[aberge61]

Hi all, I was a very active mom, ER RN, horse enthusiast. I first injured my spine/pelvis at 14 yrs of age. I fractured my pelvis and my L5 vertebrae. Bed rest was it as I was still developing and surgery would possibly have made one leg short.

I have had too many to count whiplash injuries, two car accidents that were basically head on types from people pulling into my lane right in front of me. Both whiplash type injuries that I did not follow up on as I was much too eager to finish nursing school and work.

My last accident was in September of 2011. My cinch buckle broke and my horse was turning one way, I somehow ended up on my back coming too (was knocked out) underneath my 3yo gelding who thankfully froze in place.
At first, I could no it walk. I was taken to the ER and complained of head injury, neck and pelvic pain. When the plain Xrays came back they had tunnel vision when they saw my pelvis.
See, it healed poorly and on film is hard to read. The arthritis, bone spurs, pubic symphysis, So joints split so one side is higher than the other creating a mild scoliosis up my spine. My SI joints are awful. I left before I even realized they did not xray my neck.
I worked at the time in a Level 2 Trauma center and very busy inner city hospital ED.

I have always experienced pain in the SI joint and deferred injections, popped ALOT of NSAIDS and off I went.
I have suffered off and on from joint swelling in my left and right foot and my right shoulder.
A couple of times I have been unable to move my arm and had a fever with it.
It was always diagnosed as acute bursitis given cortisone injections and off I went. This started in my early teens.
I also have a mild case of Reynauds.

My arms began to have classic burning pain numbness and weakness the next day after falling. I was sent home and on my way stopped had an Xray then an MRI the next day. It showed a disc herniated into my spinal cord. I was seen by a neurologist the next day who said I needs the ADR pro disc. He "sold" it well promising a full recovery and return to work in 4 weeks at the most.

It is now February 2014. 2 1/2 years later and I'm still out. On disability and frustrated depressed and confused.
It was good the first two to three months when I started having muscle spasms, pain down my right arm that comes and goes, weakness and a a deep bone pain, ache that will no it stop.
I've never NOT worked. We are drowning.
I've been back to the surgeon, had xrays Cut myelogram, Another MRI and an EMG.
He just said, there's nothing wrong, you have arthritis, see a rheumatologist. All blood work for rheumatology workup, initial workup is normal. Now I know it CAN BE normal and you can still have the disease however...I feel like the disc Pro disc is wrong. It hurts all of the time..like I said, hammer to the bone and radiating pain.

The surgery was difficult according to the Dr. My bones were smaller than average. I went to a neurosurgeon but only saw the PA in a town over same county for a second opinion. My family Dr. Is CONVINCED it is the implant. He doesn't care they say it is great, right where it is supposed to be, he feels it is wrong and keeps throwing antiinflammatories and fentanyl, which I finally broke down and used when I developed a GI BLEED from overuse of NSAIds.
He says, its a failed disc surgery. He wants them to revise it to the fusion and auto graft.

He feels this way because in 05 I had a tubal ligation reaction to the metal, pain and migration of the clips. My OB removed them and I was fine.

Well after the fact I put it all together and the implant contains the same metal. The neurosurgeons think I'm crazy and this is not possible.
I don't know where to turn. I really need my life back. My dream job back, my health back.
So.,.I'm not a happy PRO DISC C customer.
Even as an RN who has been in healthcare for 14 years, I get nowhere. These surgeons I know from past experience do not throw each other under the bus so I figured a second opinion wouldn't turn out different.
I'm scared and feeling hopeless.
Everyone we know doesn't understand because I've never had any issues with surgeries, injuries or illnesses. Heck I had C diff 4 times! Subsequent rectal surgery for cancer...which was completely removed and chronic pain that never stopped me before.
I've never been down. I ran, was active in the community, my hospital and my horses, kids and farm.
Now I feel like a forgotten burden. Just an oih well, we did the surgery, tests all look great!

Well, good for the tests, why is this debilitating pain here. I also have clicking when I move or lie down. They say, its perfectly placed. The doctor did say during surgery my bones were so small they almost fused instead but literally had to beat the heck out of me to get it in, its the smallest size available.
They both say it isn't the problem. Really? I'm so confused. Sorry so long! Hope anyone who has advice, stories, help will comment!
Desperate for relief!!!
Last thing...I have an appointment with a surgeon from Cedars Sinai, one of the few here in Washington who does an SI Joint fusion and pelvis surgery. His philosophy based on what his assistant told me is that when your pelvis is asymmetrical your foundation has sunk so the rest of your spine suffers. He does the SI BONE fusion and other pelvic surgeries for past traumas etc. When I brought this up with my Neck surgeon and also with my 2Nd opinion PA they say it is not likely. In my mindnIm thinking how come? My pelvis is causing the mild scoliosis so why not? I'm in pain almost all day from that..the episodes of pain have come and gone for years but since the last fall they have come more frequent and with more intensity to the point of all day every day...so I wonder...but am told no.
I have an appointment next week with a pain management group, then this new SI joint neurosurgeon the following week...should I hold off on the pain management? I'm not increasing or taking more opiates...I hate being on the Fentanyl as it is. I may switch if they have some compelling new drug besides, percocet, vicodin, buprenorphine or methadone. I have reactions to all opiates and so far Fentanyl has been just OK. I'm on 25mcg patches. I can't do too much in NSAIDS because I ruined myself. I don't want another scary GI bleed!
I don't want to take ANYTHING. I want my pain relieved or at least tolerable again.
I have the discs of studies/films also. But, like I said, they say they're normal.
The implant size according to the surgeons doesn't matter if its in. Confusing and long, I know and apologize in advance.