Very Bad Pain

[tspann90]

I am a 20 year old female with very bad pain in both legs, lower back, hips and buttocks. I am over-weight (288lbs) and i have three children. I am curently pregnant now. I went to my family doctor and have an RA and Lupus test done. Both were negative, so she suggested that it was my weight. Although that may be one possibility, i feel that there is something else wrong. Should i take her advice or should i continue to search for answers? Thank you

[horselip]

I agree!! Us women are first labeled as the blabbering overweight hysterics-
Hate it
Horselip

[Sumanadevii]

I love how doctors when faced with not knowing what the problem is blames it on weight, depression or anxiety.  If I had the problems the opening poster stated, I would get myself under the care of a neuro.  It could be MS.  It could be an MS mimic. If she seeks a neuro make sure it is one affiliated with a major hospital that has high enough powered MRI's...especially if the lesions are in her spine.

[horselip]

Hiya-
It sound to me like you might have back/disc probs. At least this might be a place to start now that lupus and RA have been ruled out.

Maybe you could be evaluated by a neurologist for this? It can be very painful and if the discs are pressing on nerves in can cause pain in the legs too.
Have you ever had your hormones checked? Obviously you are fertile ;)

But I mean your cortisol, growth hormone and thyroid in particular.

I ask because I was also about your weight and it ended up that I had a pituitary problem. Anyways I've lost ~ 100 pounds and yes I am still overweight, according to the standards. But once my hormones were corrected it made it a lot easier to lose.

Hang in there my dear-
Horselip

[namnam46]

Hi tspann,

First I want to welcome you to the Pain Management Forum and let you know that we are VERY happy that you have found this Forum.  I want to be sure that you understand that there are NO Doctors on this Forum. We are ALL CP - Chronic Pain - Patients that help each other through our experiences and expertise that we have experienced from battling our own CP Issues.


I'm really sad that you are having this excrutiating pain in your lower back, hips and both of your legs. It COULD very definitely be caused by your weight BUT it could ALSO be caused because your lower back is showing signs of arthritis or DDD - Degenerative Disc Disease.  You DEFINITELY need to check out those two things and THEN if those tests are negative you can then concentrate on losing your weight and that should take care of your pain.  

Even if the tests show some damage to your back - if you can lose some of the extra weight that you are carrying it WILL help you with your pain.  I know this because my losing weight has helped MY Back a LOT!!! Even though I'm on Pain Medications it STILL made a HUGE difference in the way that I felt.

I'm VERY glad that you tested negative for RA and Lupus.  Those would have been VERY difficult to have to deal with as young as you are.

I wish you the VERY best and HOPE that you will keep us updated on how you are doing.  We are glad that you found this Forum!!!

Looking forward to your next post........Sherry