Hi everyone -- Just wanted to share some thoughts because I've gotten myself into serious health trouble because of my weight, and if I can help one person avoid trouble I'd be happy.

The doctors warned me over the years my weight was a serious problem and would cause me trouble - I heard it over and over from many doctors, and always left their offices with good intentions - but really did not heed their warnings. And I'm sorry now!!

I'm 61 years old and morbidly obese. Other than my back, I thought I was in pretty good health. I've worked all my life, rarely had a sick day. My troubles started revealing themselves about 3 years ago. I had trouble walking due to pain in my right leg. Turned out to be achilles tendonitis - tried an air-cast, but it did't work so I had to go into a hard cast. I was out of work for about 2-1/2 months because I couln't use crutches due to my weight. The cast caused me more back pain, and also left hip pain and knee pain. Thought things would be fine once the cast was removed, but lo and behold I developed the same problem in my left leg. I have't been the same since.

While I was laid up, I noticed both legs were painful. Sometimes they were number, sometimes they felt like I was being stuck with needles and pins. Times I felt like my legs were big tree stumps, like dead weight. I could walk, but when I would go to get up from my desk, I would have to roll my chair away from my desk, and then pick my legs up to put them under me so I could get up. Then I'd have to stand up and wait for the circulation to return before I could start walking. To get into my car, or into bed, or get my legs up or down from an ottoman I would have to use a beach towel to hoist my lets up or down. Had studies done and found out I have neuropahy and peripheral artery disease.

Breathing is more difficult now. I attributed it to my weight.

I've had all sorts of testing, heavy medication for the extreme pain, injections, physical therapy, TENs machines, etc. Nothing helps. People would come up to me at work telling me I should be on disability. But I struggled because I had bills to pay....but finally one day at work I had cried all day due to the pain and realized I couldn't take it any longer and ended up going on long term disability. It was hard to explain to the insurance company -- I didn't have one problem like herniated disc - I had a lot of different problems, and one by one they didn't impress the insurance company.

Recently discovered I have heart disease caused by my hight blood pressure. I went for a doctor's appointment during the summer and I had been huffing and puffing more than usual for a few days - I told the nurse it was because of the weather - the humidity was very high. She sent me to the Emergency Room downstairs and I was admitted. Turns out my lack of oxygen was due to heart damage.

So besides my weight, I have mobility issues, heart disease, sleep apnea, back/neck/knee/leg pain, peripheral artery disease, chronic tendonitis..... it goes on and on.

I could go on and on -- but suffice it to say if I had lost the weight years ago, I wouldn't have destroyed my body and caused myself such severe pain. We are the guardians of ourselves and we have to take care of ouselves. I'm changing my lifestyle now and hopefully I'll get some relief.

Please - take care of yourselves and avoid the poor health. I don't feel sorry for myself. I'm more mad at myself for not listening to the doctors.

Life is good and it's up to us to take control. I feel optimistic because I have taken the reins and I know things will improve - it's up to me

Mary


Didn't mean to go on and on......(maybe I should write a book!)

I'm sorry you're suffering, Mary! Your story is exactly why I decided I had to change my life, even if I was 'fine' by all obvious indicators besides weight. I was okay then, but ten or twenty years down the road? With my family's history of hormonal cancers, diabetes, arthritis, and more, along with our obesity, I knew I had to make a change or was seriously rolling the dice on my husband and children. They deserved a healthier mommy than that.

Even at this point I think you can regain a significant measure of health. I'm cheering for you, and have heartfelt gratitude for your caution to all of us

Dear Mary,
Thank you for being so open and honest! It helps to hear this coming from a "real" person and not a doctor. I know doctors know what they're talking about but it's different coming from someone who has lived it.

Good for you for making a change. Not everyone could, even faced with such realities. I hope you get some relief soon and that your health issues improve. All the best!

Oh, and you didn't go on, it was all worth saying and well said!

Thank you so much, Mary,for your heart-felt warning. I am confident that your attitude and your lifestyle changes will bring about positive results for you!

I had major surgery back in February, unrelated to weight issues. But in the first few weeks during my recovery, my normally low blood pressure was high. Was it the surgery, or was it my weight catching up to me? I found it difficult to get out of chairs. Was it the surgery, or was it my weight catching up to me? I decided then and there that I was tired of the weight question coming into play, and committed to losing the weight.

Now, in retrospect, I was still on narcotics at the time, and my surgery made it such that my pectoral muscles were totally unusable. I think the recent surgery had a lot to do with the problems I was facing. But I am so glad to have the weight off,and your post is such a good reminder of why its important to keep it that way.

Thank you, and good luck!

Same here.

Dear Mary - thank you for posting your story. I hope you know that you are helping others by sharing with us.

Thanks Mary. I have back pain, and I'm only 29! That's a motivating factor in my weight loss decision. God Bless you, on your journey!

All the best on your journey Mary. I understand where you're coming from, and you'll feel so much better when you get where you're going!

Thanks for posting, Mary. Fear of this was a huge factor in my losing weight. There are so many people out there who say they're fine because all their "numbers" are within normal parameters, but the damage is happening whether it takes a while to show up or not.

God bless you on your journey to better health.

Mary~ My heart goes out to you. I understand your situation very well. My late aunt put off losing weight-it cost her llife eventually. She was 55. I miss her and wish she had woken to her situation as you have. You can turn things around. I have heard of huge transformations -not for vanity but for the quality of ones life. Please just keep believing in you, you deserve quality and quanity of life. I'm happy you joined here. There is a lot of support in this group and many people here in some way understand your situation personally, this is more common these days. ((hugs))