I started exercising about a month ago and I'm loving it!!My sciatica is really acting up, but I push through it and my doctor gave me a prescription for Naproxen. Last week, I started having some lower back pain. At 358 pounds, I expected to have aches and pains in the beginning. I've been doing mostly low impact cardio, walking and some strength training. I've never had back issues before, but at 36 years old I know that my body is changing. It's not excruciating pain, but it's three nonetheless.

I guess what I really need to know is if it's safe for me to continue doing my cardio and such. I'm making so much progress that I don't want to stop now!! Any advice or input would be much appreciated!! Thank you!

Hi! It's inevitable that there will be some aches and pains involved in working out for anyone, especially if you're significantly overweight. I'm not impressed that your doc gave you drugs, but that's the state of modern medicine these days, it seems easier to pop a few pills rather than fix the root of a problem.

If you're having chronic pain with movement I would instead ask for a prescription for physical therapy. It's exercise with a devoted therapist who will make sure to give you exercises that will isolate your muscles and keep you injury free.

Also, for things like back pain, sciatica and other muscularskeletal issues I urge you to find an osteopathic doctor who can treat these injuries gently, taking you as a whole person into account. An osteopath is a legitimate doctor who will hold off from prescribing medication unless it is absolutely positively necessary and will help you find ways to address your physical pain in an integrative manner.

Hi Palestrina!! Thank you so much for the advice. Yeah, the naproxen doesn't really do anything. He told me to take it and if I was still having issues THEN he would send me to physical therapy. I'm going to look into it.

Yeah, I have to remind myself that when I lost a ton of weight back in 2095, I was 25. I'm 36 now!! ��

I know this may sound crazy but what has always worked for me is Candlelight Yoga by Sara Ivanhoe...It's very gentle and soothing and really helps to eliminate any back or shoulder or hip pain I may have....and at my highest I was 365 and I'm way older than you....

As with any yoga...listen to your body and ease in and out of any stretch or pose....if you can't do one because you're not there then don't and don't beat yourself up over it...

You can find a version of the whole thing on youtube.....

Got it, sweetcakes736!! I'm going to check it out in YouTube before I buy it! ��❤️

I had horrific sciatica a couple years ago where I literally could not stand up or walk for more than 30 seconds. I would NOT recommend ignoring the pain and just continuing with your regular work out - that's what I did and I was 3 months basically paralyzed as a result. In the end it was a wonderful osteopath who got me back on my feet (I tried physical therapy and acupuncture with no luck).

Depends on the pain. Like does it feel good because your muscles are sore?
If it is really just painful feeling I would stop until it goes away. Better safe than sorry.