Sciatic Nerve/back Pain After Losing Weight

[Lola184 3]

So I've lost about 31 lbs and the last few days I've had back pain thats worse when I sit down. I believe is my sciatic nerve because the pain runs down the back of my leg, has anyone else experienced this as their weight is shifting to make your body smaller? any tips for relief besides tylenol and the heating pad??

[elcee 3,341]

My mother has had sciatica for years and nothing she has tried has cured it. The TENS machine helps a bit , so does the magnet that she wears on her clothes but I don't think she is ever completely pain free. If someone does know of a solution that works other than surgery please let us know.

[Lakeshia 0]

I thought I has sciatica for a very long time and I did but when I went to the docs and had an MRI done, it turned out the disc in my lower back had herniated. Besides surgery, steroid injections, or a back brace, there was nothing the doc could do for me.

[#MagicWithinme 173]

I have sciatic problem before lapband. my chiropractic md said weight loss would actually help lessen pain for me. massages to looseen tenseness in area where pain is and addjustments actually help me. heating pad in area , i went to nuerologist for something else and he immediately wanted to put me on pain medication regime and even suggested surgery. I kept telling him that it didnt hurt but he wasnt listening. Since the chiropractic dr has been so helpful I will stick to his practice for now, good luck with the pain.

[xavier 153]

Very unlikely to be related to your weight loss except that your weight loss may have allowed you to do some physical activity to irritate your sciatic nerve...make sure you are not looking for excuses not to lose weight...there are a lot of people here that are looking for any reason at all not to succeed this band...press on! (PS: I use those icy hot Patches on my sciatica and they work pretty well)

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

I've had sciatica for almost 40 years and my weight (up or down) has never made a difference in the symptoms. Most of the doctors I've seen about it basically told me "learn to live with it." One doc told me to use capsicum cream (found with OTC pain relief products in most pharmacies) but I couldn't stand the burning sensation. I've tried prednisone to reduce the inflammation in the nerve but it didn't seem to touch it. I've tried physical therapy; it didn't help but the therapist explained that the sciatic nerve is located in 2 possible places, and if your sciatic nerve is in the "wrong" place, it's likely to be impinged upon by the surrounding muscles. In other words, I was just born with the potential for sciatica. Lucky me. The most helpful things I do for it are exercise (yoga, pilates, stretching), avoiding sitting (sitting always makes it worse), massage, and Biofreeze spray (available from chiropractors, Amazon, or you can get a generic version at Walgreens named Icy Hot spray.

[KateP 359]

I've had sciatica for almost 40 years and my weight (up or down) has never made a difference in the symptoms. Most of the doctors I've seen about it basically told me "learn to live with it." One doc told me to use capsicum cream (found with OTC pain relief products in most pharmacies) but I couldn't stand the burning sensation. I've tried prednisone to reduce the inflammation in the nerve but it didn't seem to touch it. I've tried physical therapy; it didn't help but the therapist explained that the sciatic nerve is located in 2 possible places, and if your sciatic nerve is in the "wrong" place, it's likely to be impinged upon by the surrounding muscles. In other words, I was just born with the potential for sciatica. Lucky me. The most helpful things I do for it are exercise (yoga, pilates, stretching), avoiding sitting (sitting always makes it worse), massage, and Biofreeze spray (available from chiropractors, Amazon, or you can get a generic version at Walgreens named Icy Hot spray.

Hi, Jean. Tried to send you a PM to say " fancy seeing you here" but my ipad won't let me! But, hello old friend and fellow refugee! Will now try to learn to use this board!

Kate

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

Hi, Jean. Tried to send you a PM to say " fancy seeing you here" but my ipad won't let me! But, hello old friend and fellow refugee! Will now try to learn to use this board!

Kate

Good to see you here, Kate! It'll take a while to learn your way around the site, but I hope you find these forums more congenial than our other WLS "home"!

[Scuffy 11]

Hi there everyone!

So I had my lapband w/plication end of July 2011. I've lost 71 pounds (!) as off today, however I've gained sciatica in my right leg and it's getting worse. It started out as numbness and tingling, but has now evolved into burning, stabbing pain in my right (lateral aspect) thigh. The pain is worse when I am in the bed, but it is beginning to bother me more and more when I'm up moving around. I went to my PCP and he told me to buy a sleep Number bed; I can't afford a two-thousand dollar mattress. I'm not sure whether to go the route of seeing a chiropractor, or a neurologist. All I know is the pain is worse every day---I can't sleep because of it.

I google "sciatic nerve pain after WLS" and was surprised to see that many people have reported this same thing--has to do with weight distribuation changes, increase in activity.

I'd love to hear some feedback and suggestions please!

Thanks,

Scuffy

[creatingpeacedaily 6]

I was banded on Sept 5th. 2 weeks later, I developed left hip pain ( I am left handed). I realized it had to do with how I was getting in/out of bed, trying to splint and protect my stomach! Slowly improving, but please be aware of body mechanics with movement as well. If you can, squat down to pick up stuff, not bend at the waist, which irritates the the sciatic nerve as well, do not reach across your body (say from left to right), turn your whole body to grab something, try reaching with the arm opposite the side the sciatic is bothering. When lying in bed, if on your back, put pillow under your knees. sleep with a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side.

[Jean McMillan 2,973]

Hi there everyone!

So I had my lapband w/plication end of July 2011. I've lost 71 pounds (!) as off today, however I've gained sciatica in my right leg and it's getting worse. It started out as numbness and tingling, but has now evolved into burning, stabbing pain in my right (lateral aspect) thigh. The pain is worse when I am in the bed, but it is beginning to bother me more and more when I'm up moving around. I went to my PCP and he told me to buy a sleep Number bed; I can't afford a two-thousand dollar mattress. I'm not sure whether to go the route of seeing a chiropractor, or a neurologist. All I know is the pain is worse every day---I can't sleep because of it.

I google "sciatic nerve pain after WLS" and was surprised to see that many people have reported this same thing--has to do with weight distribuation changes, increase in activity.

I'd love to hear some feedback and suggestions please!

Thanks,

Scuffy

I bought a new $2000 mattress a few years ago and it did absolutely nothing for my sciatic or other pain.

Unless you're categorically against chiropractic care, I'd see a chiropractor next. And/or get a referral for some physical therapy so the PT can at least tell you what kinds of movements or body positions to avoid.

[Maddysgram 6,159]

I too have sciatic pain for years. When I went to orthopedic Dr for knee he gave me a cortisone inj. & it helped for awhile.

Eventually it came back, I think it's the way I waddle b/c of knee's. I found that stretches help the most. I got a sleep number bed and hot tub and they both work wonders.

I had a bad car accident in Jan2012 and whatever wasn't hurting before hurts now. The # I use on bed that helped sciatic, now kills my neck & shoulders & neck / shoulder # kills my back. I think I'm going to sleep in hot tub. That my friends is heaven.

I was really hoping that taking some weight off would help, but after reading this thread I'm not vary hopeful.

Bright side, lose some weight and have knees replaced.

[Scuffy 11]

Hi all!

So since my last post about this, I have seen my PCP twice and had an MRI. I'm now on 400mg of Neurotin at night which is helping a great deal. Last week I saw my lapband doc and talked about this sciatica problem with him. He told me he's had about 10 of his lapband patient's have to go to PT because of this. He thinks it is related to weak core muscle strength and recommended "crunches," and stretching exercises. He said when I see him next month if I have no improvement, he'll refer me for PT.

I still have not purchased the 2000.00 dollar bed my PCP recommended; if I could afford a sleep number bed, I would give it a try though!

Hope everyone is well!

[Starshine33 38]

So I've lost about 31 lbs and the last few days I've had back pain thats worse when I sit down. I believe is my sciatic nerve because the pain runs down the back of my leg' date=' has anyone else experienced this as their weight is shifting to make your body smaller? any tips for relief besides tylenol and the heating pad??

I had one last year. Haven't been banded yet. However I got a massage with bio freeze and OMG!!! It helped soooo much!!!

[Maddysgram 6,159]

Fun story. I reply earlier to this threat I was pre-op at the time. I told you how I have had sciatic problems and then a car accident messed the rest of me up.

Well when I went in for my LB, my sciatic was so bad I was laying with my hand under my hip to relieve the pain. They took me back to surgery and when I woke up the first thing I said was please take the pillow from behind my head. My neck was killing me and it continued for 3 days. The LBS was nothing compared to my neck pain.

After swelling went down I no long have my neck & shoulder problems that I have been suffering with for months and therapy for months and I no longer had the sciatic pain either. My sleep Number bed is my best friend again.

I feel like I got a 2 for 1 with my surgery. I heard the recovery nurse tell another nurse they had a hard time with

the air tube.I think what happened is, they manipulated my neck while I was out and relieved a pinched nerve.

9 months of pain and all I needed was lapband surgery. Go figure!