Do some bariatric surgery patients need alpha-lipoic acid supplement?

Started having terrifying, horrible Sciatica pain, and was desperate. Searched online and found that some people take this anti oxidate called alpha-lipoic acid. Suffered on and off for a month and a half. Tried once and quit because I started going to a chiropractor. Pain got even worse, enough so that I started taking the supplement again. After three days, which is when they say it usually kicks in and starts to work, it started to ease up and on day four its almost 99 percent gone. Im over the moon and going to keep taking it. My surgery was back in 2013, and Im just wondering if my body has been lacking this for a long time, and finally I was starting to feel the effects? Thoughts?