It could get worse (let's hope it doesn't). The scoliosis specialist could wind up bouncing you back to the neurosurgeon, or on to a different specialist.

Having experienced similar, I call it "Guinea Pig Complex".

Wait... it gets better. I wouldn't necessarily want to accept the first offer to cut. Surgery, being the absolute last resort after all other treatment options have been exhausted, and only after at least 2 opinions (and possibly more). Surgeon shopping is different than doctor shopping; in the case of surgery, you want a surgeon experienced in the exact procedure you require, with the highest success rate (and even so, that rate could be low enough you decide to bag surgery altogether as not worth the risks).

You had to start this journey somewhere, and it happened to be with the orthopedic surgeon. Whoever sent you there might just as well have sent you to the neurosurgeon, who might still have sent you on... Sometimes the doctors themselves don't know who to send you to first (especially PCPs - I've had this happen multiple times); they make their best guess based on their training & experience, and sometimes they guess wrong. Better you do get sent on than the wrong guy try to fix what would be better fixed by someone else.

The SSDI/SSI may still send you to their preferred doctors for evaluation - don't know.

You're correct that getting miffed at the orthopedic doctor would be counterproductive. I think he should be informed though, for his own knowledge to help make him a better doctor and avoid repeating the same mistake. Several of my doctors do have evaluation/feedback cards/forms available in their waiting rooms. They're affiliated with the same large medical center, which is probably the difference.

I get that you're sick of it. Some of us have been through the mill so many times we've had no choice but to get philosophical and try to laugh at the situation (if we weren't in so much pain and it all costing so much).

1. You're not alone. Many of us have had the same/similar experiences, and that's what support groups are about (in part).
2. It's a journey, or at least that's arguably one way to look at it.
3. It's a team effort, with the patient as captain, your PCP as manager, and cooperation vital to "winning".

Doc

Attached is a schematic of a chronic pain patient's support network (team).
© 2007 Used with Permission

Attached Thumbnails