Hi there
I am so sorry that I didn't get around to answering your previous post. I am in the middle of arranging for my elderly in laws to move 150 miles to live near to us. I am making curtains etc, all too much of my poor back and as a result more days in bed.
Anyway, back to SI fusion surgery! I had tried injections, RFA and nothing had helped so surgery was all that was left and given the amount of pain I was in, I was more than willing to go for it. I couldn't sit, couldn't walk very far was uncomfortable lying. Life was very uncomfortable!
I am in the UK and as far as SI fusion surgery goes, we are a bit behind. My first op was done by the traditional method, not sure exactly what that meant other than fusing the surfaces together with bone grafts and holding it all together with screws. Initially it seemed successful, and I thought the pain I had left was muscular.
By this time I was having severe pain in the other side so decided to have surgery on that side too. By this time the DIANA method of SI fusion had been introduced here and my surgeon had had good results with it so he decided to use that method for my second op. From day 1 I noticed a huge difference, less pain and it was much easier to move around in bed. I should add that I was non weight bearing on each side for six weeks, that was a bit of a bind. However, I have read that in the US they are not into the non weight bearing.
As I was recovering from the second op, the pain in the other side ( the original op side) began to get worse to the point it as at now, basically back to how it was before the op or even worse. After much thought and discussion I have decided to have the surgery redone, this time by the DIANA method. I am totally pain free in my left side, the side done with by the DIANA method. To be honest after six weeks I had very little pain and have been pain free for months now. I live with the hope that this op, to be done in December, will be as successful as the last one was.
As far as your situation goes, my feeling is that you definitely did the right thing in having the injections done. In the UK they would do three injections and then do radio frequency ablation. The RFA, where they heat up the nerves to stop them sending pain signals to the brain, can offer longer term relief, lasting months instead of weeks. Only if all that fails should you consider surgery, but if it comes to that don't be too afraid of it. I think in the US the I-fuse method is common. If you google either, you will get info on both.
If there is anything you want to know that I haven't mentioned please just ask! I really hope that the injections offer you long term relief. I know just how you are suffering, the pain from SI dysfunction is unrelenting.
Take care and good luck with everything
Jane
Post Edited (Fusiongirl) : 11/9/2012 3:11:11 PM (GMT-7)