Ready to give up

stressd1mom

I am so discouraged & upset, I am ready to give up & gain back the 65 lbs I have lost. The only good thing that has come from my weight loss has been my blood pressure dropping from 152/100 to 112/64 as of today. However, it seems like there is more that has gone wrong. It started with my knee pain which I had to go to the doctor for & do physical therapy because my muscles were too weak to hold my knee cap in place causing severe pain. As of right now, I am on crutches because I have had severe ankle pain. Just got back from Urgent Care & they think it could be a stress fracture. I have to wait a week & if it isn't better go to have an MRI to check for the stress fracture. All this is stemming from being more active. I am not a runner, just a walker.

I just don't understand! Why now?!?! I have worked so hard & I was in tears on the way home just wondering if it is all worth it? When I was 273 lbs & just laying around on the couch, I didn't have any of these problems. At what point is it just not worth it? I am in tears again. I don't know what to do. What is going to go out next? Sorry if I am being over dramatic, I am just so upset. Anyone else have issues like this?

dmchiz

Holy cow! Dont give up now!!!! you are doing great, your body's breakdowns are surely a result of the stress you are putting on it from trying to do the right thing by exercising vigorously but...you are doing it while carrying all that extra weight! I cant believe nobody has told you to stop doing the weight bearing exercises in favor of some less stress stuff. I would suggest that as soon as you get the okay from your doctor, you find a water aerobics class for 1! Very fun, effective, and less stress on those knees and ankles,. Then look at things like recumbent bike as well for less weight and stress on the knees/ankles.
Honey, Im not even close to your success, but real quick -I have osteoarthritis and severely misaligned kneecaps -had the left 1 scoped 20 yrs ago, and had the right knee done in Oct for a torn meniscus. I just started working out 7 weeks ago... Im down 14lbs and 7 inches and im in pain every frickin day when i come home. I ice my knees, take NSAIDs, and put icy hot on at night, then head out again in the morning; seriously dreading the idea that i may have to stop my progress to have my left knee operated on ...but I wont give up and neither should you!!!!
The change in your blood pressure ALONE has probably added years back to your life! Stick with it -just find a better way to work out; something that works for you till you get enough weight off that your body isnt under so much stress and hey- maybe you just have week knees/ankles. So what, then do the things you can do - control the things you can, and keep plugging away!! You owe it to yourself to keep capitilizing on the success you've already had - not walk away from it! Good Luck ::happy: :

Klamber26

Like many people on here have pointed out, you don't have to exercise to lose weight. Continue to diet and the weight will still come off regardless of your injury. Eats lots of protein to preserve muscle mass and you'll be fine.

ScarlettVamp

I also started at 273 .lbs just over a year ago. I can only speak from my own experience so here goes.

Have I had injuries? Yes. Have I had illnesses? Yes. Am I still under severe stress both professionally and personally? Yes.

Do I like myself better overall? Yes. Do I have more confidence? Yes. Do I like my body more? Yes.

Do I ever want to go back to being that 273 .lb lump that didn't have the energy to be active with my kids? No.
Do I ever want to go back to looking in the mirror and hating myself? No.
Do I ever want to go back to wishing I could be invisible every time I'm in public? No.

If you aren't happy with yourself and your success, then the negative things like injuries are going to bring you down even further. Fight back! YOU ARE WORTH THE FIGHT!! Want to still exercise? Do upper body strength training while your lower body heals. Feeling like quitting? Put pictures side by side of you before your weight loss and now. Look at them and see if you can honestly tell yourself that you were happier and liked your life better in the before picture.

This is a not just a journey for some of us, it's a battle. Always remember, never forget: YOU ARE WORTH THE FIGHT!:flowerforyou:

tryinghard71

It's just your body's reaction to not working out for so long. I went through the same exact thing. Had to wear ankle braces and knee braces just so I could get on the treadmill and walk. I can't tell you how many days my knees were killing me and my ankle felt like I broke something. I pushed through. Took it slow and moved up my activity slowly. Now I don't have to use knee or ankle supports when I work out. It really was because I was so out of shape. Pushing through the pain paid off. I am really am so sorry because I do know exactly what you are going through. Don't give up!!

theartichoke

Yes, I do. I started this journey at 263lbs and completely sedentary. I'm hypothyroid, pre-diabetic, have degenerative disc disease in my neck and missing cartilage in my right knee from a fractured knee cap. Bottom line was that the weight had to go. I have been through so much CRAP with this flaring up, that laying me out, diabetes going bonkers...even though I'm making better choices and taking excellent care of myself. Each time it happens I feel like the wind left my sails. I wasn't this unstable at 263lbs when I did NOTHING! It's been a roller coaster to say the least.

The thing is, my body adjusted to where I was. It was going to quietly die there too. I will never go back to where I was. I don't care what adjustments I have to make I am going to fight for myself. There are moments where I feel everything I've done means nothing, I can't see where I'm going and don't even care. I just want off the ride. I completely understand how you feel. I write. At the top of the page I write...Why am I doing this? It helps pull me out of the darkness and into the place where I can see again.

I'm so sorry you're having such a rough time. It will get better, I promise it gets better. We just have to hold on until it does. Don't give up before your miracle happens. It's important to give yourself time to be down, but not too long. Tomorrow the sun will rise and you can decide to face the day and this challenge with courage. Please add me if you'd like, we can get through this. One day at a time.

dmchiz

I also started at 273 .lbs just over a year ago. I can only speak from my own experience so here goes.

Have I had injuries? Yes. Have I had illnesses? Yes. Am I still under severe stress both professionally and personally? Yes.

Do I like myself better overall? Yes. Do I have more confidence? Yes. Do I like my body more? Yes.

Do I ever want to go back to being that 273 .lb lump that didn't have the energy to be active with my kids? No.
Do I ever want to go back to looking in the mirror and hating myself? No.
Do I ever want to go back to wishing I could be invisible every time I'm in public? No.

If you aren't happy with yourself and your success, then the negative things like injuries are going to bring you down even further. Fight back! YOU ARE WORTH THE FIGHT!! Want to still exercise? Do upper body strength training while your lower body heals. Feeling like quitting? Put pictures side by side of you before your weight loss and now. Look at them and see if you can honestly tell yourself that you were happier and liked your life better in the before picture.

This is a not just a journey for some of us, it's a battle. Always remember, never forget: YOU ARE WORTH THE FIGHT!:flowerforyou:

Beautifully said! and congrats to you too!

dmchiz

Yes, I do. I started this journey at 263lbs and completely sedentary. I'm hypothyroid, pre-diabetic, have degenerative disc disease in my neck and missing cartilage in my right knee from a fractured knee cap. Bottom line was that the weight had to go. I have been through so much CRAP with this flaring up, that laying me out, diabetes going bonkers...even though I'm making better choices and taking excellent care of myself. Each time it happens I feel like the wind left my sails. I wasn't this unstable at 263lbs when I did NOTHING! It's been a roller coaster to say the least.

The thing is, my body adjusted to where I was. It was going to quietly die there too. I will never go back to where I was. I don't care what adjustments I have to make I am going to fight for myself. There are moments where I feel everything I've done means nothing, I can't see where I'm going and don't even care. I just want off the ride. I completely understand how you feel. I write. At the top of the page I write...Why am I doing this? It helps pull me out of the darkness and into the place where I can see again.

I'm so sorry you're having such a rough time. It will get better, I promise it gets better. We just have to hold on until it does. Don't give up before your miracle happens. It's important to give yourself time to be down, but not too long. Tomorrow the sun will rise and you can decide to face the day and this challenge with courage. Please add me if you'd like, we can get through this. One day at a time.

Seriously- this is what makes MFP so amazing!!! -you all are so awesome - wait , WE are all so awesome! :blushing:

jcstanton

Also, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT SHOES! I was having alot of trouble with pain in my left knee. The PT at my gym said it was likely patellar tendonitis from the stress of my exercise routines (I do alot of running and jumping). She and the personal trainer both recommended that I go to Fleet Feet and get fitted for a pair of running shoes that cater to my specific needs. I did, and they were NOT cheap ($110.00). However, they paid for themselves the first time I went for a run. I had ZERO knee pain after.


That being said, my starting weight was 297lbs (I'm 5'4"). For the first three months, I wanted to give up on multiple occasions because it was so painful to move. But I pushed through it. I kept remembering how miserable I was (mentally and emotionally) before. The physical pain I was in after my workouts paled in comparison to the emotional pain I was in before I started losing weight. I knew the physical pain would eventually subside as I lost weight, but the emotional pain would never go away if I didn't fight to get my weight under control. Now, a year later, I am nearly fifty pounds lighter and much happier. I don't have nearly as much pain after workouts (though there is still some muscle soreness the next day). And, most recently, two days ago I particiapated in a local 5K. My time was nearly fifteen minutes faster than it was in the same 5K this time last year. I was even able to run some of it. It takes a while, but you are much better off at a healthy weight. DON'T EVER GIVE UP!!!

kiminikimkim

Your stress fractures will heal. 65lbs is an amazing loss! Why would you want to gain it back? High blood pressure = stroke or heart attack, who would want that?

Athletes have injuries all the time! It's about knowing your body's limits. You're paying the price for neglecting your body for years, don't turn your back on progress.

Cut out exercise that requires you to be on your feet. Keep your diet clean and healthy which will help the healing process. You can do it, take care of your body, it needs you.

Dstarr1515

Don't give up look back at your results and look towards the future. Time and patience is all it takes. If we all gave up because of minor set backs we would be noone in life. Just push yourself everyday and never give up because I won't give up on you

Elzecat

I am so sorry you're going through such a hard time. Please don't give up. It sounds like there are lots of folks on MFP who understand what you're going through and can support you. You have lost 65 pounds and lowered your blood pressure. Follow your doctor's advice to heal and find some non- or low-impact exercises that you could try (swimming, yoga, or even just gentle stretching) if walking is too difficult.

And watch this for some extra inspiration when you're feeling down:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448&feature=youtu.be (someone else just shared this in another post. I feel like if this guy can turn his life around...I think most of us can)

WifeNMama

You're already wearing a cape in my book, girl. 60+ pounds lost is superhero status. You haven't done permanent damage to your knee, it's just a setback.

I left for over a month because of a 3 month long plateau, and the excitement and relief I felt when I came back was surprising. Didn't realize I missed everyone so much, and all their messages on my wall let me know they missed me.

Your weight loss so far proves you're capable of doing this. And the fact that you are reaching out through this post tells me you still want to do this. You're a superhero. You can do anything.

Dstarr1515

Here's a video for you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448

OSC_ESD

~ You want to know if it is worth it ???? How about laying on that couch at your past weight and never waking up again ... extreme ? Perhaps ... but the health risks from obesity far out weigh the minor issues you are facing now. Maybe you over did it on the " walking " ... Maybe your body wasn't strong enough to endure the type of exercise you were doing. But c'mon, gain back that weight and lay around and wait for your blood pressure to go back up, clogged arteries .. sugar diabetes ... do I need to go on ???

Some of the healthiest athletes in the world suffer from fractures and or stress injuries ... take the time to let your body heal, find what exercises will work for you and then slowly ease back into it. While not getting much exercise in ... stick to eating at your TDEE and be honest about the calories in your diary. You can still lose weight by eating correctly. 90% of the journey comes from your diet ... be sure to get more protein in to help build and repair your muscles.

My last comment will be ... Learn to love yourself for who you are and know that you are worth every struggle that comes your way ... the best lifestyle is a happy lifestyle ... that all comes from being in the best shape possible ... put your health first !

I wish you the very best of luck and I can only hope this message makes you think twice about giving up ! Your doing awesome and your success so far is incredible !

Never ... ever ... give up ! :flowerforyou:

darrcn5

110 pound people get stress fractures! It can happen at any weight; they aren't discriminatory I know it sucks getting hurt trying to make yourself a healthier person, but gaining 65 pounds back is not going to help matters. By no means does one injury mean weight gain! There are other exercises you can do, off your feet, swimming, shadow box while sitting down, lifting weights, some pilates and ab moves. And diet is probably 75 percent of the battle, so if you have tackled that, you will be fine!

TheDoctorDana

I started at 285 on March the 25th. I also have Fibromyalgia. I hurt alot and at times can't sleep because of it but there is no way I am going to give up. I don't even have insurance so seeing a doctor is not going to happen which is the main reason I MUST get in shape. I owe it to my husband and my children and I owe it to me. Hang in there. Slow down on the exercise that causes stress to your knees. I usually don't excercise except for the occasional ride on the bike or lifting juice bottles - I don't have weights You can do this! :happy:

vb4evr

I am so discouraged & upset, I am ready to give up & gain back the 65 lbs I have lost. The only good thing that has come from my weight loss has been my blood pressure dropping from 152/100 to 112/64 as of today. However, it seems like there is more that has gone wrong. It started with my knee pain which I had to go to the doctor for & do physical therapy because my muscles were too weak to hold my knee cap in place causing severe pain. As of right now, I am on crutches because I have had severe ankle pain. Just got back from Urgent Care & they think it could be a stress fracture. I have to wait a week & if it isn't better go to have an MRI to check for the stress fracture. All this is stemming from being more active. I am not a runner, just a walker.

I just don't understand! Why now?!?! I have worked so hard & I was in tears on the way home just wondering if it is all worth it? When I was 273 lbs & just laying around on the couch, I didn't have any of these problems. At what point is it just not worth it? I am in tears again. I don't know what to do. What is going to go out next? Sorry if I am being over dramatic, I am just so upset. Anyone else have issues like this?

First, Kudos to you for taking the first steps and losing the 65 lbs.
Now for the hard stuff, while I cannot relate to that much weight loss I can relate to the injuries. I played high level volleyball and during a game did some major damage to my right knee which resulted in a series of surgeries. I gained 40lbs in a matter of a month due to the amount of calories I was taking in to maintain playing 5-6 nights a week ontop of training and going to being laid up. 10 years later I finally 'got around' to losing the weight by making some conscious decisions on what was important to me. Fast forward 2 years later where I was down 40lbs I was feeling great. I was late coming back from lunch and was doing a fast jog back to work when my right knee popped again and down I went. Just as I was in full swing to a great workout regiment with a personal trainer, and bam back to laid up. I felt like I was punched in the gut, why now after I had lost the weight and I was feeling good. I got back into bad habits and gained back 15lbs of the 40+ I lost.
Week and a half ago I smacked myself upside the head and began my journey once again with a greater respect and determination towards my goal. I have my bad days with my knees where I'll modify or do something else to get a burn in, and I do try to make good food decisions now and maintain a healthy intake of water.

Please take it from someone that has gone through the injuries and did give up for a time. It isn't worth it.
Keep focused on your goal. You will achieve it. It and you are worth it.

Couple other ideas. (And by no means am I an expert here, just speaking from my own opinion)
1) Refocus. You've come so far. 65lbs is an accomplishment and you are healthier for it. Gaining it all back is not what you want to do.
2) Speak with your Dr. about excercised you can do. My wife and I always watched the Biggest Loser and one episode stands out with a gentleman named mosas who injured lower body and couldn't do the workouts. He did not give up, rather he shadow boxed while sitting on the bed.
3) Gain motivation and support from others. Lots of support both around you at home and here. Use them to help you get back on track .

You can do this.

wesellee

you might be training to hard for your body at this point.Scale it back a bit,keep a strict diet and stay strong

stressd1mom

Thank you so much for all of the support & helpful suggestions. I really don't want to give up, I just don't understand why my body isn't "happier" with me for taking 65 lbs off it's frame. I have started some light weight training tonight. Want to take that slow so I don't end up with upper body injuries to boot. Best case scenerio is that after a week it will be better & it won't be fractured. Worse case scenerio is I'm off it for 6 weeks. I think this was just the icing on the cake of a very stressful life.

ghsamia

Do NOT give up. That would be the easiest thing to do. Take the high road and do what you can do, such as continue to watch what you eat. As you heal, maybe look at a different type of cardio with less knee impact. Cycling? Rowing? I don't know what you like, but try something different, when you are physically able. Most importantly, take care of your mind during this temporary set back. It is a good time to write out the reasons you started this journey and how far you've come. Google for some new recipes and low impact exercise ideas. Stay positive and surround yourself with positive people. We are all here to help you. :flowerforyou:

Funsoaps

Studies show that years of being overweight and not exercising will cause bones to become weaker and more brittle. So by you losing 65lbs and working out may have been showing you that (I'm not sure, just an idea). As you lose more weight and become stronger and healthier, your bones should firm up, muscles as well and all will be well....you will get over this hump.

65lbs is awesome, view it as a good thing and not a negative. I've lose 20 and I still feel so big, but I'm trying to see the bigger picture..good luck!