SI Joint Dysfunction: Anyone had their SI joints fused?

@dkcasey I was fused from L4 -S1 worst decision I ever made but they didn’t find out until they got in there that L 5 was loose. My opinion they should have found away to fasten L5 to the Ines above or go on down to S2 or 3 because have my whole spine as leverage against the S1 . 3 weeks after my fusion someone came behind while I was seated and twisted my shoulders not knowing I had surgery. It didn’t bother me but the NO ordered imaging that looked good . I seen My Neurosurgeons unexperienced NP week 4 and was told it could be a set back but I could start lifting up to 25 lb and start bending and twisting . 3 years later I still struggle lifting 10lb . So I went home that night and showered and bent to dry my legs , I felt a burning and swelling in the fusion area. I could rub it and it would cause pain immediately in the tes ticles! A few weeks later I see the surgeon ( I’m in a wheelchair because I couldn’t make it to the 2 nd floor) and he says what are you here for ( I should have said to waste your time ) I said the swelling and tes ticle pain and inner thighs very painful WITHOUT getting me out of the wheelchair he says no you don’t have that.. Next visit he said Sorry it’s a failed fusion go get a spine stimulator that turned out making things a lot worse. I just had the stimulator removed last month. I have been to 9 Surgeons 2 orthopedic Surgeons at Mayo and one of them I seen twice( very heart breaking thinking it’s a top rated hospital for me to make a 12 hour drive just to have more imaging and to be told go get a stimulator and the second time I seen Dr Sebastian all he said was I don’t recommend you having any more surgeries of any kind any more! Final results from a failed stimulated also I now can’t wear pants or underwear I have to wear depends so I can roll them down so they don’t touch my low back. If I wear my wife’s sleep shirt I can go non stop for 1-2 hours but put oversized sweatpants on and I’m falling all because it damaged the surface nerves on my lower back

I also had this fusion. Had to have hardware removed because of bone infection. Trouble with SI joints also. I’ve always had a lot of butt pain, which I thought could be hip related rather than lumbar. Recent MRI showed Labral tear and some tendon issues.

I had my Sacroilliac Joints fused last year at the same time I underwent a T10 to Pelvis fusion.

I have not felt any pain or discomfort from the SI fusions, but I was initially on heavy meds because of the spine fusion. And, a year later, I am still on some meds due to an unrelated radicular numbness and tingling in my calf and foot.
I am happy that I had my SI joints fused as they were the source of prior pain due to osteoarthritis at the joints.

@denisejones00 Would you be willing to share who the dr is. I've seen so many and they just make me worse, but no one has been one show is an SI specialist.
I just need help at this point. I'll go anywhere as my SI is complex.

@joelhoward1092 chiropractors everywhere give manual SI joint adjustments. The specific exercises might be different from denisejones' because your rotation is probably different.

Aside from being fused or stabilized from C3-C6, T2-S1, I also had my left SI joint fused. They’re are about 6 different procedures for SI fusion. The original procedure is quite complex and invasive. I had a different procedure that required an incision just below the spot you’d get a caudal injection. Upper butt crack. They drilled 2 holes through either side and about 3 inches apart. Then inserted(with a few hammer taps) plugs made from cadaver bone. That would fuse the SI through organic bone growth. To me it felt like minor surgery. No overnight, brief moderate pain deep inside and the usual pain associated with a surgical incision. It completely eliminated the butt to balls pain. I’ve had 20 back & back related (SCS, pump) surgeries. This was minimally painful and healed well. No regrets about it.

@sbtheplumber1 I am sorry to read all of this. If you can afford to - see if you can go to UC Health (UCSD research hospital) orthopedic spine dept. Dr. Zlomislec told me he does other doctors failed fusions. He's AMAZING and so is their department! I recommend to not give up. He did my lumbar and my cervical fusions.
About your nerves: I had excited nerves from the cervical fusion was much more problematic for me. Yes, you can't have anything touch your skin for a while. I went to a very good MFR therapist. That resolved my issues with the nerves on fire. I also added HEME iron supplements and B12, which cured my neuropathy in my left leg. (lots of activity too - walking, stretching, self-massage). It can take 2 - 10 years for the nerves to remodel. If you are not an addictive personality type, I also recommend Percocet. I have a tailbone/arthritis that can't be helped. So the medication completely controls that nerve/arthritis pain. It took me 20 years to get to the right surgeon (and 4 different opinions the last 3 years before surgery). Keep plugging away if you can, on the days that you can!

@emptygelcap The doctors that I went to for help aren’t SI specialists. They are doctors who know how to manipulate the spine and SI joint to put it in the correct position if twisted. The two that helped me were located in Roanoke Va. and Salem, Va. The one in Salem VA is a MD Internist, Sports Medicine doctor. The other is in Roanoke and he is a DO (dr of osteopathy.). It can take many visits. They would manipulate my body and send we off for physical therapy/exercises/yoga in an effort to get my body stronger so that new muscles developed would hold their corrections. The process takes months/years of intensive exercising to work. Also pelvic floor exercises/therapy was incorporated. I have had murmurous MRI’s as well. If scoliosis is a component of the problem it makes it much more difficult to maintain their corrections. I have researched SI joints for several years. On thing I learned for myself is that I would never let a doctor fuse by SI joint to keep it in place. I read of too many people who regret that decision and live in terrible pain that is permanent!! For me I will continue my path of manipulation and building muscle by exercising. My pain isn’t gone by any stretch but it is much better. Hoping you can find help. Ps know that cortisone shots are damaging to muscles/ligaments that are attached to the SI Joint. I have had 3 over my journey for wellness and will have no more. I use Willow Patches and take ibuprofen, magnesium and naproxen…..all with food to protect my stomach lining. It’s a process and am thankful for Drs who know manipulation!!