SI joint diagnosed after 5 yrs - Help!

[InBedFiveYrs]

I don't know who to believe. The osteopath who's supposed to be one of the best in the country classified the agony as RSD. I just went to a pain doctor and right away she said it was SI joint dysfunction. I had already had a fusion l5-s1 bc I had/have sciatica and of course that wasn't it, and then the doctoers told me it was my imagination, and depression. All this suffering was all in my head. I see that new pain doc tomorrow for next steps but now after all these years, I'm dependent on pain killers. I just pray that something can be done bc I can't live with it anymore. The pain, anxiety, and loneliness have become to much. Has anyone had any success???
I made a deal with myself. After all this time, if this doesn't work I'm gone in six months.

[InBedFiveYrs]

Thanks for responding. I'm on cymbalta and Depakote. I'm now back to 20 mg of Exalgo which is helping tremendously. I'm trying injections soon. I pray they work. Also, does anyone know anything about prolotherapy?

The last thing I want to be is on this pain medication!

[femmy29]

SI joint dysfunction can be a very disabling condition and difficult to treat but it is treatable.  Please do not give up on yourself in this life!!  If you ever feel like hurting yourself, be sure to let your doctor know as soon as possible.  Depression is often an additional condition that accompanies chronic pain that requires treatment.  Anti-depressants like Cymbalta can relieve pain and stabilize your mood.

Sometimes a steroid medication is injected into the SI joint and if the pain is relieved, typically a diagnosis of SI joint dysfunction follows.  A good Internist D.O. can apply pressure and manipulation to the body to discover the areas that SI joint dysfunction is penetrating and offer treatments that are most effective on the hardest hit areas.  There are many medications and modalities that can make chronic pain due to SI Joint Dysfunction or RSD easier to manage.  Also consider seeking out a Physiatrist at a local teaching hospital.  Physiatrists often dig deeper for a more comprehensive understanding of your specific chronic pains and can therefore, offer a unique pain management plan that is most effective for you.  And remember, if you ever feel a doctor is not doing enough to help you, remember that there are many other compassionate doctors out there that are willing to help you.

You are not alone and you have taken a step in the right direction by joining a support community here.  There are a few within this community that cope with RSD and SI Joint Dysfunction on a daily basis who may have some tips you haven't tried yet that could be helpful.  You are welcome to vent your frustrations or seek out advice or help others if you feel up to it.  Finding others like you is a good first step to learning how to cope with and manage chronic pain.  You have a lot to live for.  It may seem like forever when going through the trial and error process to find out what treatments help and which don't but don't give up.  Often it can take awhile to determine what works best for your pain.

There is nothing wrong with being dependant on pain killers to treat a chronic condition.  It is no different from dependancy on medications to treat diabetes, hypertension, or depression.  Think positive and keep your mind open to the different treatment options that your new pain doc may offer to you.  

Please update us on how you are doing and how your appointment went.  We care!

femmy  :)