LizaJane,

I feel as though you and I have been going through this fusion situation together. I have been back to see my surgeon last week. I have the cages in the front of the spine. I am fused, but they now think I am getting pain from the SI joint and want to remove the pelvic screw.

You might want to ask Dr. O'Leary if he is going to do pelvic fixation Liza....I was not told about that before my fusion. If he is going down a level they sometimes do or find they need to do pelvic fixation. It is a long screw down into the pelvis. The surgeon that did my cervical fusion told me that the screw will break at two years. In trying to determine why I still have pain I have learned that this screw often causes women pain and now may need to come out...so just know if they want to do this fixation to you it may mean another surgery after your fusion...so please ask about it before you allow surgery.

I just had SI injections this week to determine if I have pain coming from this area. If I do then they will do surgery to remove the screw. They cannot determine why I still have pain. I am fused so it is not from not being fused though I do not know how they can determine fusion when the radiologist could not read the CT scan because of arcing....

I am sorry to hear of your present dilemna...I will keep you in my prayers.

The surgeon that did my cervical fusion told me to stay away from NYC. He said if I go back they will want to go up into the thoracic spine to fuse...They have not offered that to me...but I see they are wanting to go higher and lower with you...though not up into the thoracic spine...It may be that they have no other choice..I trust the NYC surgeons and think there are none greater. I think they dare to do what others would not even consider doing...They have great confidence and surgical skills to match...I have a lot of confidence in my NYC surgeon and have no regrets ever using him. He helped me when others just turned me away...I am certain we will get to the bottom of the pain too...

Although you had a great surgeon operate on you the first time...I think you are making a wise choice in having O'Leary do your revision...