Trying to lose weight with sciatica :(

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  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    I understand far to well, I too suffer from Sciatica, chronic lower back problems from 12 years of carting Beer, osteoarthritis in both knee's now to the point I have been bone on bone for the last 10+ years have had multiple knee clean outs and get knee injections and am on 3 pain pills and last year tore my ACL in my right knee (which they will not fix do to the damage of the arthritis, I am getting knee replacements in the spring) and the fact just 3 years ago I weighed 560 lbs. and could not walk from room to room in my own house. I had a computer chair I would roll myself around the house on to go to the bathroom or go to the kitchen for food. So yes obstacles are always going to be in your way, you just have to find ways to deal with them. I had to start in the pool at our local YMCA and use water displacement so that I could stand and exercise. I literally walked from one side of the pool to the other, the first time I lasted 5 minutes and literally had to be helped out of the pool. But every day I went back I added another lap and over the course of 17 months I lost 170 lbs. and eventually worked my way out of the pool and on to dry ground got fitted for OA braces and continued my journey and lost another 141 lbs. I get up every day fighting the pain and it takes me forever to get going in the morning and by the time my day ends I am paying for it with ice packs on my knee's but I have a life again, You just have to find a way and do what works best for you and then stick with it...... Best of Luck......
  • Greeneyez09
    Greeneyez09 Posts: 5 Member
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    I have problems with sciatica as well. I do physical therapy and take anti inflammatories. Ibuprofen a lot of the time is my best friend. Eating certain things does help, as well as some vitamin supplements. I've been doing a low level of yoga about 3 times a week and this is also helping. Youtube is also great. They're are instructional videos on how to stretch that decrease the pain.

    Sciatic pain is something that is hard to understand, unless you experience it- that is just my opinion. Please post if anything helps you as I would definitely try it.

    All the best!
  • krickeyuu
    krickeyuu Posts: 344 Member
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    I have sciatica. First, I recommend finding a good Chiropractor--my Chiropractor has helped ameliorate my symptoms so much. Sciatica reacts differently for different people. I am able to walk without much pain, so walking is my exercise of choice. You may have to experiment with different exercise techniques to see what works for your specific pain. Cycling, swimming, rowing, eliptical--see what causes the least symptoms and just do that.
  • joydayval
    joydayval Posts: 22
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    Mandy I have PCOS as well, I am too old to be having babies. But that used to be a concern of mine. I have a friend however, who has PCOS and carried a perfectly healthy baby to term and delivered him well. Don't give up on your dreams! You can do it!!
  • nunat919
    nunat919 Posts: 122 Member
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    I understand completely. The pain is excruciating. I suffered from it about a year ago. I still have the lingering numbness in my foot. What I did at first was follow the physical therapy exercises that they give you. Surprisingly most of the physical therapy movesa re from yoga. You might try there to start off. Start stretching LOTS! Water aerobics helped once you get more mobile and now there is even aqua spin. Which is spinning in water..ha no impact. Good luck and feel free to add me if you ever need advice and encouragement.
  • BrownEyedGrrl
    BrownEyedGrrl Posts: 144
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    I had sciatica so bad I could hardly sit to drive. I finally visited the chiropractor and with just a few visits I was pain free. Now I can tell when I start getting that tingle of sciatica pain a trip to the chiropractor brings everything back inline and I'm good to go. I hope you can find some relief.
    Just a word of advice, never let a chiropractor lay a hand on you unless an x-ray has been done first. I have spondylolisthesis and before I had it diagnosed I went to a chiropractor and he made it so much worse. Might have done permanent damage to it
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
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    Ask your dr about physical therapy using ultrasound. Dunno how it works, but it gave me major relief from a bulging disc. For exercise, you might be able to swim. Even if you use one of those floaty board thingies. Since the water is bouyant, it should be less painful. If your doctor will write you a prescription for swimming as physical therapy, your health insurance may even cover the cost.

    Barb
  • carlavandenbrink
    carlavandenbrink Posts: 4
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    yoga is great. I just started and I am with alot of injured and older people and it is fabulous. I feel great and my knees feel great for the first time. Aqua size is also great if you have bad knees and struggle with pain.
  • vvanm
    vvanm Posts: 157
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    I had really bad lower back pain and that seemed to be from a hormone imbalance. It's a long shot, but maybe get your hormone levels checked. Swimming is low impact and portion control works regardless. Good luck to better health.
  • neverwhich
    neverwhich Posts: 9
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    I'm currently going through physical therapy for lumbar disc herniations that have irritated my sciatic nerve. Have your doctors recommended physical therapy at all? A physical therapist would be best qualified to tell you the kinds of exercises that you'd be able to do without setting off your knees or back, and that might ultimately help improve your mobility.
    This is my third time though PT; the first two were for CERVICAL disc herniations. I'm only 37, and this has been going on since I was about 30. There's pretty much no point at which SOMETHING doesn't hurt. Sometimes it really gets me down, and there have been times when I've let it (and the hypothyroidism which makes it difficult for me to lose weight, and the umpteen gazillion food intolerances I've developed over the last couple of years that make it difficult for me to eat a lot of foods) get to me. I've yo-yoed plenty! But you just have to keep trying, that's all I can tell you. It's hard, and it's no fun, but you're going to be living with that body for a good long while yet - you're the one who has to determine what your relationship with it is going to be.
    My suggestion would be physical therapy, at least to get started. Hopefully they'll be able to help you either improve your mobility, or tell you some exercises you can do to improve your fitness level without giving yourself more knee or back pain.
    Good luck!
  • manda1978
    manda1978 Posts: 525 Member
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    Nutrition (I hate the word diet) is going to be your key here if you are limited to what you can do physically. Concentrate onn getting that right and maybe as you lose a few kilos your ease of movement will increase.

    PCOS - Yep I have it too. I naturally conceived, had a natural drug free delivery and breastfed till she was nearly a year old (and I was working since 6mths).
  • nathanellamom
    nathanellamom Posts: 20
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    I am also a person who suffers from sciatia. water walking. anything you can do in the water helps out lots. try streching then walking

    2 minutes 3x a day then after 1 week

    try 3 min 3x a day for one week and see how that feels

    i do also agree physio may help and if you live in ont it is payed by the gov in 12 week sessions

    feel free to add me the more people you have helping you with chronic pain the better
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
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    I agree with physical therapy, or a really good yoga instructor who knows how to get to just the right stretch.

    *edited for spelling, because I suck
  • soaringlikeaneagle70
    soaringlikeaneagle70 Posts: 44 Member
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    Im so young but I feel so old :( I hve really bad sciatica along with something called Patello Femoral Syndrome which is constant swelling bhind my knee caps. I dont know what is more painful, my back or my knees.

    Everything I do is a struggle. Getting up from the toilet, walking upstairs or up hills, carrying the baby around ect...

    Ive been to the doctor and he prescribed anti inflammatories but they dont do much.

    I dont want to blame anyone or anything for the struggles I hve for losing weight but I will partially blame the pain.
    So many time I have the urge to get up and exercise but I cant because Im so sore!!

    What are some exercises I can do that arent so hard on the back or knees? Is there any exercises I can do that will improve the sciatica and IPS?




    ***edit*** alot of replies mention watching what you eat...thank you but already doing that and really trying to watch my calorie intake!! All I need to do is find a not so painful way to burn the calories...

    Go to www.activa.com.au
    This is a great site for exercises that are easy for people with pain. I suffer from arthritis and sciatica and i find these exercises easy. There are also some great recipes and other stuff on this site. It is all free.
  • ingalynn
    ingalynn Posts: 136 Member
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    I don't know about the knees, but I have sciatica as well. the chiropractor recommended stretches to ease it.

    Sitting in a chair, cross one leg over the other and lean into it. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 5 times (each leg)

    Lying on your back, knees up, cross one leg over the other. Press on your knee to stretch the inner thigh for 10 sec, repeat 5 times;
    then press the other direction to stretch the buttock area for 10 sec, repeat 5 times. (each leg)

    do these stretches 2x's per day. I notice the more I do these stretches the less the sciatic bothers me. Hope this makes sense to you, and hope it helps.
  • Jenny_Taylia
    Jenny_Taylia Posts: 540 Member
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    Thank you all so much for all your replie!!! Looks like my best best is something in water....Now if I just had the TIME to go out and do that!

    As for therapy and a chiro....Unfortunately my husbands benefits do not cover it :(
    Im thinking maybe I should get an exercise bike for my home?
  • neverwhich
    neverwhich Posts: 9
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    A bike is a great choice, if you don't think it's going to make your knees unhappy! I'd suggest a recumbent one; it's easier on the back. Or maybe just a pedaler? That's what I have. Sometimes when I can't make myself do anything else, I'll bring out the pedaler; it's not much, but at least I'm not just sitting around. ;-)
    Sorry to hear about the insurance. That stinks.:-(
    Hope you're able to find somewhere/some time to swim!
  • 60x60
    60x60 Posts: 75 Member
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    I have sciatica, patello femoral syndrome, severe scoliosis and started my weight loss journey more than 250 lbs overweight. I have lost 137 lbs with no exercise except for the physical therapy exercises I do for my back and knees. I highly recommend physical therapy for your ailments. It has helped me so much with everyday movements. I pray for relief for your pain. I too take anti-inflamatory medicine which helps tremendously with the pain.

    I can't say enough for the specific advice of the physical therapist and physical therapy exercises! I also echo the advice regarding water exercise and recumbent bicyling. I have been there with the pain. It took half a year to get it under control. I still need to be very careful. While dealing with this issue I shifted from weight loss to maintenance and concentrated on movement instead. I am just now back to weight loss with exercise.
  • blg5
    blg5 Posts: 89 Member
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    Every pound of body weight yields 5 pounds of force on the knee. So if you are say 20 pounds overweight that's 100 extra pounds of force on them. If you will concentrate heavy on your diet and try losing some of the weight first then the knee and sciatica will get alot better. You will get to the weight where excercise is easier.

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