Question:
I am a pre-op with a question about.....
foot and ankle pain. For the last two years or so, I have been dealing with the lower half of my body just hurting, especially my feet, ankles and lower back. I was told that wls would help with this. Has this surgery helped anyone with these problems and if so how much? (like totally pain free or close) — Tracy LeAnn (posted on April 11, 2006)
April 11, 2006
I'm 4 months post-op and prior to surgery had knee and ankle pain....but
now it is gone. I have lost 62 lbs and I honestly believe that is why the
pain is gone...less weight on your joints has to be a good thing. (12/22/05
LAP RNY)
— mmcphee1
April 11, 2006
Yes, you will find relief after you have lost weight. Both my husband and I
had all the pains that you described and we are both virtually pain free.
Both of us are almost 3 years PO.
— ChristineB
April 11, 2006
I used to have to hop around a lot gingerly when I would wake up and get
moving because my feet hurt so badly. I could only wear shoes similar to
Birkenstocks because everything else just was agony. Now - well, I am back
to wearing heels...a lot! I am so happy to be able to wear what I want on
my feet now. As for knee pain, well, my knee slipped out a few times while
heavy but it wasn't chronic. Still I have had no issues since losing the
weight. I will say this: There is no guarantee it will help, but it
likely will and it certainly won't get worse (well, unless you have a
degenerative disease or injury).
— Dinka Doo
April 11, 2006
My Dr. has postponed my surgery due to my foot pain. But I havent always
had swollen feet or ankels. He just wants to make sure there isnt a blood
clot in there. But, there is a lady in my support group that had bad back
pain before, it is gone now. It acctually only took her 40 lbs before her
back pain went away.
— Jennifer Nice
April 11, 2006
I had a knee injury a few years back, and broke my back 2 places and my
neck in one and as weight went on the frequency and severity of that pain
increased...I went on the preop liver shrinking diet required by my doc and
just the loss of that few pounds before the surgery to get ready helped my
knee, neck and back pains... I am looking forward to less and less problems
with it as I lose and I think that would probably go for you too. Good luck
— justmejackie
April 11, 2006
Hi Tracy... I had severe plantar fasciitis which is inflammation and pain
on the bottom of the feet when the lining of the muscle (fascia) swells. I
had it for years and couldn;t wear heels EVER even small ones. Now....I can
stand for eextended periods of time and not have to worry about not being
able to walk!!!! I have had knee pain since I was 10 years old (I was not
obese as a child) and this still exists but not nearly as much as
before..... It is like a miracle how much better my joints feel....Good
luck to you!!!!
— SteffieBear15
April 11, 2006
One morning, as a post-op, I woke up, I got about of bed and walked across
the room. All of the sudden it hit me, I was limping around on aching
ankles and feet. It was amazing. Best wishes!
— Michelle_S
April 11, 2006
I am almost six months post op and almost all of my foot and leg pain are
gone (there are still some traces of foot pain if I have had an unusually
active day or wear the wrong shoes). Last week I had to carry a 20 pound
bag of dog food up a flight of stairs. Although I was able to do it with no
problem, it did make me stop and think. I can't beleive that my legs and
feet were actually able to handle carrying the equivalent of more than 3 20
pound bags around all of the time! The surgery definitely helps to get rid
of the pain!!
— cindizzy
April 12, 2006
Surgery helped me immensely. By the time I had surgery, I was almost
housebound. I walked with a cane. I was in tears getting from one room to
another in my house. I rode one of those little mart-carts if and when I
left the house, and Ih ad to have other people do a lot of things for me.
My lower back was screaming. If I was walkign from my car into a store, I'd
have to stop and breathe and bend 5 or 6 times. I never thought i'd be pain
free again.
Now I'm almost completely pain free 100% of the time. I run up and down
stairs. I have a baby I can toss around and chase. I almost never feel any
pain at all, except when it's very cold my lower joints still ache a
little. Not much. Controllable with Tylenol. It's just cumulative arthritic
damage to the joints....hardly ever bothers me though! :-D
Christie
468/195/168
— christied
April 12, 2006
NOT UNTILL I LOST 60 LBS DID I NOTICE THAT MY HEEL SPURS OR PLANTARS
GASHITIS WENT AWAY! ANKLES DON'T HURT ANY MORE.UPPER BACK IS KILLING ME.
DR. SAYS PROBABLY WEIGHT OF BREAST, APPARENTLY THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE PERKY
TO BE LARGE!
— vickig
April 12, 2006
I had WLS near 5 years ago, knee, back and foot pain disappeared:)
Unfortunately I fell last fall and messed up my knee, its a little sore but
very functional, yesterday I walked about 2 miles. My lower back pain went
away but during the fast loss phase my upper back got sore, it takes time
for our bodies to adjust, that pain left entirely at about one year.
Honestly I was in so much pain from knees, legs, heel spurs, back etc it
was hard to do anything. WLS got my life back!
— bob-haller
April 14, 2006
I had WLS in 2001. Before I had surgery, i had major problems with pain in
my feet and ankles. I had flat feet from carrying all that weight around
for so many years, i was 397 lbs preop. I also had major knee pain too. I
went to a bone and joint doctor, he said that my bones and joints aged
prematurely from carrying my weight for so long. I have the bones of a
senior citizen. I took naproxen before surgery. I cant take that anymore,
but i dont need it either. I have not had knee pain to any certain degree
in years. My feet sometimes hurt if i wear unsupportive sandels and stuff,
but in general, if i wear supportive tennis shoes or walking shoes, they do
not bother me at all, and i had a daughter last year. My main problems
with her was the pain in my back so much. But as far as feet and ankles,
if i would not have had surgery, i would have said it was nothing short of
a miricle. Hope this helps. Kim
— Kimberly Felan
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