Back pain sufferers i need some input

So after loosing almost 130 pounds, reaching my goal, etc. etc. ive spent the last 2 months with back back pain that seems to be getting worse with each 5 or 10 pounds i loose (have one of those mamouth 2 baby in 2 years total lack of muscle pannus guys). We started out with flexeril and codeine. The flexeril worked in the respect it knocks me out cold keeps me still during the nite (twisting makes it much worse) of course codeine works great but im not really into becomming dependant on narcotics so i take it easy on that. By the next month it was worse so we tried predisone. Cant say that made much of a difference. Ive been to psychical therapy twice. The hook me up to some electrodes and run an ultrasound machine on me...cant say this does much either. They keep asking me how come you dont know how you hurt your back...i explain to them its pretty common after loosing alot of weight from the hanging skin (i prob have about 8 inches when bent over despite all the situps and exercise in the world) Ive also had 3 abdominal surgeries in 7 months which im sure does not help.

It hurts like heck to lay on my back for too long and on my side is really bad. The way i feel best is to lay on something hard on my stomach. Sometimes i wear a stomach binder and this seems to help but it usually comes back twice as bad when i take it off. At the time it started i wasn't exercising cause it was right after another srugery so i know i didnt hurt it doing that. Ive had to give up jogging, doing most of the lower body weight machines or switching to less than 10 lbs, doing aerobics or taebo kills me after. I can do it but its so bad after i would need to take pain medicine which is dumb. Ive switched to swimming laps water aerobics and doing the elliptical. I do not want to totally give up everything.

Anyway looking for similiar experiences, how did you treat the pain? Did you find some doctor that would understand this situation is a bit like being pregnant.. you can treat it all you want but its prob not going to go away til your not pregnant anymore. Will double post this for as much feedback as possible thanks.

Have you talked to your surgeon about having the pannus removed?  Sounds like there might be a "medical need" for that, so maybe your insurance will pay for it. Just a thought. Sorry you are having so much pain btw. After losing all that weight, it just doesn't seem "fair" to not be totally healthy and happy!!!          Hugs,   Piggy

We have really stayed side by side in our weight loss the entire time!  I am 150-152 depending on the day right now, started at 280, how funny is that?  Our surgery day is 1 day apart.  We have done terrific.  Wish I could help ya with the backpain issue.. my husband had it for a long time after his surgery and his doc said it was from the rapid weight loss and the way the body is shifting to accomodate the loss (your spine etc) it did eventually go away.  I get it in my tailbone sometimes.  Good luck and I hope it gets better.  I am shooting for 135-140 btw.. we can do it!

I had to go to the chiropractor every 10 pounds too. My doctor gave me some muscle relaxers - I think flexeril and that helped lots but I can only take 1/2 of one cause it knocks me out for about 24 hours. (missed work once because I did that!). I had a tummy tuck and had my muscles tightened and that seemed to help the most. Now I have tight stomach muscles and I don't have the pain any more. My insurance paid for a pannus removal but my doctor did a TT for the same $$. He's wonderful. Hope you are better. Diona

I don't know what I would've done without my chiropractor!!  The rapid weight loss and ever changing body shape are creating a continuously shifting environment for your bones (spine/ hips, etc.) as well as the muscles that support them.  I too was frustrated by my back pain...I thought it would get better once I lost the weight, and it seemed to get worse.  It has gotten much better though, and regular chiropractic adjustments helped alot.  My one hip/lower back seems to be slipping in and out easily right now, and my chiropractor has given me some exercises to strengthen the muscles in this area to hold the adjustment better. I've done meds, chiropractic, and physical therapy....they all have their value at times, but I personally believe chiropractic has been the most beneficial for me! Good Luck!  Great weight loss, by the way!!!   Be sure that your doctors are documenting the back issues..in connection with the pannus.  I hold both my med doc and chiropractor write letters documenting my lower back pain and strain caused by the pannus..had no problem getting my TT.....which helped with the back pain, but didn't cure it! Kathy

I went (and am going through) the very same thing. I had minimal lower back pain when I was 320 but now my low back and hips are dyin'. Part of it is my job (I'm a nurse) so I'm always getting myself twisted up in funny positions since I work in Labor and Delivery. But a lot of it is two things: one, my pannus, since a lot of my weight was in my stomach, and two, I have a pretty huge ventral hernia. So between those two things, my abdominal muscles are for crap and my back hurts. What has helped me is regular chiropractic visits and massage. Fortunately for me, my insurance covers both, and my massage therapist is more like a body work practitioner so he's always freeing up my low back and hips, which allows for more effective manipulation. It helps a lot, but I do have to go fairly regularly (about every two weeks). Also, I sleep on my side. I know you said that hurts, but have you tried it with a pillow or two between your knees? That makes a huge difference. If you have low back problems, the WORST way to sleep is on your stomach because it accentuates that low back curvature. Being on a hard surface (or even a pillow under your pelvis) probably helps but still, the most spine healthy way to sleep is on your side. Go****otally feel your pain. Medication-wise, advil gelcaps work great for me. I also like heating pads (even though most chiropractors are anti-heat, it makes me feel a lot better) when I sleep, and ice packs while I'm up moving around if it's really bad (my hips often are really bad and I can't take narcotics at work so I put an ice pack in my underwear against my hip and it helps a lot). Best of luck to you. I know it hurts, but also make sure you're having all this documented because it should help for getting a tt approved (here's hopin' -- I'm in the middle of trying to get mine approved).

Sorry you are in pain. When I over do and hurt my back ( I have arthritis in my middle, lower back and hips) I use flexeril and also Ultram. It seems to help.  In Feb I had my hernia fix and also had my panni removed. I have to say that since it has been removed I don't have hip pain any more. Maybe you should ask the doc about the panni removal ? No harm in asking... Hope you feel better soon.