Weight Loss & OA

historynut

Good Morning Everybody,

I hope all is well. I have a general question if anybody can help.

I have recently started slimming world in a bid to improve my health and try and limit the effects of my OA. Now i have gotten off to a flying start and lost nearly 2 stone so far, i am feeling the health benefits in lots of ways. However i have found that my OA has not changed in any significant way, I'm still struggling to walk, and in pain all the time.

I had read it can improve it, but was i being naive in thinking this would have made a major impact on it? Feeling a bit downhearted as a result of it.

Mike1

Weight is supposed to contribute to pain levels as one's joints have more to deal with BUT we are all different. I have lost weight in the past which, like you, did not lead to an improvement in pain levels. I also know of someone else who had to lose a few stone before the Consultant would consider a knee replacement, but again no improvement in pain levels. Don't be down hearted though as you have done really well and, like you said, your weight loss will improve your health generally. Well done.

YvonneH

Hi @historynut

I like your username! Me too. Congratulations on your weight loss, you should be very proud of yourself. I lost weight while waiting for my knee replacement and expected there to be a loss in pain too, for me there wasn't, but when you get to the stage of needing a new knee I guess the damage had been done. I did feel much better in other ways though and that is great. My sil is using Slimming World too and really likes the choice of foods - always essential

You won't be doing as much further damage to your joints because you are putting less weight and strain on them and that's a big plus.

Take care

Yvonne x

frogmorton

Wow 2 stone! Well done you! That is great! Have you much more to loose to your target?

I know they say something like 10 pounds loss is like 40lbs off your knees. That might not be accurate my memory isn't great, but it has to help even if only to slow down the damage.

It might be that the damage is already done to your joints. When they were X-rayed were they near to needing surgery?

Lilymary

I agree with the others, well done losing 2 stone, I'm down one stone and at least one more to go, but I've got stuck, and am running out of things to not eat or drink, and can't exercise due to ruined hip. But I'm going to keep trying.

I haven't noticed any reduction in pain, as the damage is already done to my hip, so mea culpa, I should have done this a long time ago.

However, the weight loss will reduce further strain on your joints (as well as most of your internal organs) and improve so many other aspects of your health, including improved overall mobility, that you shouldn't feel disheartened and give up. Keep it going. At the very least it will make life easier if you're using walking aids, as you're not putting so much weight through your arms - I'm not enormous by any means, but using a stick for the first time has played havoc with the newly weight-bearing wrist, arm and shoulder.

If it does reduce pain, it may not be to a noticeable degree, but it may well reduce further damage, so keep it up! I'm coming up right behind you.

historynut

Good Morning everyone,

First of all thanks you all for the comments, it means a lot to hear from people. It makes me feel less like im the only person whose life this is impacting.

@Mike1 Thanks I think that I'll be happy with the improvements to my health after some though over the weekend.

@YvonneH Thanks for the username shout out, it was originally Historicnut, but it looked too close to something else......

@frogmorton Damage is already done I'm afraid, i was X-rayed fully last year and the damage was confirmed, I'm trying to damage control now. I technically have 'mild' but due to the positions i have it in its impacting me. So far hips knee, spine, neck.

@Lilymary Again thanks for the comments, I really feel like I'm trying to stop it advancing now.

I've had some time to think over the weekend since i posted this. I think i was setting the bar too high in thinking i could 'cure' my OA. It did knock my confidence when it didn't improve, but my pointed out that it wont repair my joints, just lessen further damage.

Either way I'm going to keep on with it in a bid to slow it down. I will say that SW has been the best way to improve my health in years.

frogmorton

Well that is very positive @historynut !

That's the right attitude losing weight must be helping prevent further damage as you say. I am glad your slimming club has helped you so much.

Thing is with Xrays they don't show the actual pain felt by an individual. Some people don't feel a thing it gets spotted when they have an Xray for something else.

Some people are in agony and Xrays only show as you say 'mild' damage.

I hope you decide to hang around the forum and keep us up to date on your weight loss 'journey'

Lilymary

Even if you can’t “cure” the damage done to date, if you’re feeling generally better all round, it will help you cope with the consequences. Keep it up 🙂

And I confess to having a giggle at historicnut!

historynut

Hi @frogmorton I will be hanging around on these forums they have been a lifeline to me since lock down & because there a very few arthritis groups for people in their 30's!

@Lilymary glad it made you laugh.

frogmorton

Really pleased to hear this @historynut 👍️

Lilymary

I thought I'd resurrect this thread again, as it seems to have featured as an aside in a number of posts recently. I was taught a salutory lesson on the benefits of weight loss recently which some might find helpful.

When the OA kicked in badly earlier this year I realised managing a stick, briefcase, bits of shopping and a handbag was likely to be tricky, so I invested in a large-ish backpack designed for carrying laptops around, so that I could more easily cart files and bits of equipment around with me. I'm quite used to heavy back packs from my trekking days in years gone by.

I've been working from home since March but needed to get to the office to dump files on projects that are now completed and pick up some more stationary. So I STUFFED the backpack with files etc, and it weighed a ton! I hefted it up onto my back, but oh my goodness, the pain in my hip from the additional weight was AWFUL. There was absolutely no way I was going to be able to walk through town to the office. I didn't weigh it but it must have been well over a stone, and the additional weight going into my hip made all the difference. I decided against carrying it through town and managed to park outside the office to drop the pack off, but even getting it up the stairs to my office was a struggle.

This gave me an incentive to continue trying to lose weight, but I'm finding it hard. I managed to lose a stone during lockdown just by cutting down portion sizes, and dumping as many "empty calories" as I could (alcohol, crisps and cake), and reducing those I couldn't bear to part with completely, ie the odd few biscuits and bits of chocolate from time to time. But as I can't exercise, it's tough losing the next stone.

Is there anyone else on this journey, or does anyone have any tips that worked for them?

stickywicket

I've not tried this. I'm blessed with a low appetite and have always found just cutting out sweet stuff works for me whenever I've got to 10 stone. But one of my sons assures me we often experience thirst as hunger ie we eat when we should be drinking. (Unfortunately, I don't think he means wine!) It might be worth having a brew next time you feel hungry and maybe telling yourself you can have something to eat if that doesn't work. The thirst / hunger thing is, apparently, fact.. Try googlinot it.

historynut

If I'm really honest, I joined slimming world with my wife. I'd always been put off to he idea, but a combination of lockdown and furlough meant that my weight was going to balloon due to how my mental health was.

Now I've manage to shift 3 stone 7 pounds since I started my target was 4 stone, but Ive called it a day for while. A combination of needing to up my meds and my OA getting worse has stalled my loss. Ironically the weight loss helped take pressure off joints and reduce risks, but sadly it seems I got unlucky and my condition has deterioated.

In terms of tips, slimming world is brilliant, they are cheap have great support and it's all built around controlling food, so you can still have treats and not feel guilty. It helped I had my wife as co-pilot during it, and a decent group leader. Be kind to yourself somedays when your in pain and feel awful you need to 'tap out'.

Just make sure you do it with realistic expectations, deep down I knew my weight loss wouldn't cure my OA (or make me look like a young George Clooney!) but it helped me get going.

There's a good quote I love that helped.

''Everyday it gets a little easier, but youv'e got to do it everyday, that's the hard part'

frogmorton

Great idea @Lilymary !

It is possible to lose weight without exercise you are quite right! in fact i thought i read somewhere it was 80%food and only 20% exercise🤔

Well done for that stone.

@historynut that is FABULOUS!!!! three and a half stones!!! wow wow wow! You and your co-pilot should be extremely proud👏

Jackie47

Congratulations on your weight loss. I know how hard it is. When i lost 5 stone it didnt improve my arthritis. What it did was give me more energy, improved my breathing and BP. A positive. Also i loved buying smaller sized clothes.