I have extreme back problems like herniated discs from a car accident when I was 12. I survive okay, I'm not on any pain meds or anything besides ibuprofen when it acts up but when I am about to start and about to end menstruation I get severe serious back pain. Like paralyzing can't sit up straight or flat pain.

Does anyone else have this? Would this be alleviated by losing weight? When I had my miscarriage the doctor mentioned that I had ovarian cysts but it was nothing to worry about, does this have anything to do with it?

I weigh about 200 pounds, am 5'4-5'5 not sure exactly my height,

Do you eat a lot of carbs? I experienced cases of sciatica a while back. In my case sciatica disappeared when I switched to a low carb diet that reduced inflammation. I am not sure how this would affect your problems, since there was physical injury and you probably experience inflammation due to that. Exercise to strengthen lower back muscles also helps if you can do anything.

Hey goldengirl, I also have ovarian cysts and back problems. My back problems were not caused by an injury, my doc said they are most likely hereditary, as I have the same problems in the same areas of my spine as my father (osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease).

My episodes with my lower back have decreased since I've lost 20 lbs, so weight loss will definitely help your back I do get sciatica at times if I work out too hard, so start slowly and pay attention to what your body is telling you.

As for the menstrual pain, it sounds like it could be related to ovarian cysts. I get the same pain around my time of the month. My doc put me on Seasonique, a birth control that allows me to have a period every 3 months. That helped a lot. The pain has decreased significantly. Just an idea.

Weight loss will definitely help back problems. I have lower back problems that are much improved since I lost weight.

Yes. Losing weight will definitely help with your back. You are carrying a lot of weight on your body and losing weight will release the pressure on your back and everywhere else. I suffered back problems from an injury as a young teenager, my doctors and chiropractor said that losing weight would help. They were right! As soon as the weight started dropping off due to running, I RARELY feel back pain. When I'm inactive for long periods of time, I definitely feel my back pain creeping back.

I found it hard to believe my doctor at first when he told me to move more to alleviate back pain, but its true. I thought yeah right when I move it hurts how could it possibly help. Ever since I started walking I rarely get my flare ups. There were days I could barely move and one horrible night where I couldn't even get out of bed and was in excruciating pain if I so much as twitched. Now I only feel pain first thing in the morning if I stay in bed for more than 6 hours (not move for 6 hours).

have you had any medical attention for your spine since the car accident? I ask because I injured my spine around the same age as you, but from a bad fall....I fell about 6-7 feet and landed on the metal ring that goes around a trampoline and I hit with my lower back....later xrays showed that it pushed my lower spine inward, twisted and collapsed vertebrae and set me up for a lifetime of randomly herniating lower back discs....when I was about 30 I started treatment with a chiropractor to slowly move the vertebraes back into a straighter line...it took 2 years and my spine now is about as straight and untwisted as it will ever get....I haven't experienced any herniated discs since then

as for weight loss and exercise, I haven't noticed a real difference in my back pain....if I am inactive for too long, I still have a lot of stiffness and aching pain...if I sleep longer than about 8-9 hours like on a weekend when I go to bed regularly but then sleep in during the morning...

I don't have any injuries, but I have some sciatica that's only gotten worse with weight. Recently, I've become so uncomfortable sleeping because almost all of my weight is in my hips and lower back.

Weight loss will help. I also herniated a disc a few years ago- most painful thing I've ever done. In the meantime, strengthen your core- do planks, bird-dogs, etc. And I highly recommend yoga, or at least daily stretching. Tight hamstrings, hips, IT bands can throw your back out of alignment leaving you more prone to pain and even injury. My back problems are caused by tight hips/hammies. When I stretch, I have much more mobility in my back and don't throw it out.

I had a back injury and lost weight, it helped tremendously. The best thing you can do is get yourself to a physio therapist! They work with you one on one to really come up with a plan. Squats have helped me more than anything. Also plank type of exercises. Squats build up your bum and lower back muscles, muscles help with pain...

But weight in your situation is DEFINITELY going to impact your back in a negative way.

I have serious back problems (bulging discs pressing on nerves) and a very painful bone spur (and severe arthritis) in my right hip.

Losing weight has been a tremendous help! No other words for it, TREMENDOUS HELP. My chronic pain was so bad that it caused really severe sleep problems and the combo of the constant pain and lack of sleep made life truly, truly, truly miserable.

My severe back pain is one of the reasons I am aiming for a fairly low body weight. The improvement in quality of life is worth the effort to lose the weight FOR SURE!

I also have alot of ovarian cysts, which I constantly am aware of because I am followed closely with pelvic ultrasounds quite often (due to my mother being an ovarian cancer survivor). My cysts don't seem to cause me any pain to my back however.