Anyone who had a bad back before surgery....

How bad was it - and did WLS help you with your back problems? Are they still there? Are they at least better?

I'm asking because I've had back surgery once before, my sciatic nerve is constantly pinched, and the arthiritis in my back..if you'd look at my x-rays you would think I'm 85 years old...I'm 27 LOL

I'm wondering if WLS will actually help my back as far as pain goes...

It probably will help somewhat but it's unlikely to resolve it completely.

It is funny you should ask this question.  I was always having lower back pain and just yesterday I noticed how I haven't had hardly any pain there in a while.  I know losing some weight helps, but with your surgery and arthiritis you will probably have some degree of pain, but hopefully it will be a lot less.

I know it won't fix the problems with my back, I'm just hoping that it will alleviate some of the pain so that I can strengthen the muscles in my back through exercise! I love to run...I love to go on long 4-5 mile bike rides...but my back doesn't allow me to do that now...hopefully surgery will help! If not...then I'll be healtheir...WITH a bad back LOL.

Btw: my consult date was moved up...it's tomorrow...not february!! WOOT ^_^

I had severe lower back pain and it was all gone as soon as I lost about 10 lbs!!!  I have not had lower back pain since surgery

I had lower back pain for many many years.  The doctor wanted to do surgery...I chose to wait.  I stopped golf (really bad for the back)...it helped a little.  After RNY within a couple of months the pain for the most part went away.  Now it is more disconfort, but I live with it.  My wife will crack my back almost nightly which helps.  She also rubs the lower back (like a woman when she has cramps).  Anyways, the weightloss has helped my back alot.  Brian  PS  Post op I tried running again, but I started to pound the back again...The pain came back.  I took up bicycle riding and have never looked back.

Thanks guys - this really did relieve my nerves a bit. I'm starting to get a little nervous as everything is moving VERY fast, I just have to go through with it this time - it's for the better I know!!

Well I am not going to quell your nerves then, my back didn't get better it got worse, and I ended up having surgery it got so bad.  I have degerative arthritis, and even losing 170 lbs didn't do a thing for me.  I was like you, hoping that it would make it better, instead my joints are tired and worn out from being heavy my entire life.  Hopefully you will be the opposite for you and your pain is relieved.  Good luck

My back got WORSE!!!!!  I can't take Nsaids, so now I am on opiates everyday and it is getting worse.