[COLOR="red"]Hi[/CH


HI, Brenda, I'm new at this so don't know if I'm doing it rightl

I have something called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and have had 14 spine surgeries--the last in 2000 when they removed 5 previous fusions, did laminectomies of those spaces plus lams of 2 thoracic vertebrae, then put in 14 cadaver bone blocks and 14 pedicle screws and attached them to two titainum rods. It wasn't a perfect surgery (about 12 hours) but cut my pain by 1/2 or more and I did pretty well till 3 years ago when my hip joint became bad (also had knee repaired---ACL tear and removal of Bakers cyst). The hip bursa were injected on an almost routine basis and finally this surgeon felt she could remove and had done it with great results so ordered a scan--but I mentioned more back pain so a scan ordered for that. It didn't look right to the radiologist and so she wouldn't do hip surgery till the back isssue was solved. YOu can imagine the complications I present doctors,had many tests, saw orthos, neuros--finally went back to the man who did the BIG surgery and he diagnosed problem as a SI joint problem. HE doesn't do injections but has a colleague who does, but my internist husband felt we should go back to our area===600 mi E--and see if we can find a suurgeon who works on SI joints, which we did within 25 mi from us. He did more tests and lo and behold found the lowest lumbar space was a non-union AND I have TWO bad SI joints! Now, this sugeon will fuse both joints, along with the L4 vertebrae. I am relieved to hear that someone has had good results. How long has it been since your surgery and how was your recovery period? Having had 14 spine surgeries, I would think that I would tolerate the surgery okay. One never knows.... Do you notice more stiffness or not? At this pt I stiffen up and feel that I am losing my balance,which I hope will get better when the pain lessens---I hope (I have a lot of stinging pain) ANything you can tell me to help me understand this would be very much appreciated! I' hope to hear from you!