Severe Pain in legs! 20 wks post R&Y

[kelly Lake 17]

I had my Gastric Bypass Surgery and Galbladder removal on Aug 24th 2020, just almost 20 weeks ago. I have lost 68 lbs since Surgery and 88 lbs since my heaviest weight in May of 313, Im about 224.4 now.

Everything is going along pretty textbook except for 1 thing. I have horrible Aching Continuous Pain in my legs (especially my left leg, outer thigh close to the side of the knee and a lil in the outer calf sometimes. It's not fatigue and I get plenty of all my Vitamins and supplements plus I eat a high Protein, nutrient rich diet and add electrolites to my 64+ oz of fluids each day. I am having Telemedicine appts with my Surgeon and my Nutritionist today thankfully and I plan to consult them on this but have any of you experienced this? Tylenol muscel creams and some stretching usually helps but I have had nights where they just didn't cut it and it felt like my bones were on fire! I definitely cannot continue to endure this nightly as I have for the last few weeks.

I understand that a large quick weightloss can change your gate and how your body carries the weight causing nerves, tendons and muscles to respond this way but Jesus It's awful and it quickly goes away if I get up and walk around. It starts promptly with lying down in bed and persists regardless of position.

I have chronic severe back issues that began about 12 yrs ago, My pain & loss of mobility along with weight gain topping me off at 313 lbs (I'm 5 ft. 3") got so severe that I had 7 back surgeries in a 3 yr period that ALL failed. DDD Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Stenosis and a some herniated discs prompted my Back Surgeons to declare me officially inoperable, so they along with my Primary Dr. & Counselors recommend I have Bariatric weight loss syrgery & I'm so glad I did!

Its very frustrating for Me now tho to have regained about 80% of my mobility and reduced the regular daily & constant pain in my back by about 60% so far only to have this awful pain in my legs at night every freakin night now. I'm losing sleep nightly causing me to be tired all day, get less done, not exercise, be easily irritated in the day, agitated and frustrated.

I NEED this to go away and I cannot take any opioid pain meds outside of the required serious post op situations. I am in long term recovery from a physical addiction to pain meds caused by an over prescribing horrible Pain mngmt Dr.

Side note: That Pain mngmt Dr. is No longer allowed to practice medicine.

Any shared experiences and info is much appreciated 🙏

[NovaLuna 710]

It could actually be a number of different things. I used to get really bad leg cramps when my Vitamin D was deficient and my mom gets really bad leg cramps when her potassium is deficient so maybe a Vitamin deficiency?

[ChubRub 1,705]

Do you cross your legs when you sit? I only ask bc when my sister lost a lot of weight she started having numbness and pain in her legs and she went to a neurologist bc she was concerned. Turned out she hadn’t been able to cross her legs in years and how that she was crossing them again she was having nerve issues. It eventually went away on its own. Hoping whatever is causing your pain is a simple fix. Good luck!!

[Arabesque 7,300]

Low magnesium can also cause leg pain too - but more cramping type pain.

Certainly losing weight causes puts stress on your muscles, joints & bones. (I gained my last weight very quickly & omg did my feet, ankles & knees ache when I’d first get up.) I was suffering back pain (I have oozing discs) when I was losing which was caused by my changing posture & also bras that were too big. Got fitted for new ones & the pain reduced a lot.

I wonder if it’s your back problems that are causing the pain or some nerve damage from your weight loss.

I hope you find an answer & some relief soon.

[kelly Lake 17]

Definitely not my back, I've lost huge amounts of weight in the past with these back issues but today I spoke to my Dr. Hes going to look at my new bloodwork this week but based on my supplement intake and symptoms he suspects its my muscles shifting due to the fast loss of 86 lbs or it could be restless leg syndrome. I won't know for sure til after my bloodwork comes back and I see my primary. Ugh.. For now my heating pad and tylenol are my best friends lol

[AZhiker 2,252]

Leg pain can also be a blood clot. Has your doctor considered an ultrasound?

[kelly Lake 17]

Thankfully He & my other surgeon both agree I don't have any of the supporting symptoms that would indicate a clot. I had an appt with my Dr today. Its likely my gate shifting from an 88 lb loss in 8 months, 68 lbs since Aug 24th along with some possible deficit in one or more of my Vitamins. If the bloodwork doesn't show any deficit I will be assessed for restless leg but its likely the muscles readjusting to my walking pattern and activity levels.

[JoriJori 1]

I had gastric sleeve on nov 23/2020 and my legs have been numb and hurting for like 3 weeks, and my balance is so off it made me fall two times today. I did go and see my surgeon this week and he gave me a lot of Vitamins and it’s kinda working but my legs still hurt when I walk for like 10 or 20 minutes and plus during those minutes I might fall or one of my legs will just give up and make me trip.

[GreenTealael 25,372]

On 1/19/2021 at 5:56 AM, kelly Lake said:

I had my Gastric Bypass Surgery and Galbladder removal on Aug 24th 2020, just almost 20 weeks ago. I have lost 68 lbs since Surgery and 88 lbs since my heaviest weight in May of 313, Im about 224.4 now.

Everything is going along pretty textbook except for 1 thing. I have horrible Aching Continuous Pain in my legs (especially my left leg, outer thigh close to the side of the knee and a lil in the outer calf sometimes. It's not fatigue and I get plenty of all my Vitamins and supplements plus I eat a high Protein, nutrient rich diet and add electrolites to my 64+ oz of fluids each day. I am having Telemedicine appts with my Surgeon and my Nutritionist today thankfully and I plan to consult them on this but have any of you experienced this? Tylenol muscel creams and some stretching usually helps but I have had nights where they just didn't cut it and it felt like my bones were on fire! I definitely cannot continue to endure this nightly as I have for the last few weeks.

I understand that a large quick weightloss can change your gate and how your body carries the weight causing nerves, tendons and muscles to respond this way but Jesus It's awful and it quickly goes away if I get up and walk around. It starts promptly with lying down in bed and persists regardless of position.

I have chronic severe back issues that began about 12 yrs ago, My pain & loss of mobility along with weight gain topping me off at 313 lbs (I'm 5 ft. 3") got so severe that I had 7 back surgeries in a 3 yr period that ALL failed. DDD Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Stenosis and a some herniated discs prompted my Back Surgeons to declare me officially inoperable, so they along with my Primary Dr. & Counselors recommend I have Bariatric weight loss syrgery & I'm so glad I did!

Its very frustrating for Me now tho to have regained about 80% of my mobility and reduced the regular daily & constant pain in my back by about 60% so far only to have this awful pain in my legs at night every freakin night now. I'm losing sleep nightly causing me to be tired all day, get less done, not exercise, be easily irritated in the day, agitated and frustrated.

I NEED this to go away and I cannot take any opioid pain meds outside of the required serious post op situations. I am in long term recovery from a physical addiction to pain meds caused by an over prescribing horrible Pain mngmt Dr.

Side note: That Pain mngmt Dr. is No longer allowed to practice medicine.

Any shared experiences and info is much appreciated 🙏

Have you tried a TENS machine for pain yet?

[kelly Lake 17]

Yes, many different ones including $3000 hospital grade down to the cheap $35 one insuranceprovides for at home use, ithe all only gave a few hrs of relief thats why i had 7 surgeries and they all failed tgen gastric bypass which getting weight off it is the only thing to decrease my pain at all and increase my mobility and stamina.

[kelly Lake 17]

1 hour ago, JoriJori said:

I had gastric sleeve on nov 23/2020 and my legs have been numb and hurting for like 3 weeks, and my balance is so off it made me fall two times today. I did go and see my surgeon this week and he gave me a lot of Vitamins and it’s kinda working but my legs still hurt when I walk for like 10 or 20 minutes and plus during those minutes I might fall or one of my legs will just give up and make me trip.

Mine is 90% better and mine was Iron, I had to up my iron to 60 to 65 mg a day minimum.

[NovaLuna 710]

3 minutes ago, kelly Lake said:

Mine is 90% better and mine was Iron, I had to up my Iron to 60 to 65 mg a day minimum.

Glad they figured out what was wrong and it's better now!

[kelly Lake 17]

Thanks, Yours is probably your gate shifting, that is very common for sleeve patients and bypass too but Vitamins may be part too. I just had to up my Iron and take all at once in the afternoon

[GreenTealael 25,372]

53 minutes ago, kelly Lake said:

Yes, many different ones including $3000 hospital grade down to the cheap $35 one insuranceprovides for at home use, ithe all only gave a few hrs of relief thats why i had 7 surgeries and they all failed tgen gastric bypass which getting weight off it is the only thing to decrease my pain at all and increase my mobility and stamina.

I’m sorry, I meant for your current leg pain

[kelly Lake 17]

Lol oh no, it was too broad and deep of an ache and pain. Felt like growing pains, like when your legs ache from fatigue but x 1000 and its all over. The extra Iron I began taking fixed it in 2 days its almost completely gone now. Barely noticeable