Question:
Will this weight loss relieve my arthritis pain in my back?

I have 4 bulging discs in my back and neck along with diginerative disc disease and artheritis.The doctors have told me that without weight loss, I will have to continue on pain meds for the rest of my life and will probably have to give up my job in the next few years because it is physically demanding. Can someone respond to let me know if the surgery has helped with their back pain enough to cut back or quit on pain meds? I am hoping so much to and then I read that some are needing extra meds because they are not absorbing them as well.    — 0hio (posted on May 26, 2004)

May 26, 2004
Well, I can tell you a little about me I had the operation on Oct 6 of 03. I have lost 96 pounds. I have arthritis in my leg and my back hurt me all the time I could not sleep stand without holding on to something. Since I have lost the weight I feel so much better and I only take pain killers now maybe once or twice a month. I was on painkillers all the time before. I can remember having the doctor tell me to loss weight and I would not have the pain and I was like F**k you every problem I ever had you say is my weight but the truth is he was right I feel so much better and I still have more to go so when I am done I am sure I will really feel great.
   — Rosemary L.

May 26, 2004
I have arthritis in my feet and have had NO pain at all since I hit the 50 pounds lost mark. I was taking celebrex daily before and haven't had any at all since a month after surgery. I also have osteoarthritis in my lower spine and have had no problems with that either so I'd say losing weight definitely helped mine. Mine was never bad enough though to have to take pain meds other than Advil, Ibuprofen, etc.
   — scbabe

May 27, 2004
HI KIM, I HAVE RHEUMATOID ARTRITIS AS WELL AS DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE IN MY BACK AND OSTEOARTHRITIS. THESE THINGS WERE ONE OF MY MAJOR REASONS I WANTED THIS SURGERY. I WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN THAT I COULDN'T STAND UP ANY LONGER THAN 5 MINUTES WITHOUT HAVING TO SIT DOWN. MY BODY JUST COULDN'T KEEP CARRYING 375 LBS. NOW THAT I'VE LOST 115 LBS. I CAN WALK ON A TRACK FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES, I CAN DO NORMAL THINGS LIKE SHOPPING WITHOUT FELLING LIKE MY BACK WILL BREAK IN TWO AND JUST ORDINARY EVERYDAY THINGS THAT I COULDN'T DO BEFORE. ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T COME ALL THE WAY OFF MY MEDS, I TAKE A LOT LESS THAN I DID BEFORE. I TAKE CELEBREX NOW WHERE AS BEFORE I WAS ON 4 DIFFERENT ANTIINFLAMMATORY PAIN MEDS. THE WEIGHTLOSS DEFINITELY HELPS WITH THE BACK PAIN AND OTHER JOINT PAINS. I HOPE THIS INFO HELPS AND GOOD LUCK TO ON YOUR WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY.
   — PRETTYGRL

May 27, 2004
Kim, I have had two back surgeries for herniated discs and have another one right now. Arthritis set in in the lower back from the 2 surgeries. After having lost 100+ pounds, I am still bothered by the arthritis and the 3rd disc did not herniate until after I lost a substantial amount of weight (twisting and turning to yoga!). However, it is well controlled by bextra. The benefits of taking all that weight off of your body, back, bone structure etc will help you enormously, though don't get your hopes up that bulging discs will unbulge. Sometimes surgery is all that will help in that area.
   — Cindy R.

May 27, 2004
I also have a bulging disc between C 5-6 and 2 degenerated disc in my thorasic area and arthritis in my neck. I also have very poor posture as my head and shoulders have grown forward and at my highest weight I also had a large dowenger's hump that was deforming. I'm only 32. I had gastric bypass surgery 6-03 and lost 120 lbs, now I weigh 125 pounds. Well my large hump on my back is totally gone, however my back pain remained the same, if not even worse. I take Zanaflex, Baclofen, Neurontin, Gabitral, Lidoderm patches as well as many pain meds. I used to take Naprosyn, however it gave me an ulcer that 6 months later is just now starting to heal. As for other treatments, I go to physical therapy 3 times a week, have a TENS unit, and just 2 days ago had the most wonderful truely useful procedure I have ever had, an epidural injection with steriods. You need to be under sedation and x-ray as they thread a catheter up your spine to the bad disc and can only have 3 a year, but I am so greatful I did, I feel 100% better. Good luck to you and your weightloss. lydia 5'4 125lbs (6-13-03 245lbs)
   — lydia M.

May 27, 2004
Kim, <br> I can tell you <i>my</i> experience--I think we all have different experiences, depending on a number of factors: the serverity of our disease, the amount of deformity and damage already present, etc.<br> I have arthritis in every joint in my body. When I had my surgery last June, I was in physical therapy for 3 buldging disks in my lumbar (lower) spine. I had multiple spinal injections and took multiple meds. I had to retire from work in Sept of '99...I could not walk without an assistive device. I could not get out of a chair, the car, or the shower without assistance. I could not stand long enough to cook a meal. I could not walk to the end of my driveway--in fact, most days, I could not walk from my bedroom to the kitchen..a distance of about 40 feet! <br> Today, almost one year after surgery and minus 120 pounds, I can walk, drive, even run (not fast, but it's still running!) I do my own shopping, my own cooking, and crawl in and out of the bath tub at my leisure! I take no pain meds except an occasional darvocet...maybe 3 a month, down from 3 a day! I take no anti-inflamatories. My disk have straighted up, and no surgery was required. Oh, I still have some pain, but NOTHING like I had before. I can walk where ever I want, and I even got a bicycle and ride a couple of miles daily! <br> The surgery has NOT helped my hands or shoulders, but I can live with that pain with the lower body pain so reduced. I am even talking to my doctor about going back to work! (know anybody who wants to hire a saggy skin, middle-aged nurse who hasn't worked in 5 years?) <br> There is no pat answer for everybody. I have read many posters who say their pain is no better, or even worse. I am grateful for the relief I have got and hope you get the same results.<br> Huggsssssssss
   — Linda S.