[ZorroSF]

It's a difficult situation we're all in. Having to find a doctor without being called a doctor shopper or a hypocondriac. Let's be honest, most spine doctors don't do nearly enough testing before they prescribe treatments, that is if they prescribe anything. Many just dismiss chronic pain, while pocketing your money. (that's why lawyers were invented)

On the otherhand if you're experiencing chronic pain, you can't ignore it. The ramifications of ignoring it can cause you permanent disability like the shape I'm in. From the sound of it you're nowhere near the point half of us are in. We can't sit or stand 15 minutes without excrutiating pain, much less sit on a train for 3.5hrs. Without sounding rude, I almost wish I was in your shoes.

Let's hope you don't have DDD, but the only way to know for sure is to get an MRI. if an MRI doesn't show anything maybe the resolution is crappy, or they're looking in the wrong place. I ASSume you already have x-rays at your lumbar and SI joints? X-rays won't show tissue damage, but it can show asymetric joints.

Joint pain can be a number of things; nerve root interference, damaged joints tissue, damages soft tissue connecting to the joint, etc...

The fact that a doctor can corroberate your pain is the first step. The next step is to perform as many tests as possible. If this guy won't then you need to find someone who can take his notes and build on it wihtout going in the wrong direction.

If an employer doesn't care that you're in chronic pain and is willing to lay you off then they don't know the law unless, of course, you live in a southern right-to-fire state where they don't have to give any reason at all. Then you're just f%^&*$.

I think it's against most state laws to fire someone due to their disability. Just make sure you have a note from your doctor stating your limitations. If your employer lays you off then that wasn't going to be a place you wanted to work at when you really become disabled. That's the worst situation to be put in when you need the most help.

In the meantime, I suggest you find a chiropractor who is licensed to interpret x-rays and see if they can work with your SI joint until you can find a specialist who will perform more testing.