Franck, please give me some more info on your si joint fusion.
SharonK

I used to be a regular on the PN board, but this post did catch my eye. I've had SI joint problems for over 30 years. When it is at it's worst...and it is right now...I get tingling around my kneecap...outer thigh, occasional sharp groin pain...and I sometimes wonder if the toe pain I feel has been due to the SI joint dysfunction. I didn't think it could skip my leg and go right to the bottom of my toes. I ended up with surgery on both feet...suspected neuromas....and who knows....it may have been the back all along. Right now...it hurts more than it has ever. Just icing and taking ibuprofen. I know that arching my back can make it worse.

Thanks B for the imformation on Amtrack,i feeel this might be best
way for me and old buddy Bob to travel now.

Bob fell and broke his pelvis Bone age (78) since he was in a head on
collision in 96 one of his many injuries was a shattered Pelvis. They
had to do so much surgery They could only find the recent broken
bone with a MRI. For the last 3 months,they said no more surgery
the bone had to heal on it's own. Now he has been complaining
in his quiet way of pain from hip down. I been in hospital,but willl
get him a steriod shot with pain meds. I come over here because
i worry about him. And ther's always so much caring and information.

Jack i'm sure they could help you,good luck to you and everybody.
Sue

Franck,

Thank you for posting your story about the SI joints...I did get an injection, but I am not certain the doc doing the injection used fluroscopy...I thought he did, but then was not certain that he did....

I am going to call a different facility tomorrow to ask if they do it under fluroscopy and if they do I am going to get a script for another injection. I might try an injection into both sides this time...

Jakatak, you are the first person I ever heard of that talks of outer thigh pain. I have it all the time, if I try to walk it gets worse and worse, tighter and tighter with every step until it is almost impossible to walk anywhere anymore. I have had sacroiliac pain off and on for years. Tried looking up thigh pain with no answer yet. Does it hurt your thighs to walk? Both of mine do the same thing but one does it far more than the other. Right now I am having lots of pain trying to sleep due to the lower back pain and all the butt pain. OUGH! Tried icing and think it is better than heat. Just wish I could find a doc that could give me some insight so am going to ask my ortho about it. If only I thought I could get help for it I would be so glad. Froggie

If you do travel - or anyone disabled travels - by Amtrak, also make sure to arrange for an attendant to do the "in-seat" meal stuff (you give the order and it is brought to you) if ordering off the "menu." Once again, Amtrak has to be made aware up-front and in advance so that there is no extra service charge applied - in addition to the cost of menu items .

Another tip? for train travel? Take luggage (no carry-ons) in advance. It makes it so much easier to have luggage dispatched/transported ahead of travel time.

Though no mode of travel can absolutely guarantee luggage will not be lost, Amtrak didn't lose a single item when my luggage was taken in advance; I don't travel light so I was suprised when nothing was lost. My luggage arrived at my destination and was there before I got there. It was also difficult to convince Amtrak people to accept a tip; they were so reluctant but they did above and beyond, I thought. It felt as if I had to pressure them to take the darn tip . They treated me - and others also travelling in the "disabled/seniors" car - so well!

Any probs. arise during travel, a passenger doesn't need to resolve it; there are attendants present and they take care of everything. For instance, some passengers were stowing luggage under the table where my chair was parked (with me in it; I made space for a senior traveller and gave up my passenger seat and decided to sit in my chair). The carry-ons were cramping my "zone." An attendant just relocated the luggage to the carry-on area. Sure, I got a few stares and glares, but... my footrests do need some space .

For carry-ons, I took an ice chest (food and water), computer, purse and a tote (that didn't count against the luggage criteria). Neither does a chair (power or manual).

Any lengthy trip I make, I know that I'll prefer the train. It was so stress-free. (And I am a total control freak, so ... I was impressed with how smoothly everything went.)

Thigh pain? I'd ask a doc to do a differential on whether there may be trochanteric involvement.

I must have misspoke. My pain can be very sharp on my right groin. It can occur on the outside of my left calf. I can get tingling around the kneecaps and lower leg. Right now, getting up from a sitting position is really bad. My left leg is shorter than my right do to an auto accident where I broke my left leg. I cannot rotate my left leg outward when it is bent...because the tightness in my inner thigh is so bad and it feels like it is impinging on a nerve. I wish I knew specifically what exercises I should do and avoid. My pain does ebb and flo, depending on how much backwork I do around the house.

Obturator neuropathy?

My left groin, medial thigh and knee were causing me a lot of pain, and... then, along came the dx: Obturator neuropathy.

That's pretty much what happened to me after YEARS of getting epidural injections for herniated and bulging discs. Sometimes worked but never completely. A new doctor came to the pain clinic, my old doc left, so I had to see the new guy, and he told me that he wanted to try something different....which is how I ended up finally with the SI joint answer.

As he explained it, it wasn't until recently that doctors were figuring out the SI joint connection and assumed the pain was all because of the spine problems. I've had bilateral SI injections every year since then...painful as they are. And they've always helped.

I've been in too many car accidents and suffered physical abuse at the hands (and boot-clad feet) of an ex-husband and he used to kick me in my lower back when he'd get me on the floor curled in a ball trying to protect myself. I have a feeling my degeneration started way back then...add several car accidents to that and voila. Joint dysfunction.

I'm glad I saw this thread because I didn't even know about the surgery option.

The SI pain is bad, but I have worse sacrum and tailbone pain. Have broken my tailbone a couple of times and fallen on it also too many times to count.

Very good thread, lots of information.

Thanks folks!