Drumroll please....100 lbs. OFF today

[CraftyChristie 62]

Congrats on the 100 lb loss! That's wonderful!

The probs with your piraformis may have nothing to do with weightloss. Mine have been bothering me (both sides) for a couple of years due to being more sedentary... do you have a job where you sit, or spend a lot of time sitting? The only thing that has helped me is a fantastic massage therapist at my chiropractor's office. I am a massage therapist myself and I have been to over 20 of them trying to get relief and no one was able - until this guy who is just extremely talented at it! So don't give up on massage from having one person work on it - keep trying. Your best bet is to go to a massage therapist who specializes in deep tissue, or even sports massage. The relaxation types like swedish just won't do much for you. Skip the spa and use MT's in a medical setting like a chiropractor's office, they are more trained to work on specific probs and not just relax you and make you feel good. I hope this might help you avoid surgery!!!!

[AJW 18]

Yes, I have 2 chiropractors and the massage therapist I went to (the 2nd one) specializes in exactly what you describe. Unfortunately, it cannot be fixed with massage. Next week I'm going to an MD for a trigger point injection to Botox the muscle in question. I don't have a job, per se, but do spend a lot of time at the computer, but when I DID have a job as a legal assistant, I also spent a lot of time sitting - my butt muscles did not bother me ever before 8 weeks ago, so this is new, but not the sitting, that's been ongoing for YEARS. This definitely is weight loss related, unfortunately, all my "padding" is gone and the body is now feeling the effects of it. My MT told me that the body can be 60% out BEFORE it even feels any pain, so this means that it's way out. Hoping that the muscle doc's injection will get me out of pain; it's sooo very uncomfortable for the last 8 weeks. Started small and is now very painful to sit for anything longer than 10 min. That's bad.

Congrats on the 100 lb loss! That's wonderful!

The probs with your piraformis may have nothing to do with weightloss. Mine have been bothering me (both sides) for a couple of years due to being more sedentary... do you have a job where you sit, or spend a lot of time sitting? The only thing that has helped me is a fantastic massage therapist at my chiropractor's office. I am a massage therapist myself and I have been to over 20 of them trying to get relief and no one was able - until this guy who is just extremely talented at it! So don't give up on massage from having one person work on it - keep trying. Your best bet is to go to a massage therapist who specializes in deep tissue, or even sports massage. The relaxation types like swedish just won't do much for you. Skip the spa and use MT's in a medical setting like a chiropractor's office, they are more trained to work on specific probs and not just relax you and make you feel good. I hope this might help you avoid surgery!!!!

[pumpkin07 32]

I just wanted to congratulate you...that is an awesome weight loss in 9 mos.

I just need to shout out for chiropractors. I had an auto accident with honest ot god whip lash as I was in a stationary position and rear ended at a high speed. I spent a year going to real doctors. Then I started going to a great chiropractor and after a year of pain, after like 2-3 mos of adjustments I no longer had pain. It was much cheaper than all the physical therapy and pills if you know what I mean. The physical therapy he gave me also was designed to give me muscle strength in my neck. I wasn't cured 100%, but so much better. This was like 13 years ago. But then last year I went to a new chiro and when he popped my neck I felt deep relief like I'd never had before and since then zero pain in my neck.

Right now I am having a fit with the sciatic nerve, and the chiropractor has told me before this is when my hips are out of alignment. I think it is worse b/c I haven't had an adjustment in so long since I've felt better otherwise. So I'm going today.

There are good and bad in every profession, but I believe it depends on what is wrong with you as to who can help you. If your bones are literally out of synch, no real doctor can help you.

[deletedsally 8]

Congratulations on GREAT weight loss!! Muscle spasms and cramps can be caused by Calcium and/or magnesium deficiencies. You might want to try increasing your supplements to see if it helps.

[breezy 8]

Congratulations on the 100 lb mark! That is so incredible! A red-letter day!

As far as the muscle pain, I've gone to a GOOD massage therapist AND chiropractor for several years. They have taught me that I can avoid a lot of the problems I am having with STRETCHING!!! Yes! Such a little thing, but I have had BIG RESULTS!!! I heartily recommend it as a daily practice to help your body!

[AJW 18]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions; much appreciated. I get regular chiro. adjustments. I only go maybe 1 mo. without one, so I totally know when I'm "out" in that regard. I do take excellent supplements and would recommend these to anyone: www.womentowomen.com, check out their basic essentials and Adatapsol (for adrenal support); I have tried doing special piriformis muscle stretches, designed just to stretch that muscle and the sciatic nerve. NOTHING has helped long-term. I'm praying that paralyzing the muscle with Botox (or if the doc thinks Cortisone is the answer, ok to that then) will allow the inflammation in there to calm down. My MT thinks the muscle has shorted up, which can happen, and is causing the cramping and clamping on the nerve which is causing the pain. Once things can get calmed down, then I'll be able to fully stretch and work that area; it's way too painful to get any relief from stretching now. I did find a youtube video of a guy doing specific piriformis stretching; it works, but only for about 10 min. Sooooo this is what I'm going to try next, the trigger pt. injections. I'll let you all know how it works. Love you all, thanks for trying to help.:001_tt2:

[ash 5]

Congratulations!

[Brandi Lewis 6]

My sister had bad problems with her piriformis lately. She is a Massage Therapist and has been doing some stretches each day and it is helping her a ton. As long as she stretches this muscle each day it is not giving her so much pain. Try some of these stretches...

A condition called "piriformis syndrome," which causes pain deep in the hip and buttock, is believed to be caused when the piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve. Stretching and strengthening a tight or weak piriformis muscle has been found to reduce or alleviate this pain in some athletes.

How to Stretch the Piriformis Muscle

Simple Piriformis Muscle Stretch Options

• Sitting Cross-Legged. One of the easiest ways to keep your hips open and stretch your piriformis muscle is by sitting cross-legged on the floor for several minutes a day.
  
• Piriformis Chair Stretch. Another easy way to stretch out the piriformis, especially if you have a desk job, is to cross one leg over the other with your ankle resting on the knee of the opposite leg. Gently press down on the inside of the knee and slowly lean forward until you feel a mild stretch in the hips.
  
• Lying Piriformis Stretch. A more intense stretch can be performed while laying on your back on the floor. Cross the right leg over the left, with the right ankle resting on the left knee. Slowly lift the left foot off the floor and toward you while you apply gentle pressure to the inside of the right knee. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.
  

Advanced Piriformis Stretch - Pigeon Pose

This stretch, pictured above, is a more advanced piriformis and hip stretch, in which you use your whole body weight to stretch the piriformis, the IT band and other hip rotators. Use caution as you get in to and out of this pose.

• Start in a push-up position on your hand and toes.
  
• Slide your right knee forward toward your right hand. Angle your knee, so the outer ankle is touching the floor (see picture).
  
• Slide your left leg back as far as comfortable.
  
• Keep your hips square to the floor.
  
• You should feel a deep stretch in your right glutes (buttock), hip and the outer thigh.
  
• You can either stay up on your hands or fold forward and let your forearms rest on the floor in front of you or fully extend your arm in front of you.
  
• Breathe slowly and deeply from your belly. Hold the stretch 30 seconds to 60 seconds and release. Repeat on the other leg.
  

[AJW 18]

Yes, thank you. The stretches were the FIRST thing I tried, but the result was very temporary. Had I known what the pain was in the beginning, the stretches probably would have worked THEN. Now the muscle has gotten so shortened up and tight stretching is all but impossible (too painful.) So I got the Botox trigger point injections. Still waiting for the Botox to work - plus the doc told me it might take a couple of treatments. I'm going back on June 24th for round 2 if I don't see any significant improvement by then.

[SParkle 4]

Well done - you're looking fabulous!!

Kathy

[mwlj_2010 1]

Wow! A HUNDRED pounds!! Congratulations!!!

[want2lose 1]

Congrats on the weight loss! 100 pounds ...WOW! That is a huge victory! Hope the pain goes away for you.

[Thinmint 7]

I am at 17 weeks and have lost 95lbs and don't have any muscle issues - is that common??? I am working out 6 days a week so that may be helping.....

[want2lose 1]

I am at 17 weeks and have lost 95lbs and don't have any muscle issues - is that common??? I am working out 6 days a week so that may be helping.....

Congrats on the 95 pounds! I think that when you work out that helps a lot. I feel I am toning up ok. I have been biking, playing tennis, walking, hiking and getting ready to use my elliptical. I'm hoping that I won't have to worry about surgery for baggy skin. So far so good.

[AJW 18]

Update: I'm 112 pounds down and at goal. My PCP thinks the piriformis muscle issue is occurring from an old vertebra fracture I had back 10-11 yrs. ago. She thinks losing the weight has caused my spinal center of gravity to shift - I mean when you think about it - that could be so. I'm now quite thin. She thinks the nerve is being irritated because of this shift AND the old fracture (which healed completely.) IDK, it's a working theory. Having an MRI on Fri., July 2nd, will let you know what they find, if anything. IF there is something going on in there, I'll try to get set up for an epidural cortisone injection at UCLA's spine clinic and see if that will take care of it. Time will tell. Keep good thoughts for me. It's a trying time; this isn't the only "problem" in my world, the others are not physical though. Thanks!