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?

I had PF. My GP gave.me a steroid injection in foot. It was painful for a few seconds but that and wearing Sketcher shoes worked wonders.
Also I am short with a high bmi and my GP never even mentioned this as cause of the problem.

Have you considered Fibromyalgia. I have it, it often occurs after a trauma or stress (ie losing your mum, sorry for your loss btw)

Everything is worse with weight... But I k ow plenty of ladies bigger than you with no pain or issues at all so it shouldn't be blamed on that.

It's so hard when you can't do your regular, every day things because of crippling pain, I am sorry you are going through this.

Sending hugs! Push for more medical intervention!

AHP here. Weight gain will not help with any existing problems. Skinny people get osteoarthritis too but the heavier you are, the more pressure on joints.
Definitely get a second opinion from another doctor but in the mean time why not try slimming world. Turmeric is also a game changer and helps with general inflammation in the body. It needs to be in a capsule with black pepper though to make it bio available.

Sounds like it could be from your hip. I am way too heavy for my height. Around 15stone at 5ft 1in. I’m 66 mind you!. I have recently been to the docs with a severe lower lumber area back pain. Doctor examined me and said it’s my right hip that she thinks is the issue. When I said my hip wasn’t sore only my back. She told me that another patient kept visiting her with sore knees and it was her hip.They are all connected. Go back to the doctor and ask for an XRay. I’ve just had one I’m waiting for the results. At least you will know definitively where the problem is and will get help and advice. Be careful with Co codamol. Like any opiate they become addictive quite quickly. If you do use them ,try 1 cocodamol with 1 paracetamol. When you are out of pain address the grief you are still feeling, without a doubt you are comfort eating. I tend to do this to. Se if there is a wee support group or something similar in your area. Good luck. Take care and be kind to yourself.

Ask for blood tests. I saw my GP last year with extreme fatigue and joint pain. I'm not hugely overweight but my bmi is slightly over the healthy range.
My GP was fab, she arranged blood tests for alsorts and it turned out I have coeliac disease! I wasn't expecting that as I didn't have gastro issues (some bloating which has massively improved since going gluten free but I hadn't really considered an issue). I'm not saying you have the same condition but there are several things that can cause pain and it needs to be checked. If everything comes back fine then it could just be weight and age related but it can't just be assumed without looking at all other possibilities.

If your mother had chron's disease it is ighly probable you have an autoimmune condition too. Please keep going back to the GP until you are given right blood tests to eliminate various auto immune conditions. Try drinking fresh ginger with hot water. Boots sells a cream you can gently run around your joints - cant recall name. Dont take pain killers as solution unless for a v short period as will (in my experience) create new issues

Hey OP

Don't often write posts but I feel I'm able to give some advice on what I've done in the last 7 years dealing with chronic pain (fibromyalgia), chronic fatigue syndrome (ME) and a whole host of autoimmune problems.

I've researched my ass off because I too can't cope with the idea of wasting away whilst my kids are young.

Trauma:
The death of your mum and potentially other traumas in life can wreak havoc on the subconscious and emotional pain can come out as physical pain. I have similar experience to you and am currently doing EMDR therapy to work through the grief. Costly, but has great recovery rates with potentially a few sessions.

Toxins:
Build up of toxins such as food additives, alcohol, smoking, pollution, even stress hormone cortisol can be overloading the liver and lymph system, making them sluggish so difficult to excrete from body. Eating whole, natural foods (non-UPF), more water, plus sauna use (infrared, I paid on credit card £200 because I was desperate like you, it's changed my life so I highly recommend this above everything). Basically, bring inflammatory responses down and the pain should subside.

Lifestyle changes:
Hardest of all. I was a smoker, binge drinking on weekends, pouring out to people who weren't pouring into me, no boundaries, overextending in work and personal relationships without taking time for myself to rest and do things I love. I've made small changes over a long time so I don't overwhelm myself but small changes can snowball over time so be patient!

Sorry to hear you're going through all this. Invisible illness is a struggle to get people to understand, even GPs! And obviously I may be way off the mark with advice so bin it if necessary 😅 But keep that fire in your belly that healing is possible and allow yourself some time to rest when you need it, without guilt! The body's natural state is health, I really do believe that.

All the best x

While there is an increased risk, I don't think it's highly probable - this would mean it's significantly more likely than probable i.e almost certain.

That said, as her risk is higher and along with all the symptoms, GP should be looking into the cause (instead of putting it all down to weight).

Joining this late, so this may have already been said, but (amongst the other issues) could you have diastasis recti from your pregnancies? So it would be just your back holding up your whole body, as you would have no core strength in your abdomen.

It really sounds like you need to see a good osteopath/specialist.

Another joining late but just wanted to mention that im 5'2 and 13 stone, I have next to no issues with aches or pains anymore since my podiatrist sorted me out with orthotic's. It's the way I walk not my weight that was causing me pain. Oh also Clarks Unloop shoes are very comfy and waterproof if your on your feet alot. My aunt whose an ICU nurse reccomended them to me and my SIL a few years back. Found they are much better than any other shoes and trainers especially as the insole is removable so I can switch it out with my orthotic insoles. On the downside they are impo the ugliest 'old lady' shoe i've ever owned.

I have plantar. When I’m lying in bed at night I rub my heels together for a couple of minutes it helps a lot.

Hi. I have plantar. When lying at bed at night I rub my heels together for a couple of minutes and this helps a lot. Sorry posted twice.

Hi OP, I'm sorry you're having such a tough time 🌸🌺🌸 and I'm sorry your GP wasn't more help and I hope you have more success if you visit again.
I'm sorry if this isn't helpful to you, but I had plantar fasciitis for ages after having my first baby. I lost weight and did stretches etc and nothing seemed to make it better. I saw a random post on a Facebook group where a lady said giving up diet soft drinks helped hers. I would drink LOADS of Pepsi Max at the time and lo and behold when I cut it out the pain started to get better very quickly. Not sure if it was just a fluke 🤷🏻‍♀️
I lost about 2 and a half stone last year. I just slowly worked on reducing the amount of particular foods that I had the most trouble with, so I started by eating much less pasta, then potatoes, then bread etc etc. I found that more manageable than cutting out loads at once. I also made sure I had at least 12 hours between my last and first meal, but even better if I could make it 14 or more - usually I would make sure I was done with dinner by 8pm and then not eat again til my first break at work which was 10.30am. This really helped.
I've since got pregnant and had a baby and the weight has piled on again and I now weigh even more than I did when I started losing weight last time 🤦🏻‍♀️ I'm 39, 5'4" and almost 15stone 😞 My kids are DS almost 3yrs and DD 5 months old. I don't know if there's a way to privately message on here but I'd love an accountability partner if you want someone to lose weight with 😊
I hope you've found some suggestions on here that work for you. And I wish you all the very best in getting some medical support too. You sound like a lovely Mum who wants to be the best she can for her babies 🥰 I would love to be a more active mum for my little ones too 😊

Also late to the party, but also wanted to say about diet drinks after I also saw a random post on Facebook about them. I'd had aches and pains for ages and somehow thought it was just age even though I was only mid thirties at the time, but stopped the diet coke and the aches and pains disappeared! I still have the odd one but not more now. There are loads of great suggestions in what I've read, hopefully one or more will help you to be pain free again soon.

Have you been to a physio? I have problems with my knees and feet too. It turns out that I walk on the inside of my feet, so wear insoles to help correct this. I also weigh a fair bit more than you (trying to shift the weight). I will admit that they hurt more when I’m heavier, so the weight certainly doesn’t help, but I’d definitely book a physio appointment to see if there’s another cause for this.

Hi OP,

It's been mentioned a few times here, but I honestly can't stress enough how important Vitamin D is.

I had horrific back, muscular and joint pains. So much so, I was going to go private for a spinal injection. Turned out my Vit D level was near zero. I take shedloads of the stuff now and it has vanished. Worth investigating.

Good luck.

I too an 5'6" weigh 14 stone (thanks to hypothyroidism which I'm still trying to balance)
I have suffered from plantar fasciitis in one then the other foot. It is excruciatingly painful.
You need to see a physio.
Go back to GP and ask for a physio referral. In the meantime you need to cut down all the walking- rest, ice, ibuprofen, look up stretches for PF on Internet.
You need to talk to your partner about the car as you need it. You can't keep walking like that, it will be constantly aggravating it and making it worse.

Literally can't. We only have one car, can't afford another, he has to go to work and he can't public transport it because it would take 2 hours each way and more money than we've got. I'm not trying to be defeatist but there is no other option at the moment. Toddler will start at eldest's school's preschool in Sep and it will all get much much easier and I can't wait!!

It might not be what you want to hear but the only time I suffered with knee pain and plantar fasciitis was indeed when I was fat. I weighed a bit more than you and I’m an inch taller and suffered with both of those. The plantar fasciitis was absolute agony, I actually could not walk indoors without my Birkenstocks on and when I woke up in the morning, I had to walk on tippy toes due to the pain.

Lost all of the weight a couple of years ago and I’m now a long distance runner, weigh around 10.5 stone. Haven’t had any aches or pains since I lost the weight. So yeah, being fat can and does cause these sorts of pains.

I’m so so sorry you’re in so much pain. It effect’s everything!
Your weight won’t help, but it’s not the cause or what’s making your joints so tender. I would see your GP asap. Do not be fobbed off. I don’t think the pain will go away when you’re a size 8 I’m sorry to say.
My situation is different, but I was fobbed off by a GP. I had all the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis and I just knew I had it. I told my GP (at the time) and was told to take his prescription for codeine and bye bye.
It was winter as I limped, holding my clogs (only shoes big enough to wear with thick socks and not make me scream in agony) back to reception and started crying. I asked for another appointment and said I was very unhappy.
I got another appointment and a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (the doc kneeled in front of me and held my hands as she told me and said how sorry she was). Joint pain can be agony. RA is hideous and you’re better off being skinny so you can disappear into the invisible over 40s (now 50s) brigade much quicker. The pain of RA is like having boiling acid poured between your mini-crowbarred joints in your hands and feet. Then the shoulders, elbows and wrists where it’ll all join nicely together with some “carpal tunnel anyone?!”

Joint pain is fuckery and that pain is telling you something is wrong and please stop. It sounds like Osteo (Osteo Arthritis) and you must go and see someone (medical professional please!!). If you don’t, you won’t have any new knees to take care of and I’ve heard there’s an awfully long wait. Five years for a wrist?
Wishing you the best of luck and please excuse my personal moan, but it feels so good to get it out. 😂

Hmm. Part of me is wondering why you do this at work?

its almost like your anxiety is at it’s peak at work - do you love your job? Horrible colleagues? Dull and uninspiring work?

or it’s the only time you allow it to ‘let loose’ or you have space to let your thoughts slip to your triggers and/or just cope with whatever emotions you’re (not really) dealing with be it’s stress or other?

It might not be what you want to hear but the only time I suffered with knee pain and plantar fasciitis was indeed when I was fat.

^^

This.

500 posts in and the op doesn't really want to hear the responses.

I am sorry you are having such a rough time. Have you always had the anxiety / binge eating issues? As well as being related to grief do you think they could be related to living with a man with ASD - see Cassandra Syndrome.

Hello there,

I really believe there’s other ways to treat overeating, binge eating binge-purge and it’s not learning how to get better at hiding it or how to think yourself slim as you’re going to bed and this is how you’re going to do it and everything’s going to be fine and I’m going to be skinny. The End.
I’m afraid there’s a small bit of action involved and the first part started here with this. Asking for help. Go online and look up Overeaters Anonymous and see what they say. Good luck!! Victoria.

I don't have any extra advice but just wanted to offer a little sympathy, in my experience it can be very hard to convince GP to do anything if they've decided weight is the issue which is pretty frustrating! Hope you manage to improve your pain