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Has your chronic back pain lessened with your weight loss?



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Hi folks...I've had chronically recurring lower back pain for a little over 10 years. It's generally sciatic in nature, but has at times affected both sides, and at times left me barely able to get out of bed, walk, or clean or dress myself! Not fun! The 6 weeks I was away from work I had almost no pain, because I didn't do a damn thing. As soon as I went back to work (I'm a registered nurse in long-term care, full-time shift work, 8- and 12- hours shifts), my back pain came back. It always hurts to a degree.

Can I look forward to this getting better anytime soon? Has anyone else with chronic back pain found relief after WLS?

In the meantime, I am planning on asking my family doctor about getting an MRI or something, because I'm worried it's a disc problem...i have a lot of years to put in before retirement is on the horizon! Lol.

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So I had some light back pain, mostly during the last 50 lbs I gained / few years before I decided to get this surgery. As the weight dropped off the pain went away, I was amazed at how easy it was to stand for longer periods of time, my feet didn't hurt, my legs didn't get as tired as fast - all was good.

Then at around 5 months I started having back pain again - I really think it has to do with my center of gravity changing :-D. I am just now able to work a full day ( about 2 weeks later) without my back spazzing out. I hope it is because I have learned to tuck it in and walk better, LOL.

Just a thought -

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My back pain was horrible and I definitely need surgery but the surgeon told me that i needed to lose 100 lbs before he would attempt the surgery. Since my sleeve i have been almost pain free except when I stand in one place too long. Just standing. As long as i am moving i am mostly pain free and i can walk much further than i used to before I start feeling back pain.

Unless my pain gets worse i will not have the back surgery. I will just deal with it as i have for years but, thank God, it is not near as bad since I was sleeved.

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Great question! I can't wait to see more responses.

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Mine is for sure the worst if I'm standing too long. Walking, once I get moving, definitely feels better!

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I have lost 42 lbs and I have noticed my back hurts less. I can also stand for much longer. Just before surgery I noticed I could go grocery shopping but had to have a break after. My back and leg joints would hurt and Aleve was often my friend. Now, I can hit the grocery store and 3 others in the same trip without breaks in between. This is something most people take for granted. Well, I couldn't do that before and I am only 6 weeks post surgery. I can not wait for the 6 month mark after my exercise gets underway in a meaningful way.

Edited by Beni

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Good bra support and good shoe support also help back pain

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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