Im scheduled for vsg on July 21st, I am currently on my 10 liquid liver shrinking diet. My sciatic nerve pain is horribly painful & costing me sleep. Would I be allowed to get a cortisone shot this close to my surgery date? My situation is a little different, I am a veteran & my wls will be performed by a VA surgeon about 350 miles away. Separate from the VA, I also have private insurance & would be using a local provider that has given me a cortisone shot about 9 months ago. I just want to make sure it's safe & wouldn't hinder my wls date.

Can you call your wls team and ask them? I also have sciatica and see a chiropractor. Would that be an option for you? Or possibly acupuncture? Just trying to think of other options besides the shot

that would be a question for the surgeon.

I had a cortisone shot before my surgery - but I did ask my clinic before I had it. It was about two or three weeks before the surgery, I think.

I would definitelt ask the surgeon - I also have sciatica, and know that epidurals or courses of methylprednisone definitely affect the immune system, which could be a concern for a major surgery. good luck, I know that is very painful!

Also, my experience with steroids for sciatica were pretty significant weight gain. Did any of you experience that?

Thanks so much for all of the tips. I am going to try to tuff it out until after surgery. Surgery is definitely my primary focus. In the meantime I may try a massage therapist , I have one in the family, so maybe that will offer some temporary help. Steroid shots alone didn't affect my appetite, but holy crap the prednisone pack sure did!

41 minutes ago, Hcat said:

Thanks so much for all of the tips. I am going to try to tuff it out until after surgery. Surgery is definitely my primary focus. In the meantime I may try a massage therapist , I have one in the family, so maybe that will offer some temporary help. Steroid shots alone didn't affect my appetite, but holy crap the prednisone pack sure did!

steroid shots never affected my appetite, either.

Just wanted to update my situation incase it will help others. Of course no sciatica pain while in hosp under morphine. 6 days after I was home it was so painful I couldn't sleep, my pcp said getting a cortisone shot this early could hinder the incisions from healing & if all healed well I could possibly get the shot 4 wks out. In the meantime he prescribed a muscle relaxer & pain pill more potent that tramadol. But I can't take the pain meds, makes me nauseous, I never did do well with pain meds. It still acts up but is tolerable to get a short nites sleep.

I had sciatica frequently before VSG. Visit to chiropractor always relieved it in one or two visits. I never required any steriod injection. Now after 50 pounds weight loss, I have had no recurrence of sciatica or low back pain. I couldn't walk before without recrrence but now walk 2 miles everyday.

Stats: 5'1", age 67, female. Highest weight: 245. BMI 41. Surgery Date: May 28, 2020. Weight at surgery: 211. VSG.