NSV for arthritis and injury.

I am 55 years old, had my VSG 1/24/11.  I have severe arthritis and a knee injury; I walk with a cane for stability.  I was just (Monday!) allowed to start doing ANY walking by my ortho doc.  I was told to start walking slowly for 5 minutes a day.  If I tolerated that, to increase to 5 minutes twice a day, and then three times a day.  Yesterday at lunch I walked for 5 minutes in the parking lot behind my office.  It felt good !  Today, I walked during my break at 10am for 5 minutes, and then at 2pm for 5 more. 

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am !  Once I can build up muscle in the injured leg, and lose a bit more weight; I will be able to have a knee replacement that I so dearly need. 

I have now lost 34 pounds pre op, and 36 more since surgery !  I'm down 70 frickin' pounds, and I'm walking again.  Not just from my desk to the restroom, from my car to the market.....I'm walking !!!

Now, if I can move in the morning, I just might try the three times a day....or give twice another go.  But I think that by the end of this week, I will be walking 15 minutes a day (in 3 intervals!)  This is an exciting move forward for me.  I know that the walking will help my weight loss, and help me feel better in general.  It's been a year since I tore my quad. muscle above my knee...and it's been a long year in rehab with it. 

So, help me celebrate  WALKING !!!! 

HOW WONDERFUL FOR YOU... WHEN I WALK I WILL SEND YOU GOOD THOUGHTS.

That is absolutely terrific!!!! 

What type of arthritis do you have?  R.A.?

There are a few  people on here that have had a big boost from weight loss and their R.A.

My sister is a sufferer as well, I so know how much this means to do.  Congratulations!!!!

I actually have both RA and OA. A fun combo !

I am so excited about being able to move a bit ! I can't wait to take my dog for walks again !

What a wonderful feeling that must be!!  Congratulations on the weight loss...keep up the good work and enjoy your walking... Can't wait til my knees feel better...surgery next month!!

That's just wonderful.  I'm so happy for you.  Exactly one year prior to my surgery i started experiencing severe leg pain.  I noticed it after coming back from Memorial Day long weekend at my daughters.   So i walked all the time but when this started i couldn't walk anymore.  I was in severe pain that just kept getting worst and was limping around everywhere.   First they gave me pain meds,  didn't help.  Then they sent me for therapy, said i pulled a groin muscle.  That made it worst.  Finally i was sent to a sports medicine doctor who ordered an MRI after the xray was inconclusive.  Evidently from an injurey in my youth i had a subtle fracture that affected the angle and curvature of my left hip.  He told me the only thing that would help would be to lose weight and maybe a hip replacement.   Got my sleeve exactly one year after this all happened.  Memorial Day weekend.   By moth one post op the pain was almost gone,  by month two completly gone.  Now i am pain free and i know its because of the weight loss.  This has been the best thing ever and i hope you have the same results.  Now i'm back walking every day and working out with weights and a kettlebell. The sleeve has been a reall miracle in my life.  I'm so happy that you are getting better too   :o)  jeani

Jeani,

I'm bone on bone on my left knee.  A year ago, I had my great dane at the dog park, and got hit from behind by a bull mastiff, who was running flat out.  I literally flew, landed on my hands, knees and my head.  Lucky for me, my knees took the brunt, rather than my head !!!  However I tore cartilidge and tore the quad muscle from the bone.  It's been 6 full months of NO exercise, and a metal reinforced brace; then 4 months of physical therapy with out weight bearing.  The last 2 months I have been trying out walking -- had been using a motorized scooter.  The danger of a knee replacement with the torn muscle was too high for a femur break.   Losing the weight is supposed to help, of course, but the pain is the same.  I am hoping that being able to walk more will help in the weight loss !  I've been doing chair exercises, and upper body, and some stretching -- but going outside and taking a real walk was .....bliss ~  altho when I got up from my desk  a couple hours after my 2pm walk, I was stiff !!!  It's gonna be slow going, but I'm going ~~

Ooohhh  poor baby,  that sounds awful.   Well thank God you're up and moving again and its gotta get better and better.  You're on your way now,  take good care  :o) Jeani

That is excellent news!
I too have a "bad knee" and now that I'm 2 months post-op I started taking a daily dose of Osteo Bi-Flex. My sleeve seems to tolerate it well & it does really help me with my walking exercise too. I'm up to 4.5 miles per week now (1.5 miles on 3 different days).
Keep on trucking!...Craig