Question:
A Friend has Fibromyalgia & Spinal stenosis, will WLS help her pain

   — Jane W. (posted on April 1, 2010)

April 1, 2010
I am 56 years old, and for the past 2 years or so, I've suffered from severe Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS). I was pretty sure that the pain in my lower back and legs was caused by the weight of my stomach pulling my spine forward, so that was the biggest reason I had the surgery (although the weight loss was definitely a nice side effect). Unfortunately, it did NOT help. The LSS is even worse now than before I had the surgery, and I am fighting the insurance company to get a minimally invasive procedure called the X-Stop done. It is an outpatient procedure, done under local anesthetic, and takes less than an hour, and is about 1/4 of the cost of the "gold standard" laminectomy and fusion....and the insurance company won't cover it. I have now escalated the claim all the way up to the president of the company. As far as the fibromyalgia, I'm sorry, I can't address that. I don't suffer from it, but I'd be willing to say that the pain levels from that would not be affected either, just from what I've read about it. But, if your friend has a high BMI and other co-morbidities like high blood pressure, joint pain, hyperlipidemia, depression, or Type 2 Diabetes, she should definitely consider getting WLS surgery, because almost all of those nasty things go away, and just that fact alone will make her feel more energetic and may affect her pain levels.
   — Erica Alikchihoo

April 1, 2010
Hi,does your friend use a pain managment DR? I would check around with them and see if they have had many patients with these issuesand see if it has helped them. Check out a Bariatric Center close to you ..they may have answers too it cant hurt. I do have RSD..it has been helped a little with the weight loss. I am very happy with the surg and went into it knowing it was/is a LIFE long change. I wish your friend the best.
   — tootsie52

April 2, 2010
I suffer from Fibromyalgia and no wls won't help with the pain. The pain from Fibro is actually in the nerves but it just so happens to be around the joints. It isn't the joints that are affected. Wls will help with arthritis pain, as far as being lighter in weight bearing joints, but not for Fibro.
   — Kristy

April 2, 2010
When I was over 300lbs. I did NOT have as much pain as I have now. My pain is way more intense and I have arthritis and a host of other ailments. I actuall have been in a major flare for some time now. I think I was more active when I was SMO. I had RNY, so I can't take any form of Nsaid (anti-inflammatory) and I have been told to stay away from steroids as well. I would not change the fact that I had WLS, but I would change the surgery type if I knew then what I knew now. I say that because before I had surgery I was NOT diagnosed with arthritis yet. I was just told that my pain came from being SMO and if I lost weight I would feel better. My whole point in all of this is that we are all unique individuals and what works for one may not work for another. have your friend research ALL of the different WLS out there.
   — dodgerfan