Question:
Leg pain/numbing - will it go away?

Hi there, I'm 10 days away from my surgery (lap rny) and I have gained about 15 lbs since my consult in December. :( I'm done beating myself up over that and my surgeon will still be performing surgery via lap. It seems like these last few lbs are the 'straw that broke the camel's back'. My legs have been hurting and getting numb for the last year but usually after a couple hours on my feet. NOW the aching feelings are there constantly - an hour on my feet is killing me. Amplified by being off of Advil for my surgery. I keep having these fears that I have worn out my legs or veins or something. Maybe I'm being paranoidd but I don't want to sully my recovery with negative feelings Can others who have had pre-op leg pains please share their stories? How long (how much weight loss) before you started to have more mobility? thanks    — Donya P. (posted on July 21, 2003)

July 20, 2003
What did the doctor diagnose your leg pain as? Arthritis or something else? I don't think arthritis pain will EVER go away completely but when you lose weight it lessens a little. I have lost weight but I still feel pain in my legs from arthritis... and also my back. I have only lost 25 lbs so we know that is not enough to curb the pain. 15 days before surgery and I am hoping for a MIRACLE in my life with this arthritis. Good luck to you in your journey.
   — Eleanore Davis

July 21, 2003
No professional here, but sounds like sciatica. Tell ya what. After your weight loss surgery, you will feel and be SO liberated from all the weight induced pains we all have had to endure for so long. Good luck to you. Go check out sciatica on the web. (Open RNY 10/30/02 and -175 lbs.)
   — Ginger M.

July 21, 2003
Hi! If the pain and numbness is in your outer thigh area this is called meralgia parasthetica and isn't sciatica because you are dealing with a different nerve....It is usually weight related.There is a nerve that goes from your groin area down your thigh and this can get compressed by the added weight.Weightloss will usually improve this problem.
   — jennifer A.

July 21, 2003
Before my surgery, I too felt like I had "broken" my body. Numbness and tingling in my legs was the least of my worries as for years I had also endured that same pain in my shoulders and arms when I woke up (compressed all my nerves when I slept). In addition, I had pretty serious arthritis in both knees (due to repeated injuries), heel spurs/plantar farciarus (bad foot pain in both feet), arthritic pain in my hips and constant back pain (along with sciatica). Fortunately, the pain started dissipating by the time I had dropped my first 80 pounds. By the time I had lost 120 pounds, the pains were basically gone. Now, nine months out and a little more than 230 pounds lighter, I am totally pain free. I know that weight loss surgery isn't a miracle, but it sure feels like it for me! Good luck in your journey.
   — SteveColarossi