I am taking and enjoying every minute of it. I can conquer it, live it, breathe it, and be it. WLS has given me my life back and I couldn't be happier with who and what I have become mentally and physically today. It's been a wonderful ride and thank you for sharing it with me. I couldn't have done it without the support of my OH family.

Carla: Congratulations!!! And thank you for sharing your story. You've done an incredible job and it's always so motivating to hear stories like yours. I'm curious about how you've been able to manage the arthritis. I'm struggling with that. I was on Voltaren (a prescription NSAID) for 9 years prior to surgery and that kept the pain in check but had to stop it when I had surgery. Even though I'm sure there's some relief on the joints with all the weight I've lost I guess the damage is done and what I'm finding is that as I get more active the pain keeps getting worse. Seeing an orthopedist tomorrow but I'm curious about what has worked for others. Steve

Well mine is caused by psoriasis which does damage like the other kinds. I know for me and many others we have had to go to much stronger medications. I actually get an infusion every 6 weeks of remecade. It keeps my skin clear and takes care of the joint pain. I dont even notice it until it gets closer to my injection time. I know others who get an infusion as far as every 8 weeks and as often as every 4 weeks. It's a pain in the butt, but, it lets me move again. It was pretty bad before they put me on that. Good luck with your appointment. NSAID's are out now. I also tried embrel which worked but because mine was so severe they had to go to a stronger med. I hope they find a solution for you..

Thanks so much for sharing so much with us. It's stories like this that keep me motivated toward surgery. I can only hope to have as much success as you when my time comes. Rachelle