Hi! I’m new here.

BeaCee64
BeaCee64 Posts: 2 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I’m a 59 year old female and weigh 300 pounds. I have severe arthritis in my knee, but my orthopedic surgeon said that a knee replacement would not be safe at my current weight. I’m so tired of being in constant pain and it keeping me from all the things I want to do. So, here I am. Looking forward to making some new friends so we can support each other on this journey.

Replies

  • loulee997
    loulee997 Posts: 273 Member
    BeaCee64 wrote: »
    I’m a 59 year old female and weigh 300 pounds. I have severe arthritis in my knee, but my orthopedic surgeon said that a knee replacement would not be safe at my current weight. I’m so tired of being in constant pain and it keeping me from all the things I want to do. So, here I am. Looking forward to making some new friends so we can support each other on this journey.

    Hi,

    KNEE RESULTS
    Knee pain impacts so much. My family has a genetic joint issue--so multiple family members have had knee, hip, and shoulder replacements. Knee replacements have been the most helpful/successful.

    REDUCTION OF PAIN
    For arthritis pain, nothing will be 100% but these things help some:

    Aspercreme with lidocaine cream applied every few hours. It also comes in a roll-on, but creme seems to be a little more effective.

    Anti-inflammatory--Although you can't take them every day--over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as Advil. It can be hard on the liver...so no, you can't take it every day. But when my mom was having a very bad knee day, she'd take prescription strength Ibuprofen (800 mgs). But ask your doctor because that is a high dose. It did help on the really bad days.

    Brace--if you can tolerate it, some people find a reduction of pain by using an OTC velcro knee brace. IT helps support the knee and helps reduce pain. Not stops--reduces.

    Hyaluronic acid injections--didn't work for my Mom but has worked for others. Talk to doc.

    Mom tried the CBD pain cream. She didn't like it. My sister said it helped her knee until she replaced it.
    Since your knee prevents walking or cardio, you can do arm weights. Any exercise--even arm weights can help tone and help with weight loss.

    I wish you luck!

    Lou


  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,540 Member
    My orthopedic surgeon told me I'd be needing a knee replacement soon . . . around 9-10 years ago. So far, no surgery, because not yet needed. You may be at a more advanced stage, but perhaps you also can find some improvement - I hope.

    For me, losing weight from obese to a healthy weight resulted in a major reduction in discomfort/pain. There is so much less strain on my knees at a lighter weight! I used to experience discomfort pretty much all the time, and pain to the point of impaired activity or interrupted sleep probably a quarter to half of the time. Now I'm experiencing maybe occasional discomfort or pain, but not routinely.

    It also helped that as I was able, I worked (quite gradually!) on getting fitter and stronger, doing exercise forms that were manageable but a little bit challenging. Early on, one thing that helped was physical therapy to learn to walk and (especially) climb stairs in ways that would put less stress on my knees going forward. That was really helpful.

    I suspect that gradually improving my overall nutrition was a bit of help, too. I think that, in addition to weight loss, improved nutrition meant reduced systemic inflammation in my body, and that reduced inflammation tends to reduce chronic pain to some extent IME.

    All these issues - weight, fitness, nutrition - can conspire to increase pain, but IME if I chip away at manageable improvements, the positive results are synergistic, too: They reinforce each other.

    I'm cheering for you to succeed, because the results can be very much worth it!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,634 Member
    Agree about nutrition. I’m afraid I’ve been on a sugar binge the past couple of weeks, and have had both a GERD and an arthritis flareup.

    Had a kind of light bulb moment around 2, when I couldn’t sleep for the dull aching and was reaching for the Tums. 😢

    Per Dr Google, sugar and arthritis are intrinsically linked, which explains why my joint pain declined so much with weight loss (and thus cutting out most sugar). I already knew weight, overeating and GERD were linked.

    Diet changes, infinitely better nutrition than the chocolate I lived off, and weight loss absolutely reduced the burden on my joints and the inflammation.

    Luke Ann, I started late, at 56 for me. I’m 61 now.

    I’d challenge you to start with a small goal, say 25 pounds, and them analyze and measure the improvements in your health and mobility.

    For me, the GERD From Hell vanished with the first 25- just as my GP had tried to tell me for years.

    I’m betting you’ll see a significant improvement. That was what prompted me to keep going.

    Now, ‘Scuse me while I go throw out every last doggone holiday treat in the house….

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