Sacroiliac Joint Fusion

rosedee · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2007, 11:51 PM

Hi Maria,

I'm in the UK and my surgeon will be Mr. John Sutcliffe who is very experienced, has an excellent reputation and in whom I feel a lot of confidence.

My first surgery (when I was 26) was one of the biggest mistakes of my life and just created more problems without solving any. After that I stuck with osteopathy, which was very helpful most of the time. I found that anytime I went near medics something went wrong! In 1987 I had Sclerosant injections, which seems to be the same as prolotherapy, and that just added to my problems. Fusion was first recommended in 1991, but I declined. I only agreed to it in 2000 after being off-work, housebound for 18 months and felt little option. In hindsight, it was still the right decision at the time. It helped my back, but just happened to damage a nerve in my spine!

When I first sought medical opinions this time round, I felt that any invasive procedure would have to have a good likelihood of offering at least 80% improvement. After 2 years of being barely able to move I feel any improvement is worth trying for, given how curtailed and limited is my life in all ways. My surgeon's opinion is that while it won't get rid of all my pain, it should significantly improve it. I feel I have no choice now - though of course I do!

rosedee · #2 (**permalink**) 05-07-2007, 12:10 AM

Hi Dale,

Your assessment of my spine is pretty accurate! I'm in the UK and don't have insurance covering my spine. Unfortunately, the surgeon I have most confidence in no longer works on our NHS and the ADR specialist that does, I don't have confidence in! I have seriously considered going to Germany (though the cost probably wouldn't be a lot less), but have decided against it for several reasons. I have major problems going 10 minutes away from home so the logistics of getting there are mega. Aside from that, my concern would be not being able to access after care once I'd left Germany. Given my history, the state of my spine and the permanent nerve damage I have, even if the surgery went as well as possible, I am not going to be problem free (something all the opinions I have sought are agreed upon).

Thanks for your welcome - I've been around for a few months now, but silent......I've found reading posts -new and older - very helpful and thought provoking.

elias2117 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-07-2007, 09:37 PM

Rosedee, well let me first say that I'm sorry your in the position that you are.If you want to know more about the SI surgery then you need to go to the SI forum, which has many people that have SI fusions.
http://www.kalindra.com/sacroiliac.htm
http://login.prospero.com/dir-login/...2FSIJD%2Fstart

This forum is great and also a lot about prolotherapy. Also here is a website for a prolo doctor in the UK. Don't ask how I found it just happened while poking around the net.
http://www.painclinic.org/spinalpain-lowbackpain.htm

I can tell you this from my time spent seeing a doctor for prolo, who performed SI fusions lets just say I saw many people who said they were worse off after the fusion. Now it just maybe the doctor or the weren't correctly examined.

I'm doing prolo because I have a serious muscle strain that is causing my SI to become unstable. I wish I could get a doctor to reconstruct my lower back muscles but no luck yet. Mr.Mintzer said he could possible help me, but I think I'll try prolo first before I waste his time. The problem with prolo is insurance doesn't cover it and it's quite expensive. Well I hope you find the help you need in your treatment.

Best regards,john.

rosedee · #4 (**permalink**) 05-08-2007, 09:55 AM

Hi John,

Thanks so much for your useful links. Because of my negative experience with prolotherapy (even though it was for my lumbar spine rather than SI), I don't see it as an option for me. It clearly does help some people a lot, though, and I'm sure that 20 years on from when I tried it there will have been improvements with it. I hope it is helpful for you.

Like you I swam a lot for years and did regular Pilates, which I found really helpful for all my back problems - it (together with osteopathy) helped keep me away from the medics for many years.

rosedee

elias2117 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-08-2007, 02:54 PM

Hi Rosedee,

Well all I can say is don't give up yet on prolo it took me 4 prolo doc's before I found one who treated with the best protocal meaning number of shots and solution used. Remember the treatment is only as good as the one behind the treatment which holds true with surgery as well. Prolo if done correctly can give great relief, I have reduced my pain by 50-60% with only two treatments. If it takes me a year of treatment then so be it. One thing you will find that recovery from SI fusion will take 2yrs and there is no reversal if you are fused in an incorrect position then you will live a life of pain. It's all on that SI forum. Best regards,john.