My back pain hurts

bartonterah21

Two yrs ago I walked alot, was very active. Got depressed and still very depressed and iv gained so much weight so now I've just hit rock bottom, I realize now I can't even walk without my back hurting so bad like I could callapse, I can't even walk around the block or go to Walmart, idk what to do, it's so sad, any suggestions?

malibu927

Have you seen a doctor to check what's wrong?

rheddmobile

I'll tell you a story about a time I was at rock bottom because of my health. Maybe it will help you like it helped me.

I have lupus. After being very active as a young person, I developed this autoimmune disease, which has many manifestations for different people, but for me mainly took the form of inflammation of my cardiovascular system. It felt a lot like being lightly set on fire, and it got worse with exercise. And it took ten years of doctors ignoring my symptoms for me to get a diagnosis.

Lupus symptoms get better and worse in cycles, and one New Year's Eve, before my diagnosis, the symptoms were very bad. I hadn't even been to the grocery store for food, it was so bad. But I dragged myself to the store - with my husband - because in my family, eating black-eyed peas for luck was a tradition on New Year's - each pea is supposed to represent a happy day in the new year. They were out of peas. My husband went to look for a stock boy to find out if there were any in the back, and I collapsed on a bench at the front of the store - I didn't even feel well enough to walk to the back of the store. I was feeling very sorry for myself and thinking even old ladies could manage to walk around a grocery store. The lack of black-eyed peas seemed like a sign that I would never have any happy days ever again.

Then I noticed two children hiding behind the magazine rack, pointing and giggling at something. Someone, actually - they were pointing and giggling at a man with two bionic arms. I thought he would be angry when he noticed, but instead he smiled and called them over and showed them how his arms worked. He explained that he had been an electrician when an electrical accident burned both of his arms and they had to be amputated, but that now he had new ones. "Every day I think about how blessed and lucky I am to be alive," he said.

I was still sitting on my bench, but now I was thinking differently. I felt terrible, but I still had all my body parts! And I felt humbled that this man considered himself blessed and lucky, despite his hardships.

My husband came back with the peas, it turned out there were some in the back after all. And I did have some happy days in my future - eventually I got a diagnosis, and even though my lupus can never be cured, there are good days and bad days.

Pain and depression are so hard. Please keep seeing doctors until you find one who will help you. And please have faith that there are good days in your future. If you can't walk around the block walk around the living room - or find another activity that you can do without pain. Even holding a couple of water bottles and moving just your arms is better than nothing. If you are on meds for depression, some of them cause weight gain - but even then you can lose weight, it's just harder. Start by just logging everything you do and eat for a week, and then you will know where you stand and where to go next.

Edit: and ASK FOR HELP, this is so important- tell the people you know that you need help.

lorrpb

I'm sorry for your pain and depression. When I hit rock bottom I had to consciously decide how badly I wanted to change and what I was willing to do to make it happen. From there it's all about calorie counting and movement. I started off walking 1/4 mile per day and could barely do that. I just added a little bit every week. Within a few months I could walk a couple of miles without stopping. If you can't walk around the block, walk down one side of the block, then walk back. Add 10-20 steps per day. It's amazing the progress that can be made if you take small steps and keep at it consistently.

brandyanne0204

I know exactly how you feel. I can start off walking and about 10 or 15 minutes in my lower back will start hurting to the point I feel like I am gonna cry. I have told my doctor about it plenty of times and all they tell me is that I have to lose weight. I know I need to lose weight but how am I to get started if I am in pain. Taking pain medication do not work that much anymore.

bartonterah21

malibu927 wrote: »

Have you seen a doctor to check what's wrong?

No I havent

bartonterah21

Yah I need to be seen by Dr, bt they will just say u need to lose weight

TavistockToad

bartonterah21 wrote: »

Yah I need to be seen by Dr, bt they will just say u need to lose weight

maybe, but they can help with your depression too.

Machka9

bartonterah21 wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

Have you seen a doctor to check what's wrong?

No I havent

Go to the Dr.

Sometimes back pain is really kidney pain and "back hurting so bad like I could callapse" could be a sign of a lodged kidney stone.

Go to the Dr.

emstaley4

I agree with the seeing a dr definitely. Even if you think you know what he/she will say. What about looking up some exercises you could do while sitting to try to build some strength? Or counting your steps until the pain starts and then stopping and keeping a log. Go a couple of steps farther every other time to slowly build up your endurance. Baby steps. I have chronic low back pain also. In fact I just finished a round of pt because I was down for a month. Good luck.

sueblue77

Try a chiropractor first. It helps, usually small copay, easy appointments and no ex rays. Highly recommended you try this first.

burntoutphilosopher

I don't know your stats / weight ... and I hate the state the obvious but ...

You don't need to workout at all to lose weight... you just need to eat less calories. You can lose weight while bed-bound ...

... get a food scale ... weigh every single thing that goes in your mouth. If it's a tub of ice cream weigh it before and after etc.
... log e v e r y single thing you eat for two weeks ... then Analyze and male small incremental changes. Not drastic sweeping ones.

Need2Exerc1se

bartonterah21 wrote: »

Yah I need to be seen by Dr, bt they will just say u need to lose weight

Good. When they do, ask for help. Ask for help with the depression. Ask for help with exercise (where to start, what is safe, maybe even PT depending on what is causing the back pain). Ask for help with diet, maybe even a dietary consult.

Have you tried water aerobics? It's much lower impact than even walking and can be a great place to start.

rheddmobile

bartonterah21 wrote: »

Yah I need to be seen by Dr, bt they will just say u need to lose weight

Good, you're still here! That means you're still trying, and that's the first and most important step when you're depressed.

How is your support network, other than your doctor? Family and friends? Seriously, depression makes it hard to ask for the help you need. You can start by just talking to one person: I'm depressed and I want to make some changes in my life, will you help me?

bartonterah21

I will try to do the talking with my Dr. Unfortunately I have a Dr. Who never remember me, and isn't always the nicest,lol person to speak with, working on finding a new Dr. But I will sure try even sitting and excersize, weighing all food I eat is great idea to, thanks ya'll for giving me some input

88olds

You remind me of me. At 285 lbs I had HBP, a CPAP, back pain so bad could only walk 2 blocks without having to stop, and what seemed like a permanent cough. The inability to walk, something I had always enjoyed, scared the heck out of me. I saw it like this- I was on the verge of becoming a prisoner in my own body, unable to lose weight without moving and unable move without losing. I was going to start a New Year resolution but was afraid to wait another week. I started Christmas Day, 1994. 8 min on the stationary bike/clothes rack in the basement. That was the most i could do.

Figure out a calorie deficit plan you can live with and make a menu. Look on YouTube for hamstring and hip stretches. Walk as much as you can. Look on YouTube for floor workouts. Lay on your back and bicycle. Do anything but sit on the couch. You only get one life. Is this the life you want? Doesn't sound like it. No one can give it to you, you have to go get it.

Numericmama373

I have sciatica pretty bad. I went to a PT who was really amazing.

I had another medical issue come up that is challenging, and that threw me through a loop.

But before that secondary thing, it was controlled through exercise and stretching. Now I am starting over again, and am using really controlled exercises and stretching to get it back again.

Maybe something like that would help. If the exact right muscles were getting stronger in a way that would support your back.