I have so many different things that are starting to worry me about my body... knees crunch, muscle spasms, and a few other things.

I want to know what illnesses/health problems you got relief from after losing some of the weight.

High blood pressure. Well, mine was not critically high but I was already on medication for it. Now it's gone, and I cannot be happier. I recently purchased the Omron blood pressure monitor (as my doctor wanted me to) and I track my blood pressure myself when I can. So far, all my readings were normal (i.e. the high end of normal but that's fine).

Also, I think that weight loss is the best anti-depressant!

High Cholesterol (at 23!!!)
80% of my knee pain (though I did have a surgery almost at my goal weight and I'm sure that helped)
100% of my foot pain
Lots of vanished back, chest pain.
Most of my PCOS symptoms (though they did resurface recently)

It's hard to say, because I think a lot of what has gotten to be better is partly related to weight loss, but mostly due to taking up yoga. I was so weak and tight before. I used to strain my neck turning to look behind me in my car, or reaching for something. Obviously, much better now I also have a lot of tendinitis (especially in my right elbow), and that is better. The yoga has strengthened it, and I've stopped carrying around / constantly lifting a Jumbo Diet Coke in that hand .

Heartburn - I still have it once in a while (maybe once a month?), but it used to be all the time.

My sleep got a lot better, although recently not so great anymore. Have to figure that one out.

IBS - I used to have horrible stomach pains and I lived on Pepto.
General aches and pains - I used to also live on Motrin

Heartburn and acid reflux - I used to buy the giant bottles of Rolaids in a 3-pack from Costco. I'd have to down 4 or 5 at night before bed and even then I'd wake up with acid reflux in the middle of the night.

Knee and hip pains. I used to have horrible knee pains just from walking, and every know and then while walking my hip would just "click" and send the most awful shooting pains across my glutes and lower back. I haven't had it happen in over a year now and only realized it a few weeks ago.

Not necc a disease, per se, but since losing weight my periods have been MUCH more regular and I have much much much less pain and cramping. I used to get cramps so badly that I couldn't do anything but lie in bed with a heating pad and cry - even Tylenol w/ codeine wouldn't knock them out. Now I can get by with a few Advil and a heating pad on the first evening.

I'll be honest that I haven't had my cholesterol measured since before I started this journey, but I need to. So I don't know if that's been affected or not - but it was never hugely high to begin with - just borderline high-normal.

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My right knee has started to give out on my. I took a step up onto my porch and almost fell because it couldn't lift me. I honestly don't know what will motivate me to do what's right for my body. But that's one of many reasons I should. I also have really heavy cycles, and bladder issues that I think are related to having so much extra weight on me.

keep the comments coming... very helpful :smile:

I forgot about this one. At my highest weight it had gotten very heavy and painful. It's soooo much better now, both flow and pain. Not easy peasy, but I was amazed.

Lost my heartburn and skin rashes that had been linked to stress. When I regained a few pounds, the rashes and heartburn both reappeared. Thank goodness for that ....they helped motivate me back into weight loss.

My sleep apnea disappeared after only 30 or 40 pounds.

My sinus issues have improved dramatically (a large part of this is due to sinus surgery, and med changes, but I think the weight loss is helping as well)

My asthma symptoms, seasonal allergies and chronic bronchitis have virtually disappeared. I still have a bit of seasonal allergies, but I've gone from taking 3 asthma meds and 180 mg of Allegra daily year-round, to 30 mg of Allegra twice daily only during allergy seasons. (The sinus surgery no doubt helped, and most of the rest to finding out I'm sensitive to NSAIDs, but I associate the discovery with my weight loss/health journey. If I hadn't been working on my health issues, weight included, I don't think I would have made the connection).

My arthritis is already noticeably better. The joints still ache, but don't throb like they used to. I have more strength in my arms (for a while I couldn't lift anything over my head, so hubby always had to do the reaching or putting away in the higher kitchen cabinets).

My foot pain is much better. I have broken bones in my left foot that will never heal (the doctor said that this is common with some of the smaller foot bones, and the foot can heal functionally, even if the bones never mend). During cold, damp weather, or when I wear non-supportive shoes, the foot hurts, but it's happening less, and less severely and I think the weight loss is helping. I also don't get plantars fasciitis as much any more (an inflammation of the foot's connective tissue).

Autoimmune disorder, all signs point to my autoimmune issues, possibly being in remission. The sinus surgery probably helped (because the doctor removed a fungal mass in my sinuses, that he said could have been triggering the autoimmune issues), but again I think the weight loss and healthier eating is also helping.

Overall, I've got more strength and endurance.

Two things that have gotten worse (but I'm hoping they're both going to respond positively to more weight loss)

My IBS, but I'm eating alot more lettuce and raw veggies than I had been. I've got to relearn what triggers the symptoms, and learn to limit or avoid them (I love my salads, but lettuce seems to be the worst).

My fibromyalgia. It's on a hare trigger again, where the slightest imbalance in my behavior seems to trigger a flare. For the fibromyalgia, I've learned that any drastic change in the status quo, can trigger a flare (any sudden or dramatic change in the weather, my sleep, what I eat, physical activity level, emotional stress...). I'm not willing to stop trying to lose weight, so I just have to live with it in the meantime.

Oh yeah. I had mild apnea, but I used to snore like a logger. I don't have the apnea any more and while I still snore (allergies mostly), I don't snore nearly as badly as I used to.

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Cholesterol dropped from 214 to 184 in 6 months.

Arthritis-it got much better without weight stressing my joints. Lower back pain pretty much cleared up, and I stopped getting charley horses. At my heaviest, I would get them 2-3 times a week, when I lost weight they went away.

Hearburn. I only get it now if I seriously indulge in super spicy foods.