Question:
Any other post-ops having severe back pain?

I am almost 9 months post-op. I have lost 115 pounds. I am now having more back pain then any other time in my life. It hurt so much yesterday...it felt like I was in labor. The doctor in my primary care clinic is clueless to what is causing the pain. Does anyone have any suggestions? I do not like pain killers I am on. I hate the way they make me feel. Thanks for your help.    — Kimberly V. (posted on March 29, 2003)

March 29, 2003
Do you have quite a bit of hanging skin on your abdomen? That can throw your posture out of whack and cause back pain. If you do, make sure your doctor is documenting it. That can help you get insurance approval for having it removed. It's no guarantee, of course, but it might help.
   — garw

March 29, 2003
Severe back pain can be a number of things. If you are not drinking enough water it could possibly be a kidney infection.
   — Sue A.

March 29, 2003
It could be caused by any of a number of things. When we lose a lot of weight, it throws off the body mechanics and the back muscles often have a hard time adjusting. Along with hanging abdomen skin and hanging boobs, that can also contribute to back pain. And if you haven't been doing abdominal strengthening exercises to take the strain off the back muscles or if the back muscles aren't strengthened enough, it can often lead to severe back pain. You may also just have a muscle spasm or muscle pull(is the pain in just one spot?) If the cause is any of the above, ask your doctor for a referral to physical therapy as they are pretty good at treatment for these areas. A chiropractor can also help if your back has been thrown out of alignment due to the weight loss. Also, document everything, because if the cause is the hanging skin and boobs, your creating a medical record for future insurance claims for plastic surgery. Back pain is the hardest thing for medical doctors to diagnose. Often times they just send you home with pain killers and tell you to apply heat or ice to the affected area and do gentle stretching and it will resolve itself in a week or two. If it doesn't resolve in a week or two, or the pain gets worse, definitely pursue andforce your doctor to look into it further.
   — Cindy R.

March 29, 2003
This works for me, try taking calcium with a separate vit. D. I think it is related to calcium being absorbed so try boosing both of these to see if you get any relief. sometimes I rub aspercream on my back and put on one of the ThermaCare heat wraps. It last for 8 hrs. Exercise also helps. You might want to consult with an Orthop. doctor. Other options are MRI, bone density scan.
   — Marian B.

April 3, 2003
I totally agree with Cindy...I also had really bad lower back pain. I went to my PCP and my surgeon...they both said it could be my hanging skin, the fact that I've lost so much so fast and my body has to have time to adjust, & that I need to strengthen my back muscles. A month ago I did join Curves and there are 2 machines that work the lower back muscles, about a week ago I noticed that my back pain is gone. Now, it could be the exercise, or that my body is finally adjusting. All I know is it's great to be able to stand or sit for any amount of time now and not be in tears from the aching lower back. Good Luck and e-mail me if you have any other questions. [email protected]
   — Carol V.