To fuse or not to fuse

[annapurna]

Thanks Maria,

Your comments are always caring and insightful. I had totally forgotten about my symptomatic sacroiliac joint. It's almost as painful as the facet joints - and proveably so by diagnostic injections.

I also like your comments about the value of drugs in permitting one to function more fully. Right now, the "activities" that cause most of my pain are sitting at my desk at work and driving. Oddly enough, walking - and even hiking - tends to ease my arthritic symptoms. I feel very encouraged to give the stronger pain management drugs a good, honest try before I start to get "desperate" and think that I need to do something hasty. After all, I can quit taking the drugs, but I can't undo a double-level fusion.

Thanks again!!
Laura