Okay: here's my response and you might think it comes across as too personal BUT I am a caring person and I say this with love.

Any excess weight on a person's body will do NO GOOD for sciatica. It just puts too much stress on the joints, the back, the core, EVERYTHING.

I once weighed close to 300 lbs. Years and years ago. What this extra weight did to my knees and my back, well forget it.

I had back pain most of my life and I was obese most of my life.
The First time sciatica pain hit me I thought i would die. It's that formidable. Went to the doctor and of course I got the "lose weight speech". I got mad at the doctor and said to myself 'who on earth is this skinny person telling me to lose weight"?? You see I wasn't alble or ready enough to face my obesity. I just wasn't. NO one could make me either. It had to come from me.

It had to be a lightbulb moment when you have such pain that you say: "what the hell am I doing to my body .' I used to self-medicate with food, with chips, dips, prezels, orange cupcakes (my favorite at the time)
I remember when my son left home when he was 20, I had a picnic that night. All the ding dongs, all all the milk, the party mix, the chex mix, and the thick potato chips with the dips. These are my triggers and I no longer keep them in my home. I know better. I went to a nutritionist who explained that FAT PEOPLE are not always hungry. You find the reason that a person eats all the time and you'll have a better understanding of why they are obese.

I love salads, fresh veggies, chicken cutlets (not fried), fish, (with creole seasoning). I do not eat after 7 p.m. I do not snack at night. I have learned portion control. I don't eat any sugar, nothing fried, I do stir fry though. I've learned to use Mrs. DAsh. You see what I had was a very bad habit (a habit I had to change).

When a person gets sick enough, gets scared enough and in my case, when I find out I had neuropathy, I never wanted another outbreak of the burning pain, the pins and needles, so I do everything I can do to keep my blood sugar normal. Also, it's kind of nice to wear nice clothes and no one looks at you when you go anywhere and they are thinking "look at that overweight person". I had that for many years.

It's all a mind thing. Something has to click in your wife's mind.
Be supportive, be understand, don't make fun of her and make sure she knows you love her. I dont' know exactly how much overweight she is carrying on her frame. But if it's over 35 to 40 lbs, it's a strain on her body. My friend's daughter is over 500 lbs. she's only 29 years old.
I know many overweight people who look at me and thing "oh you must thing you are hot stuff because you lost the weight. This is called jealousy. I've learned who my real friends are.

Just continut to gently support her. Is she amenable to your mentioning her being overweight??? I most certainly was not.

Only whe she is ready, will she lose the weight.

Write me any time and I'll tell you the foods i eat that they definitely take the weight off.


So good luck and say hi to your wife for me.

Sincerely, Melody