Women 200lb+, Let's Be Dynamic This December!!!

@justanotherloser007 I have all over joint pain equally on both sides of my body, with some trouble areas like, all of the smaller joints in my toes and fingers. I've had both big toe joints replaced (which might need replacing again after they wear out, but he said since I'm not that active they might last 25 years). I've lost grip strength, it's tough to open anything. I've had shots in my shoulders, knees, and hips. My knees used to be really bad until I got a raised toilet seat. They improved after that. My right knee is killing me today, but I just had a shot less than 3 weeks ago. I'm a bit worried about that knee but I don't want to have more surgery.

When I got sick, I had been ill the night before, with a mild case of food poisoning. I woke up feeling achy all over and my joints hurt. Then my hips and knees hurt really bad, I saw my Primary Care, and he gave me nothing but ran lots of blood work. Then at my next visit I said that my hips and knees are not getting any better but are getting much worse. He referred me to a rheumatologist, which took 3 months before they got me in. By that time, I could barely dress myself. They ran every test under the sun, even syphilis. Over $3500 dollars in tests alone and I didn't have any health insurance. I also had physical where he tested all of my joint movements. After all that I was told I have Sero-negative Rheumatoid Arthritis, there is no cure, but it can be managed. In the beginning I was in so much pain, terrible, terrible pain. I was sent for physical therapy where I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and told not to come back. It went downhill from there; I was diagnosed with more Co-morbidities. I lost myself, who I used to be vs who I am now are very different people. I lost all my friends because I don't look sick, so therefore I must be faking it to get attention. I was told to "heal myself", I was told if you "Just change your diet", I was told, "oh I have that too!" I was told a million things all of them wrong. I was given Methotrexate, and when that didn't work, I was given infusions. They worked short term and then needed to be changed again. Or the side effects were so bad we had to stop. I was running out of options when we finally found one that worked. It lasted until I got the flu and had to stop for 2 weeks, then it didn't work anymore. It went on and on. (Much like I am now.) I learned how to give myself shots, I don't know how diabetics do it every day. The freedom I have now just taking a once-a-day pill is priceless.

I would urge anybody who has constant joint pain to seek treatment immediately. Osteoarthritis is when your joints wear out and the treatment options are very different. RA is when a person's immune system mistakes the soft place between the joints as foreign invaders and eats away at them eventually causing the bones to rub against each other. It causes inflammation which also pushes the joints apart and it attacks all the connective tissues in the body. People with RA die from heart disease and our life spans are shortened by at least 10 years. The constant inflammation takes a toll on our hearts.

Before I got RA, I had never heard of it before. Today I am well educated.

I am losing the weight to ease the strain on my joints and make them last longer. It's really important to me. I'm sorry this is so long winded.

Age: 34
Height: 5'8"
SW: 244.9 (11/2/2021)
11/30: 232.1
12/7: 232.1 (+/- 0.0)
12/14: 228.8 (-3.3)
12/21:
12/28:
GW for December 2021: 226
UGW: 175-ish

Nice to see some results on the scale this week! Especially with Christmas events and parties around the corner, my December goal still feels attainable. Hope everyone is holiday ready and stress-free (I am not ready nor stress-free but I'm getting there)

Today is ugly sweater day at work:




NAILED IT!

So happy to 1) be able to easily find something in my size and 2) have the confidence to rock this amazing outfit. Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!