Question:
How much improvement for comorbidities can I expect with rny surgery?

I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthiritis, chronic back problems and an pre-diabetic. My doctors says these conditions will diminish greatly and may go away completely.    — grammajoy (posted on July 2, 2007)


July 2, 2007
I can only go by my experience, but it is similar to what your Dr. said. I had high blood pressure, that is gone. I had metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes), and that has resolved. Back pain, some, it is gone. I used to have a lot of trouble laying in bed for a full 8 hours. I would start to get very sore. That is gone. All in all, it is so very much better. Look forward to the gift of a new lease on life. Chris
   — CChappell

July 2, 2007
I also can only go by my old co-morbidities. I had idopathic edema-- now gone. I had high choelesterol-- now in normal range. I had gout in my knee from the edema medicine-- now in normal range. I still have high blood pressure although that is slowly resolving and soon I won't need medicine. Constant back aches, now gone. Most co-morbidities will either resolve or disappear after you have the surgery. Good luck and God Bless!
   — crystalsno

July 2, 2007
I too am diabetic(full typ2 ) I can only tell you since I haven't yet had the surgery that it is a 93% chance it will all be resolved. I have gone to class after class and every surgeon who speaks tells you the great percentages of reversing metabolic syndrome. I am so excited I could spit. My surgeon just gave me the go ahead for surgery on August 7th.
   — bderuiter

July 2, 2007
I can tell you wait and see, everyone is different. But I had my surgery 6 months ago, and was on 11 medications now I am on none! I had pain in my feet, ankles knees, had high blood pressure,Diabeties, gout asthma (I was on 3 inhalors) Having the surgery has helped me in so many ways! it was the best thing I ever did.
   — miss-350

July 2, 2007
Everyone is different - as different as our finger prints when it comes to how your body is going to react to surgery, etc. I have known SO many women from my support group, etc. that had a pile a mile high of co-mords and now take like one pill and are close to going off that, too. I have chronic back and knee pain. I can tell you I still take pain meds. Do I take as many or as often as I used to? NOPE. But I do still take them. 89lbs lighter and my back and knee still bother me. But it is easier to get around and it doesn't hold me back like it used to. Good luck.
   — jammerz

July 2, 2007
You can see by the other testimonials here it is a win win situation. For me, I can't say enough. My meds are slowly being removed and I am so much more mobile than 6 months ago before surgery. I am down a total of 84 lbs and loving it. I have gone from size 32 to probably a 20. I only have 22 to wear at this time. Need to shop again but usualy do it every two sizes. Just wear them big for awhile. In six months I have reversed my size 30 years. I am now what I was 30 years ago. How amazing. No regrets. Good Luck and God Bless, Norma
   — njkbutton

July 3, 2007
My blood pressure went down just one month after surgery. My cholesterol went down. I was just a type II diabetic before surgery but now Im not. I'm still having some back pain. I just feel so much better. Good Luck!
   — barfiep01

July 3, 2007
I had high blood pressure, diabetes, and joint problems. I have them no longer. I thank GOD for this surgery. Believe your doctor he is telling you the truth. Urretta
   — upullen

July 3, 2007
Hi Joy, you ask some good questions. He basic answer is this, the blood issues you have, the bp the cholesterol and the pre diabetic conditions have the possibility of a wonderful turn around. I just saw a friend last night that was on 20 medications, much for diabetes, and in 3 years she is on NO medication for diabetes. It is just amazing what this surgery can do when you lose weight. It isn't just the weight loss, but the mal absorption that plays a part in these things going away. REgarding the bone issues, I wouldn't say you will get great improvement on these issues because they are bone issues. Bone won't re grow, bone won't get stronger. But the issues regarding your bones that are relieved because of weight loss, this will happen. At 3 years out, I am just beginning the arthiritis issues for myself, and they are not as bad as it would be with an additional 120 pounds, but I still have the issues, and have pain from it. You have to fight to exercise and work hard to get the weight off, but the bone issues may not resolve. The body will not be able to repair that type of damage after wls surgery. Hope this helps, and I hope you get a good result. Take care. Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

July 3, 2007
Joy, From what I've heard, seen, and read among WLS patients that have had the surgery -- not only will your name be Joy -- you will be most Joy-ful.
   — the7thdean

July 3, 2007
my co morbities largelyu went away, I had knee surgery a few years before WLS. honestly losing the weight helped way more than the actual knee surgery. WLS isnt 100% but its very likely you will be like most post ops thrilled to feel so much better
   — bob-haller

July 3, 2007
Joy, We are all different, but I had chronic knee, back ankle every pain I could Imagine. I couldn't even walk down stairs like a normal person, I took them one at a time because, I was afraid of my knee giving out or my ankle twisting. I have lost 95 lbs since 3-15-07 with the band. My shoulders don't ache constantly, my knees and ankles feel better, no more night time tylenol pm rituals. I can walk down my stairs normal and I can walk comfortably period. I also had sleep apnea. It is pretty much gone. I very seldom snore anymore, and if I do I know that I have way over done it , so I will wear my c-pap machine when my husband wakes me up, but that hasn't happened in over 2 months. Everyone I know who has had WLS which ever type most if not all of their co-morbidities have almost completely diminished. Now we can spend all that money we were spending on meds on ourselves. On fun things like REAL CLOTHES!!!!!NO MORE ELASTIC WAISTBANDS!!!!! Best of luck, all in all it is a win win situation!
   — mccabesmom

July 4, 2007
I am off insulin, off blood pressure medication, and have a decline in my sleep apnea. I get much less back pain. My cholesterol has not gone down, though, because I have always had good eating habits.
   — Novashannon

July 4, 2007
My doctors claim that bariatric surgery (I had RNY) is the only known cure for diabetes. It may be the cure for some people, those who have type II diabetes as a comorbidity of being morbidly overweight. (Their narrow definition is based upon the reading that comes back from an HbA1C test.) If the diabetes is caused by something else, but being made worse because of obesity, then losing the weight may not *cure* diabetes. This has been the case for me. I am a Viet Nam veteran and was exposed to Agent Orange, which has been determined to be a cause of type II diabetes. Most, but not all of my diabetes related physical problems (high blood pressure, unacceptable levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, etc.) are now under control without medication. I was taken off ALL diabetes associated meds immediately after surgery. I continued to take my blood glucose readings, however, and found that they were still high enough to be of concern. So I am now back on Metformin but at a reduced dosage from what it was before. I still do not need meds for blood pressure, cholesterol, et cetera. For me, RNY surgery was not a cure for my type II diabetes but it's now under MUCH better control because of my improved eating habits. And the better eating habits come as a direct result of my RNY bariatric surgery. I, therefore, agree with YOUR doctors (except possibly for your arthritis). Your conditions should "diminish greatly" at a minimum -- and this should be your primary motivation to proceed with the surgery. "Lookin' good" is an added plus but should take a back seat to your improved general state of health that will come with not being morbidly obese.
   — [Deactivated Member]

July 9, 2007
As I read, most peoples comorbidities seem to have lessened or resolved. I am over 1 year out, medications have not changed, still take 15 pills/day, Cpap was increased, and my comorbidities have not changed. The only thing I can give credit to is my breathing is much better and I can exercise for longer periods at an elevated level. Yes, i consider my surger as a success, but it does not always mean your comorbidities will disappear or even improve significantly. My comorbidities revolve around heart disease.
   — pianogrl




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