Bilateral Knee Replacement RNY Weight Loss Success

Apr 08, 2016

March 16, 2016 I had both knees replaced. I believe successful recovery is due to the large amount of weight I've lost. My orthopedic surgeon showed that he was impressed when he spun around looking for crutches. I explained that my physical therapist said I was capable and I've been walking since I left rehab on Good Friday!

i believe most of the ability that I've shown can be shown to be a product of just a few things. I kept active. My friend and I were traveling in autumn to five countries in Europe with our days starting right after breakfast. We would sit for lunch and on trams! We were often out past 9:30! I had been getting cortisone shots for years and this past trip used a band to keep my patella in place. The left knee had been bone on bone or no cartilage since April 2012. The other knee had been very thin cartilage. 

Beyone being active and and losing over 241 pounds with my RNY surgery I had begun in September 2014 to lose even more of my excess weight. By June 2015, I'd gone from 78% loss to 100% loss of excess weight. For years, my weight loss was near 193 pounds lost then went up into 220s. That being said, I discovered that my iron levels tanked, won some Bariatric Advantage multivitamins with iron and added an extra iron to my routine. My iron went from 31 to 37 then to 96. My weight loss went to 106% loss of excess weight. I had a stricture that caused me to vomit and once I started needed to heal my esophagus. I went on blended foods again and twice in February had my esophagus stretched. 

Because i I had started the process for knee replacements, I had to see my PCP. She added some unrelated exams that she said were necessary and why not do them before surgery; mammogram, colonoscopy and bone scan. I'm 68! The same surgeon who was to do my endoscopy could do the colonoscopy.  Right, a two for one deal! I left that operation and my husband drove me four exits down the highway for the bone scan. Unfortunately, it showed osteoporosis. I'm scheduling an appointment with an endocrinologist. I just had to set up all my outpatient physical therapy sessions for my knees!

all the test, the class for the knee replacement and the pre screening test was done in perfect weather. In Boston the year before we had massive amounts of snow. 2016 was a better year for everything I had to do and all my appointments with my two surgeons and the surgeon who did the endoscopy really flowed.

Whiile I was at New England Baptist Hospital, it rained outside producing two beautiful rainbows two days in a row! i am proud that I've been this strong and moving so well. My orthopedic surgeon is James Phillips. We joked because I told him I'm recommending him to anyone I see. I said I'll need a kickback. 

Linda Lombardo

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