Anyone suffer from chronic back pain or sciatica?

I was just curious if anyone had sciatica pre op that was relieved after weight loss? Also for anyone with chronic pain how do you treat it since NSAIDS aren't recommended? I have mild arthritis in my lumbar region and I also have sciatica caused by a herniated disc. It's been going on for 9 months and physical therapy didn't work. I use ibuprofen and sometime Tylenol and a muscle relaxer.I tried Mobic and Lyrica and it made me feel worse. 

I suffer from lower back pain caused from stenosis, spondylithesis, and degenerative disc disease, arthritis.  I was hoping that with the weight loss things would improve.  I evidently haven't lost enough.  The main thing is to kee moving with exercise.  I find the best relief has been to get into a routine of water aerobics.  My doctor told me that I could take aleve up to 3 times a week.  The aleve doesn't help me.   I had been taking Ibuprofen (800mg up to 3x a day) with slight relief.  I do take one on occssion when I get to huring too bad.  NSAIDs cause your stomach lining to thin over time is why it is not good for our smaller stomach (sleeve)..  I had my first set of injections in my lower back yesterday.  I get another series in 2 weeks.  Keeping fingers crossed it works enough to let me get back into the wster aerobics.  I cannot stand for more than 10 minutes at a time until this morning.  I was up and about cooking and cleaning the kitchen for a couple of hours.  So, so far ok.  Sorry I can't give you a more positive answer at this time but this is where I am with my back pain. We all have our journeys very similar but affecting us differently.  I wish you much luck and hang in there.  Hit the pool and hot tub.  You WILL feel much better just with that alone.  Not medical advice, just personal experience.  Pam

I'm only 29 I'm hoping the weight loss will at least slow down the degeneration. It makes me feel a little better that you are able to take NSAIDs occasionally.somedays are better than others. I've got a referral to try and see if an injection will work so at least I can be free of that pain when I'm trying to have my VSG. 

Best of luck to you both. Very tough to live with chronic pain.

I was taking Ibuprofen pre op and my doc said I could take it but it is an NSAID and so is mobic i think.  I had to switch to narcotics which mess with my mood a bit.  A hot tub and heating pads help some.  It was a big decision to have surgery because of the limitation of pain control.  My hip pain is gone most days and my knee pain is quite a bit decreased but my back pain remains. Hope this helps. 

NSAIDS(ibuprofen and Aleve) as well as Cox-2 inhibitors( Mobic and Celebrex) should not be used with regularity in Bariatric patients. My doc will allow occasional use of Mobic, but I avoid them at all costs.

Other treatment options for your symptoms are physical therapy, chiropractic care or acupuncture. Topical meds such a Voltaren gel, Lidoderm patches or 5% lidocaine ointment could be used for the back pain, but won't help the leg (nerve) pain. Have other nerve modulators been tried such as gabapentin? Antidepressants such as Cymbalta, TCAs (amitriptyline and nortriptyline) can be good for the nerve pain, but may cause weight gain. Have you considered an epidural steroid injection? 

Surgery works best to relieve the sciatica. So the back pain my persists even after surgery. Weight loss while helpful in so many way, my not alway help back pain significantly.

Hope this helps!

By the way a procedure called radio frequency ablation have sometimes help the back pain caused by degenerative facet.

Have you seen a Spine specialist, a physiatrist or a pain management specialist?

I have herniated disc, stenosis, arthritis and the worst nerve damage.  I took Celebrex and Advil for years to take the edge off.  I also have had epidural injections a number of times as well as trigger point injections.  I was hopeful after losing the weight that I would get some relief.  It has not been the case with me.  I know you can't reverse my conditions, but I was hoping that carrying less weight would help.  the only thing I do now is trigger points when I just can't take the pain.  On a rare occasion I will take a Celebrex or Advil.  I also tried Lyrica and it did not work.  Hope your experience is different. 

Not heard of the radio ablation (I do have degenerative facet).  Yes I see a spine specialist and am going to pain management.  That is who gave me my injections last Friday.  I am going to have to ask about the ablation because I am not liking the needle so far.  Thanks for the info.. Pam

I have a referral to pain management to try an epidural injection. Hopefully it will work.