Good News

As many of you know I have been struggling with sciatica for about the last 12 weeks. Somedays I am just fine, others I can't even get out of bed it is so painful. I have tried several things, predisone, muscle relaxers, and physical therapy. Nothing helped much. I went this morning to the orthopedic surgeon. It was great. He was able to show me on x-rays (which the family dr couldn't see) exactly what is wrong. He showed me how my bottom disk is out of line with lots of arthritic tissue around it. Evidently when I am in certain positions, this disk is pressing directly on my sciatic nerve. I go Friday for an epiduiral and he put me on some different meds. Get ready for the BEST news!!!!! As all of LCBB friends know, my biggest complain is that I have lost NO weight in my bra cup size. Still a triple D. The surgeon said that this is greatly contributing to my back problem, and whenever I am ready he will write a letter of medical necessity for a breast reduction. I wasn't expecting this at all, It felt like a gift. Dr. Dennis had only wonderful things to say about gastric bypass and the MUSC team. He reaffirmed for me that my surgery has been a life saver. By the way, now 96 pounds gone forever. I hope that everyone is doing well. I having been posting much, but I love reading about everyone. I am so excited about the new people on the board Mary

LOTS of good news! We have a bunch of ladies right at the door to the Century Club. It's so exciting! Hope you will be getting relief very soon. Love, B

May, I hope you get some relief from your sciatica...I can definitely identify. I have had sciatica pain from my lower back down my left booty cheek...down my leg to my foot then my foot goes numb. It's so painful...my doctors have tried me on every muscle relaxer and I do exercises that are suppose to help. And they do ..alittle. I can't be on my feet for more than 5-10 minutes before the pain starts. I mean it hurts constantly but nothing like when I stand up and walk. I went to the vitamin shoppe today...went in and couldn't shop for anything...had to leave. (That's why I haven't been at the LCBB meetings..sitting on those stools would kill me!!) Of course my pcp and neurologist tell me that it will go away after I have my wls and get some of this weight off...but what they don't understand is I will need to exercise at some point after surgery to keep losing and for toning and I won't be able to do that. My physcian in Tennessee gave me a shot in my booty and got rid of the pain a few years ago. But I can't seem to find anyone here to do that. It would be ashame if I had to drive to Tennessee to get a shot but I will if I can't find anyone here that can do it. I'm thinking I might go to a pain clinic if I can get my pcp to refer me or just pay for it out of pocket. I'm gettin' desperate! I've gained about 5 lbs. since I had my last appointment with Dr. Byrne... I hope that doesn't cause a problem. I can't walk or exercise to get it off. And I've got 5 weeks before my wls surgery. Grrrrr ! But CONGRATS on your Gr8 news ! Best of Luck, Suuz p.s. If your docs find a way to get you out of pain will you tell me what they did please?

Suuz, I think the best thing that I did was go to a board certified spine surgeon. He was able to tell on the x-ray and mri things that my primary care dr couldn't see. He also took me off of the muscle relaxers because he said that it is not my muscles that are hurting, but the disc in the back is pressing on the nerve. He gave me a script for Darvocet which knocks the pain out right away. I go Thursday for an epiduiral with a pain specialist which should help. I highly recommend Dr. Dennis. He is with Palmetto Orthopedics, its in Mt Pleasant, but well worth the drive. Their number is 884-0302. Let me know if I can help you in any way. Mary

LOOK AHEAD, MS SUUZ ... MOST PROBABLY, YOUR PAIN WILL BE RELIEVED, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, LESSENED TREMENDOUSLY AS YOU LOSE THE WEIGHT. IT ONLY TOOK 5 WEEKS & I WAS OFF ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL 10-12 DOSES OF PAIN MEDS A DAY (WHICH DID VERY LITTLE TO RELIEVE THE PAIN I WAS IN) & NOW, I JUST TAKE A DOSE OF LIQUID LORTAB (THAT I GOT UPON LEAVING MUSC AFTER WLS) ONCE EVERY 3 OR 4 WEEKS. IT SEEMS THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE PAIN DEMINISHES WITHIN THE 1st 2 MONTHS, THEN AS YOU LOSE WEIGHT, YOUR SKELETON BEGINS TO READJUST & YOU'LL HAVE A WEEK OR SO OF PAIN FROM YOUR MUSCLES & TENDONS HAVING TO GET USED TO BEING IN A NEW POSITION ... THEN, YOU'LL BE FINE & IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AS YOU LOSE MORE WEIGHT. BUT, THIS PAIN IS NOT ANYWHERE AS STRONG AS PRE-SURGERY BODY/NERVE PAIN. &, THE COOL PART IS THAT YOU KNOW IT IS BECAUSE YOUR BODY IS ACTUALLY REALIGNING INTO A "NORMAL" PATTERN, SO THE PAIN IS WORTH BEARING. AS FOR GAINING THE 5 #s ... DON'T FRET ... IT HAPPENS, BUT IN NO TIME, IT WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST FOREVER! AS FOR EXERCISING AFTER SURGERY ... I WASN'T MEDICALLY RESLEASED TO EXERCISE DUE TO MY HEART FOR 4 MONTHS, THEN I STAYED COMPLETELY LAZY & UNMOTIVATED FOR A MONTH (SILLY ME) ... & NOW, I'M WALKING & DOING SOME EXERCISE VIDEOS. I DO FEEL SOME PAIN, BUT MY PURPOSE IN TELLING YOU THIS IS TO SAY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT EXERCISING UNTIL YOU GET 50 OR SO #s OFF ... ESPECIALLY IN YOUR CONDITION, EVEN WALKING FOR EXERCISE CAN BE EXCRUCIATING FOR A WHILE ... GIVE YOUR BODY TIME TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT, REALIGN ITSELF & LET THOSE JOINTS & NERVES SETTLE DOWN AFTER SURGERY ... I STARTED EXERCISING 5 MONTHS AFTER SURGERY VERY, VERY EASILY. MY HIPS & KNEES ARE THE WORST, BUT NOTHING AT ALL LIKE PRE-OP. IF YOU WILL BE PATIENT & TRULY LISTEN TO YOUR BODY ... START OUT SLOW WHEN YOU DO START, YOU'LL BE FINE. IF YOU TRY TO JUMP IN THERE THE DAY YOU GET HOME ... WITH YOUR HEALTH ISSUES, YOU'LL JUST SABATOGE YOURSELF WITH PAIN & FRUSTRATION. THE POINT IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE A LIFETIME OF REGIANING YOUR HEALTH, SO PACE YOURSELF & YOU'LL BE THRILLED WITH THE RESULTS!!!!!!!!!!!

Mary, Soooooooooooo glad for you...hope the new meds take care of that ole' sciatic nerve. I can only imagine how relieved you must be to know a breast reduction is on it's way. I'm sure after the reduction you'll get a lot of relief. 96 LBS!!! YEAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! WOW!! CENTURY CLUB HERE SHE COMES!!! I've updated your info on the weight loss list. Tonya

WOW, NOW THIS IS AN EXAMPLE WHEN "BAD" IS TURNED INTO "GOOD"! I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL; I HAVE BODACIOUS TAH-TAHs AS WELL & I USED TO CRY BECAUSE MY SHOULDERS, NECK & LOWER BACK HURT SO MUCH. THANKFULLY, MINE ARE GETTING SMALLER, BUT NOW THEY TALK TO MY LAP! WE'RE SO PLEASED THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET A REDUCTION & THAT YOUR NEW DOCTOR CAN HELP YOU MANAGE OR RELIEVE THE PAIN! I'VE WATCHED SO MANY PLASTIC SURGERY PROGRAMS (ESPECIALLY BREAST JOBS) THAT I COULD PROBABLY PERFORM ONE IN MY SLEEP ... THE TWINS REALLY NEED A LITTLE WORK SO KNOWING HOW YOU FEEL, I'M JUMPIN' FOR JOY FOR YOU! &&&&, A GREAT BIG "CONGRATULATIONS" ON BEING SO CLOSE TO LOSING 100 #s! WAY TO GO, MS MARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!