2 1/2 months out, my extreme hip/back pain is almost GONE. My blood pressure is back to being healthy instead of hypertensive!

Wow! Awesome post idea!

I'm 8.5 weeks post-op.
*I had terrible acid reflux that I was on Nexium for. The acid reflux is gone and I'm off the Nexium!
*I was on numerous prescription sleep aides. I now do not need anything for sleep, only waking once a night, sometimes not at all!
*I was on Advair, Clarinex and Nasocort daily. Now I'm off all 3, only on PRN basis, mainly needed during pollen season for allergies.
*My asthma was gradually getting worse. Now I haven't had a problem with it.
*I was frequently ill. I haven't been ill once in 8 weeks now, even with my son and husband having been sick a few times since I've been home.
*I used to have NO energy. Now I can wake at 5:30 in the morning and stay awake until 8-9:00 at night.
*I have fibromyalgia. It was horrible pre-op, having me on 3 doses of 800 mg. Ibuprofen and up to 6 doses of Ultracet daily. Now I don't take either and the most I use for pain is Flexaril as needed, which isn't often.
*My relationship with both my husband and son were in bad spots. Now my husband and I get along well and my son and I are building a good relationship.
*I was on a high dose of Depakote for mood stabilization. Now I'm off it and on something with a lower dose.
*My mental health was dangerously bad and pre-op I was only holding my emotional stability to get surgery and now I don't have to fight to maintain stability because I feel okay again. The irritability is nearly gone, anxiety is gone, depression isn't bothering me, my mood is stable and not cycling (I'm bipolar), my symptoms of borderline personality disorder are well controlled.
*I had to have home health aides come in to help with home making tasks 3 days a week because I was physically unable to clean my own home. My husband had to take over laundry and caring for our son. Post-op I moved my aides to coming in 4 days a week until I was recovering well, then 3 days a week, next week I'm going down to twice a week, and 2 weeks into February I'll go down to once a week, and at the start of March I'll no longer need the assistance to manage my home. I can also care for my son on my own with little difficulty.
*I was barely able to fit into a car behind the steering wheel, fit into booths at resteraunts, fit into movie seats, etc, and now I can do all of the above with little difficulty. I still don't fit wonderfully in them because I started so large and have a long way to go, but it's significantly better then it was.
*My attitude is far more positive and I'm handling stress far better.
*I'm willing to be med compliant now as my mental health is better and my thinking is clearer.
*I want to socialize more because I feel better about how I look and more confident in who I am now.

These are many of the things that have improved for me. I'm sure there's more, but I hope this is an encouragement to others as to the wonderful things surgery can help to either improve or remedy for one! This was by far the best decision I've ever made for myself and stuck with!

Oh! One of the most important changes for myself is the improvement of my lymphedema. I had it so bad that I'd accidently hit my swollen legs against something, it'd scrape open skin and get infected so bad that I'd have to go on antibiotics to get the infections to go away. I was in constant pain from the lymphedema and swelling. I had to wear customized adjustable leg wraps every day until bed time, then taking them off was painful because they'd be hypersensitive. I could barely walk because my legs were so huge. I was having open sores breaking open on my legs because the skin was so stressed. Only a couple weeks post-op and my swelling stopped and now my only lasting effect from lymphedema (which I'll have for the rest of my life because my stomach weight cut off the lymph nodes going into my legs thereby damaging them for good) is that my shins ache, and I spoke with my lymphedema therapist and she said it's likely a circulation problem now and to use my compression wraps again, but I'll only need them at night cuz the daytimes are tolerable. But I remembered how much improved this is for me and HAD to share it. I know I've been long winded, but so much good has come into my life now!

I am 4 years post-op and I stopped wearing CPAP for my sleep apnea because that is gone!!

I had asthma and gone!!

insulin resistence (pre-diabetes) gone!!!

Migranes....gone!!

I had severe back pain and sciatica allot! knock on wood ....haven't seen back pain in 4 years!!!!

wooHoo!
Good Luck All!
rn28grace

I am Arthritis pain free, My sleep apnea is so good I can barely stand my CPAP, My psoriasis has abated, and my depression seems to be gone

oh ya, I forgot that the doctor took me off my asthma meds too.

I had horrible knee pain to the point I was going up one stair at a time. Now I have no more knee pain and sooo much more energy!!!

I am so happy to hear about all of your successes. I had high cholesterol and this is no longer a problem for me. I was taking cymbolta for depression. My depression left for these first 5 months but seems to be creeping back. My doctor had a feeling that my depression came around during my menstrual cycle. I guess she is right. Oh well that's life I guess.

WOW Thank you everyone for sharing your awesome changes!!!! I have my surgery in March and I am so looking forward to not having pain in my knees and back all the time. Getting my cholestoral down. The Dr. told me yesterday that I have sleep apnea and that losing the weight should take care of that. And most of all I want to have ENERGY to take care of my own house!!!!! My poor family does most of the work. I appreciate all their help, but I want it done to my liking LOL, and I just can't ask them to do more than they already do. You are all such an encouragement!!!!! I am SO HAPPY for all of you!!!!!

Hugs,
Kim

We'll I am off daily lasix, only take it prn.
My mobility is so much better I had been using a cane and walker for awhile, they are gone and I am bending and can lift up to about 25 lbs now.
My lower back pain, hip and knee pain are not nearly as bad as before my surgery. I just take percogesic or aleve, if anything flares up. My acid reflux is gone for the most part, I do still have tums around for once in awhile. My congestive heart failure, is being controlled with diet rather than meds.