Thank you for the kind words, Bobbi. You are right about the seeming lack of surgeons in California with SI joint experience. I took Amtrak to Denver from Oakland, Calif. for my surgery (I was unable to tolerate sitting for the flight) after failing to find an experienced surgeon in the San Francisco area.

I was told by one surgeon that many doctors were taught in med school that the SI joints are not a significant potential cause for lumbar/pelvic pain, and it seems that it's only been research in the past 15 yrs or so that has proven otherwise. Also many surgeons are not comfortable in performing a nonroutine procedure like Si-joint fusion. So fusion candidates dshould definitely try to locate an experienced specialist.

I've also been told by phys. therapists and chronic pain doctors that SI-joint dysfunction is often overlooked or mistaken as lumbar spine issues. Fortunately, the diagnostic nerve block into the SI joint, under guided fluoroscopy), is a great means to confirm SI joint dysfunction.

I sympathize with all of our fellow sufferers of this awful condition.
Franck