Aches and Pains Getting Worse?

CBL · April 11, 2011

30 year old guy here and I played college football. Part of the reason that I got the surgery done was to help with my rapidly escalating knee and back pain.

Counting the pre-op diet, I have lost 48# in 6.5 weeks. I figured my back would be really happy.

Instead, my back hurts a lot worse, my hip flexors are sore all the time, and my knees bother me worse than before the surgery.

What gives? Has this happened to anyone else? I have a follow up appt on Thursday and I am going to ask the doctor if he knows. I was not on Celebrex or an NSAID regimen before the surgery.

Tiffykins · April 11, 2011

It takes a bit for the body to adjust, and when weight shifts other parts of our bodies start accommodating to the shift.

For example; for years I've carried more of my weight on my right leg because my left knee is so wrecked (2 ACL surgeries with about 3/4 of my meniscus removed), and my hips are out of alignment, and my right leg is slightly longer than my right. Even to this day, my right knee is more painful than it was pre-op because now I'm using my left leg more and that misalignment and length of my right leg is affecting my stride, and definitely hurts when I work out with lunges/squats, it is extremely more painful than it was pre-op. My left knee rarely aches or pops anymore, now my right knee sounds horrible.

I do remember back during my losing stage when I was losing weight, but still had more belly that getting comfortable in bed was a bit more difficult. I wasn't sure how to deal with gravity weight, and my hips really were sore as I had to learn to reposition my pillow "just right" to be comfortable.

I hope that helps to some extent. I know I didn't answer your question completely, but it's what I've experienced thus far.

CBL · April 11, 2011

I figured it was a "getting used to it" problem. Its just irritating because I can't go to my old friend Mr. Advil for his help.

On the same note, my ass is so bony now that hard chairs literally make me want to cry after about 15 minutes. I don't know how I am going to get used to that.

Tiffykins · April 11, 2011

I figured it was a "getting used to it" problem. Its just irritating because I can't go to my old friend Mr. Advil for his help.

On the same note, my ass is so bony now that hard chairs literally make me want to cry after about 15 minutes. I don't know how I am going to get used to that.

I'm not saying to go against your surgeon's rules, but VSG has no medication restrictions and I've been taking NSAIDS since 6 weeks out without issue.

Being able to take NSAIDS is one of the biggest reasons that VSG is approved on appeals is because of the ability to take NSAIDS. I still take them with something on my stomach like a couple of crackers, or yogurt.

I've actually 800mg RX Motrin and I have zero issues with them. Again, I'm not advocating or arguing with your surgeon guidelines, but gastrectomy patients have no medication restrictions.

I'm there with you on the chronic tailbone pain. I've been dealing with it for over a year, and the only thing my PCM offered after he consulted with his ortho doc friend was steroid injections in my tailbone. Well, least to say, that is a big NO go. So, I just cheek swap A LOT.