Overweight nurse needs advice!

head injury unit RN · May 21, 2005

how about an abdominal binder or cheap brace. swimming is suppost to be best exercise all around.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · May 21, 2005

Oh, Barb, do I ever feel your pain.........you sound just like me!!

Obviously, losing the weight is the single best thing you can do for yourself, but if that were easy you & I both would have done it a long time ago. I'm very fortunate in that I have a husband who is both willing and able to do the deep muscle work on my back that I need, once or twice a week.....in the absence of a live-in masseur, I would recommend FIRST being seen by a doctor. You want to rule out any spinal defects/arthritis/herniated discs etc.

And don't let them tell you "It's all because of your weight". I was 14 years old and 115 pounds wringing wet when I first injured my back in a swimming mishap, and by the time I was 21 I couldn't even get out of a chair by myself. I went to several chiropractors, who told me I'd be in a wheelchair by age 25, but then I met my hubby, who's been taking care of my aches and pains for 25 years now. He's the only reason I'm able to do as much as I can. But I also take Naprosyn and ibuprofen fairly often, and of course some days I'm in a lot of pain and nothing OTC will touch it. I rarely take Percocet or Vicodin........I have some on hand just for this sort of thing, but I don't think narcotics are the answer.

I do know that exercise, particularly that which strengthens the abdominal muscles and decreases the lordotic curve in our backs, helps a lot; one of the things that helps me is to squat with my heels on the floor and lean over. It straightens my spine and loosens up the muscles. (I'm one of the only overweight people I know who can do this, but it's worth a try.) I also will lie on the floor on a mat, grasp my knees, and rock gently back and forth.

You can also ask your doctor for more exercises, and of course, if you can afford physical therapy that's even better.

Best of luck........Dragging extra pounds around makes a tough job even tougher than it has to be, but there are ways to preserve your back until you can do something about it. :)

TracyB,RN, RN · May 21, 2005

If you can swing it, get a Bowflex machine... they are awesome, I have so far lost 32 pounds & 23 inches with exercise alone. Of course, I have about 35 more pounds I would like to shed (actual goal is 50) but gotta use those baby steps....

I'm stepping it up a notch & have switched from soda to water, & have just in the past few days, really started to watch my food intake. Keep a food diary, & then eat only the recommended portion sizes. What a difference!!!

Just saw a bit on Good Morning America. A woman lost over a hundred pounds by reversing her meals. I only caught bits & pieces, but if I recall correctly, it didn't quite take a year. Dinner became breakfast, since it's usually the largest meal of the day & she started with the big meal, watched what she was actually eating, increased fruits, veggies, protein, scaled down lunch & dinner became breakfast (the smallest meal of the day). . . interesting,huh?

blue chips · May 21, 2005

Hi.
I'm very overweight and am trying to loose weight. I joined a gym as well but after a couple of weeks got sick of the aching joints so stopped going and decided to do the water aerobics class and swim instead till I lost a good chunk of weight.
However, my problem is that my lower back is so achy after a few days at work. Well, it's not even my lower back, it's so low it's also my buttocks. It's just like it feels very bruised and is stiff so have limited movement quickly. No radiating pain, doesn't feel like it's any bone or disc thing, just as stiff and badly bruised. If I bend over, (without bending at knees) it stiffens and I have to stand up slowly. I don't want to get a back injury and I KNOW I have to loose weight but in the mean time, what am I to do to get rid of this awful pain? So far I have been having hot baths and using deep heat rub and taking anti-inflams and paracetamol. (about once a day, I'm not taking them regularly)
I've not been working for a few weeks and prior to that I was working occassional agency shifts but now am working 4 to 5 days a week.
I'm on a casual pool at the local hosital and am thinking I should maybe do two days then have a day off ect. I choose my own shifts and wanted to work full time cause I am in debt from overseas holiday but I don't think that is going to happen yet.
It is worse towards the end of the shift and by the time I get home and sit down it really gets stiff. Had to get up for a bath in the middle of the night last night because it was so stiff it made it impossible to turn in bed.
Has anyone got any advice to help me protect my already stiff back? Maybe other therapies I could try. I am currently considering physio but am broke at the moment so it would be a struggle but I could do it if I had to...on the credit card!

lOSING WEIGHT IS NO JOKE. YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO DO THE WORK. TRY TO LOSE 1200CAL A DAY AND YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT. DRINK HALF A GALLON OF H2O A DAY, TRY TO EAT EVERY THREE HOURS, CUT OUT THE POP, SWEETS, AND STOP EATING AT 6PM EVERYDAY. WORK OUT EVERYDAY. THIS IS HOW MY SISTER LOST 100LBS IN 6MON.

NurseFirst · May 21, 2005

Hi.
I'm very overweight and am trying to loose weight. I joined a gym as well but after a couple of weeks got sick of the aching joints so stopped going and decided to do the water aerobics class and swim instead till I lost a good chunk of weight.
However, my problem is that my lower back is so achy after a few days at work. Well, it's not even my lower back, it's so low it's also my buttocks. It's just like it feels very bruised and is stiff so have limited movement quickly. No radiating pain, doesn't feel like it's any bone or disc thing, just as stiff and badly bruised. If I bend over, (without bending at knees) it stiffens and I have to stand up slowly. I don't want to get a back injury and I KNOW I have to loose weight but in the mean time, what am I to do to get rid of this awful pain? So far I have been having hot baths and using deep heat rub and taking anti-inflams and paracetamol. (about once a day, I'm not taking them regularly)
I've not been working for a few weeks and prior to that I was working occassional agency shifts but now am working 4 to 5 days a week.
I'm on a casual pool at the local hosital and am thinking I should maybe do two days then have a day off ect. I choose my own shifts and wanted to work full time cause I am in debt from overseas holiday but I don't think that is going to happen yet.
It is worse towards the end of the shift and by the time I get home and sit down it really gets stiff. Had to get up for a bath in the middle of the night last night because it was so stiff it made it impossible to turn in bed.
Has anyone got any advice to help me protect my already stiff back? Maybe other therapies I could try. I am currently considering physio but am broke at the moment so it would be a struggle but I could do it if I had to...on the credit card!

Sounds to me like you might benefit from the services of a personal trainer. That person can help you with what exercises you need to do, what to expect, encouragement when things get tough, how much iis too much, how much is too little...etc.

I agree with one of the other posters, that you should get checked out by a doc. Always good to get checked out before starting an exercise program/program to lose weight.

NurseFirst

Grace Oz · May 21, 2005

Barb, Is it possible for you to join Weight Watchers? A friend of mine lost around 28 kilo's in 7 months. She looks fabulous. She remained disclipined and stuck to the programme to the letter. My experience has been to simply cut out the fatty foods, increase the fruit and veggies, walk EVERY day, drink plenty of water, no soft drinks. I lost a stone, (14lb or approx 7+ kilo), with doing this.

I'd be having that back checked first though, better to asertain the cause of the pain, then you can get about trying to resolve it.

GOOD LUCK!

bulletproofbarb · May 21, 2005

Thanks everyone. I should have given more detail.

I am already doing Weight Watchers, but at home not going to the meeting because I couldn't afford to go to the meeting and join the gym. However, some days I have been not so good, but in total have lost 10 kilos. Don't want to post my weight but I am very large, obese category. Size 26+. When I joined I had a personal trainer but she pushed me too hard even though I explained I was in pain in my joints but not muscle pain.

Also Grace from Oz, I can do those exercises, I have that flexibility as well, I have been doing some in the hot bath.

I've had the following injuries when I had a seizure down 3 flights of stairs. I have epilepsy. I hurt my kneee badly and had to have an arthroscope and doc cleaned up some of the damage. That was 7 years ago. At the time he thought the work he did would only last 6 months. The knee only hurts if I put all my weight through it. I had to have a steroid injection in my hip because I hurt that and anti-inflams didn't help. I also hurt my back, like it is now, the muscles went tight and had physio for ages, same for my neck and shoulder. Made a right mess of myself!! Because all those injuries, which have not come back to trouble me (except intermittent minor twitches very infrequently), bar the back from being fat, I don't want to aggrevate them by pushing it at the gym. So water aerobics and swimming is my exercise of choice.

Currently, the only problem with that is the class is at 930am, so I need to do it on a day off. I can't do it before a late shift because I am so tired and sore afterwards (general muscle ache post gym) I would do myself an injury if I went to work and tried to push through it. I also get extremely exhausted afterwards...because I am so unfit.

I do not want to spend money on pills, machines ect for weight loss.

Interested Party · May 21, 2005

Hi Barb

Have you tried Arnica Spray? You can get them from the Chemist. A couple of sprays in the mouth help take the aches away. Also, try doing regular stretches, especially on the days that you are not exercising. Try going to the pool when you cannot get to Aquaerobics and just walk in the water. Keep us up to date.

Blessings

IP:)

TNnursejane, BSN, RN · May 21, 2005

Hi Barb,

I'm in the very same boat with you. I have gone to the Chiropracter, which by the way, I said I'd never do but I became desperate this time. He has helped quite a bit. Usually for me it's stress that really gets to me. I also work at a desk job in Risk Management. So I try to take frequent breaks and just walk if it's not a very busy day for me.

I have weight to lose (LOTS of weight to lose). I am going to join Weight Watchers at Work. It's a wonderful program. I also go to Curves which is a 30 min, circuit training kinda thing. I like it because of the time element. The water aerobics are wonderful too. Keep up with that!

For my back I use ibuprofen and ice for the pain! It's wonderful when I'm really hurting.

Have you tried the community boards on the Weight Watchers's website. There's lots of support there if you are doing the "at Home" version of WW.

I wish you luck! It you need someone to talk to you can email me anytime just to talk! I'm feeling your pain girl!!!

Don't give up!

Janie

'

msingiz · May 21, 2005

hello

if over hundred lbs overweight, try the new surgery they have out there.so far its been very succesfull for the few who have tried it.Al Roker from TODAY on NBC lost alot of lbs since he underwent the procedure last year. but this will require deep thought on your part to make sure its what you may want.it may be the best option.

RN2Bn2006 · May 21, 2005

Hi Barb,
I'm in the very same boat with you. I have gone to the Chiropracter, which by the way, I said I'd never do but I became desperate this time. He has helped quite a bit. Usually for me it's stress that really gets to me. I also work at a desk job in Risk Management. So I try to take frequent breaks and just walk if it's not a very busy day for me.
I have weight to lose (LOTS of weight to lose). I am going to join Weight Watchers at Work. It's a wonderful program. I also go to Curves which is a 30 min, circuit training kinda thing. I like it because of the time element. The water aerobics are wonderful too. Keep up with that!
For my back I use ibuprofen and ice for the pain! It's wonderful when I'm really hurting.
Have you tried the community boards on the Weight Watchers's website. There's lots of support there if you are doing the "at Home" version of WW.
I wish you luck! It you need someone to talk to you can email me anytime just to talk! I'm feeling your pain girl!!!
Don't give up!
Janie
'

I was going to suggest Curves. I have been going for 1 month & 3 weeks. I go 3 or 4 times a week. I have NEVER stuck with anything this long - it's fun, and you can work out as light or as hard as your body allows. I have 100 lbs to loose, but most importantly I need to improve my health. My 1st month I only lost 2 lbs, but lost 8 inches total, and 0.8% body fat. It's easy to get discouraged, but I know it's going to take time - in the mean time I've made small changes here and there in my diet - no more pop - unless diet (then only a few times a week), smaller portions, avoid chips, and sweets. Sure I still have bad days where I just eat what the heck I want, but as long as it's only one day, I can overcome it.

to the OP, I just know what you mean about aches and pains and stiff back. I have a hard time sleeping because of the stiff back. I don't know what the answer is other than slowly decreasing your weight, and do some strength training to strengthen your back muscles. I hope you have a support person to help you. My mom is my support person. We joined Curves together.

Good LUck

PB