I am in SO much pain. Surely this can't just be because I am fat?

[herewegoroundthebastardbush]

This is really a question either for the medical or for my fellow fatties - I'm 5'6, about 14 stone (😬) and 39. I used to be around 10 stone. put on a lot of weight very rapidly about 5 years ago when my mum died, and ever since then have struggled with binge eating and the weight has continued to creep up.

So the past 6 months or so, I'm in horrible physical pain much of the time. It started with my knees, which have never been great since I went through a phase of running to work on concrete in my 20s (idiot). But now it's not just the odd twinge, I'll be literally limping and whimpering and climbing the stairs is murder. I've also developed a horrible permanent pain in my right foot which the internet tells me is plantar fasciitis. And I can't ever seem to get comfortable in bed as whichever way I lie seems to pull the base of my spine out of alignment and it feels strained.

I have a busy life, two small kids and one is at nursery and the other at school, so every day after work I have to do a very brisk march march up the road to nursery and then turn and walk very fast back to school to get the eldest (about 40mins fast walking - or jogging if im late!) all told. I've started to dread it with a mortal fear as I am in SO much pain - some days I'm literally limping and gasping with it, but I can't stop because obvs then no-one would pick up my kids (partner has the car as works in a different city). That's the low point of my day, but just getting out of bed and standing up in the morning is horrendous too, it hurts so much and I literally limp like a comedy pirate for the first 20 mins of the day my foots so bad.

The one time I went to the GP about my knees, she did the head tilt and talked to me about my weight (didn't even examine my knees), and that aches and pains are more frequent as we age so its important to take care of our weight to reduce that. I agree I am too fat and need to lose weight. I am trying. But I see people far fatter and older than me who don't seem to be in total agony as they walk around!? So is this normal and fixable by losing some weight? Or is there something I should be worried about?

Well it just goes to show what a bit of motivation can do. in the 3 mins since I posted last, I've submitted the dread form to the GP for BED referral; booked a physio telephone assessment (for the 21st of bloody February, FFS, but whatever it's a start), and sent an email to BEAT about their self help programme. Al these tendrils of activity will need to actually bear fruit to be useful, but it does feel good to have something done. Next stop footwear.

Thank you all again so much, even the more, er, bracing commenters. I often feel like I sort of barely exist, I just serve functions for various people, so the anonymous opportunity to be all about meeeeeee for a minute and have people respond to that has been incredibly novel and soothing and motivating. Thank you all.

🙌

three things @herewegoroundthebastardbush

1. that your mum had RA is significant - go back to gp say that, and ask for screening for it. There is treatment for RA, they’re drugs called ‘biologics’ or ‘biological treatments’
2. Fasting is the best bet at stopping the development of horrible autoimmune conditions. There is lots of info about it online, do have a proper read when you have some time free. fasting is pretty easy once you get into it.
3. Join a support group for the eating disorder, it’s no way to live.

I'm so glad. This morning I crawled out of bed but gritted my teeth and did my physiotherapist exercises, just kept moving. Hot shower, exercises and I loosened up. But you @herewegoroundthebastardbush are much too young to be feeling like this. So push and push again and again for treatment, referrels.

Great start @herewegoroundthebastardbush - I hope it proves fruitful for you

Bloody well done @herewegoroundthebastardbush

Have you tried sleeping with a small cushion / pillow between your knees if you are a side sleeper or behind your knees if you are a back sleeper? If you are a front sleeper, just stop unless you have 4ft plus of space to do the full frog pose.
It wont cure anything but a bit more sleep will help your mental state a lot.

@herewegoroundthebastardbush I found that cutting out sugar in any form apart from small amounts of berries helped me , (I also cut out gluten) losing 2 stone has helped me more and the daily stretching excercises helped too - it's kind of a bit of everything. My gut feeling is this isn't all about weight OP- it's lazy GPs that seem to use it as an easy summary. At 14 stone I've got occasional stiff crunchy neck issues- but I'm 61, so probably a bit of arthritis - but don't have issues with knees or feet.

You need full blood checks too if you haven't had them

OP, you sound really similar to me, I've had a long history of knee problems, plantar, tendinitis, and I overpronate. I was also 14 stone and I'm 5 foot 6, and a binge eater.
About 18 months ago all my joints were aching so I went to the doctors, who did blood tests. The only thing they found was problems with my liver, so we went off down a tangent with fatty liver, and then discovered that I have gallstones. Told me to lose weight and that would solve everything. Turns out the fatty liver was due to me taking tamoxifen (I had breast cancer). I went back again about my joints and finally managed to get referred to rheumatology, as there is psoriasis in my family. Waited 11 months to see them, to be told that I'm hypermobile and I have early onset osteoarthritis. If might be worth you looking at hypermobility as it is quite common, and can cause problems all over your body. I'm now waiting to see podiatry and for physio, and trying insoles in the meantime. Things that have helped me so far:
Never wear shoes without cushioning, always wear slippers at home, don't kneel on hard surfaces.
Try to avoid too much repetitive movements, and pace myself and rest.
I have managed to lose 2.5 stone, which does take some of the pressure off my lower limb joints. I do have the added incentive of having to eat low fat because of my gallstones, and to be honest that is my biggest motivation and what keeps me in check, I've never really been able to purposely lose weight before. I definitely find my joints hurt less when I eat less sugar, and less wheat, but its really bloody hard as I love sweets, chocolate and bread!
I had a steroid injection in my hip and that worked well, I can actually sleep on that side again.
Hope you can get some help, definitely go back to your gp and ask for blood tests.

I'm 5'6 and 14 stone - no pain at all...

I had PF a few years (and stones) ago and I cured it by sleeping in an ankle brace for about a week. It wasn't particularly comfortable but it worked.

I wear barefoot shoes too - not sure if they help or not but are the most comfortable for me

How old are you though which decade?

Well done getting the ball rolling with appointments and support. Do you have any independent running/sports wear shops in your area? We have one call Up And Running (I last ran when I was about 8) who are excellent with advice and gait analysis and all their staff are patient, knowledgeable and helpful. I told them about my various conditions and they fitted me out with Saucony trainers which were like walking on air. They really help with hip, knee and foot pain. Not cheap but they have good sales. It’s made a real difference to how far I can walk and has lessened the impact on various dodgy joints. Ive been getting my trainers from there for years and wear them for virtually everything.

Glad you have got ball rolling. The focus on you is absolutely key to this. It’s so easy to put self last. You need a selfish few months where you prioritise you.
I got from obese to healthy bmi 5 years ago in 6 months by throwing everything at it and prioritising me. Long term it benefits you and your family.

Itchy skin was a perimenopause symptom for me.

Great news @herewegoroundthebastardbush and well done for taking everything people have said on board and getting started.

Do you have local nhs physio, some you can self refer to?

Self refer to the nhs physio ..

I'd say yes it can be due to your weight . I have chronic pain and planter fasciitis. It's considerably worse or better depending on my weight .

I thought mattress straight away. My wonderful very comfy like-sleeping-on-a-cloud mattress went downhill very very quickly without me realising. I had horrendous back, hip and knee pain and was eventually signed off work sick for 6 weeks while I had physio to recover. And it was all down my mattress. The penny dropped and I bought a new one and it immediately got better by a large chunk. New mattress was too soft so I bought a more expensive firmer 3rd one and all problems went completely within a week or so. I'd gone from hobbling along the landing at snails pace crying in pain to the bathroom each morning to no pain whatsoever.

I vote mattress!

You're absolutely right about the growing body of evidence relating to fasting and autoimmune conditions but attempting to fast with an untreated eating disorder is a terrible, terrible idea.

It's probably because you lack decent muscle tone. Try to do some exercise which is resistance based, start gently.

I am fat, but I do a lot of Pilates, yoga, weights and swimming and don't have back/knee/hip pain any more. Don't let the GP make you think the only way through it is a diet.

I'm an inch taller and a stone heavier than you. Also 7 years older. My knees sometimes ache but I suspect that's as much down to my military background as my weight.

I don't have PF. I do have osteoarthritis in my spine, hips and probably knees.

In September 2022 I started having severe back pain (pain was cyclical). After trying everything else and in desperation my GP put me on HRT oestrogen patches. It has been life changing. So many of my little annoying aches and pains have disappeared.

Aches and pains could be perimenopause.

You've said NHS only - there are loads of NHS videos and other advice online about stretches and exercises to do to help with pain. You should look them up.

I suffered with plantar fasciitis for years then I read that FitFlop shoes (need to be shoes or boots not flip flop style)can help. I even wear fitflop slippers. I haven’t had any pain in the past 8 years. I often buy second hand fitflops on inter or eBay and the last for years.

Re your bingeing at work. Can you do anything to alter your environment eg we have a desk drop in space you aren’t allowed to eat in. Anything to break the link of your desk and snacking. You are obviously comfortable with colleagues to eat in front of them would any be supportive if you said you wanted a no snacking policy.
I have similar tendencies with haribo, crisps etc.
Sweets are linked to tiredness. Vicious circle no sleep so need a pep up.
My worse snacking was on sofa in evening so I stopped sitting and walked instead. It broke the link.

@DrMarshaFieldstone to be fair I did say straight after that, treatment for ED required. I just wouldn’t want the op to think it’s autoimmune, nothing to be done, etc etc. but agree with you, ED first.

Good luck @herewegoroundthebastardbush

Go back to the GP and ask them what treatment options would be offered to someone who was thinner?