I am sorry to hear this. At least he was honest with you & did not just take your money. I am sorry, but I am not familiar with you so I don't know what surgery you thought you were going to have. I have needed to start over on my chronic pain journey several times before & I believe we are the same age. In fact, I am starting a new path (SUCKS) next week. So I am really, really sorry that you might feel like your wheels are spinning but your getting no traction but your pain keeps marching onward & upward. Oh, that might be me....sorry. Hope things get better for you real soon!!!
-Jennifer

I went to one surgeon who said the exact same thing, could of been the same surgeon LOL then when I went to my second opinion he scheduled surgery that same day. I had two surgery's one on the neck and the other one on the back one worked well and the other not so well. I was glad to have the surgery for the one that worked great and the other even tho it did not work at least now I know I have tried everything.

I would not stop until you heard the exact same thing from a few doctors. If all say it well it is probably time to look in another direction but not with only hearing it from one doctor because you gotta think is he wrong maybe he is just not experienced enough to help maybe another doctor is better.

Do you have another doctor treating you for this problem? I would go back to them and see what they say. If you do get a second opinion make sure you go with an open mind and lots of questions. Plus remember that the surgery may only help 50% of the people but it can also cause additional damage. Nothing is without risk.

I think it's good that your surgeon was honest with you. Pain is not a reason to have surgery. Surgery only corrects mechanical problems but does NOT correct pain. Most often you're left with the same pain or worse after surgery. So it's great your doc was honest. Plus many times they can't correct the mechanical stuff either. I wish my own surgeon had been honest with me -- after he operated on me 2 times, I'm now disabled and INOPERABLE because of this. For the last 26 years I've had severe sciatica & chronic pain.

It sounds like pain management is calling your name. LOL I know that isn't what you want -- but it might be your only option. I pray you find some relief. God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee

I agree with Leeall 100%! You should be happy that the surgeon wa honest with you, since a large number of them just recommend a fusion because they know that they will make tons of dough! Surgery will not take care of your pain, it will only fix the structural issues in your spine, so why go through all of that if the pain is not going to be cure???

Find a good pain management Doctor or/and a Physiatrist; that can treat your pain with different approaches. Narcotics are not the only way to treat the pain, so go to a Doc that will put you in a program that will benefit you and your spine. I am glad to see that the surgeon was honest, you should be happy since spinal fusion is one of the worst surgeries that I've ever been through, and I've had 23 surgeries in my life time.

Take care,

Admirable and rare integrity from a surgeon IMO.

What kind of surgery is it? Because if it's related to ligaments, there are some surgeries who use special techniques that are more likely to work in EDS patients.

Si joint and pelvic fusion. My hip sent me to a dr who then sent me to another dr. I saw my hip dr today who is sending again for a 2nd opion because he isnt sure that he can fix be by just scoping me that he need to open me up to fix my hip. Its like he is afraid to do anything. I know that the surgery can make it worst but at this point i cant live like this. I have to try You cant walk on a dislocated hip i know I have tried.

I also have the double whammy of back and hip problems. Hip happened first and I was scoped. The scope gave me about 65% improvement for a while. I went back to work on lite duty and six months later I hurt my back. While we were trying to work through that my hip started to decline rapidly. I was truly a mess with a hip replacement on the table.

After a lot of debate and a second opinion on my hip I decided to go forward with a hip resurfacing instead of a THR. There was hope that it might even possibly help my back without the bad way I was walking due to the hip pain.

I had the surgery and it went very well. Sadly my back has not improved at all. I am getting my paperwork together and just had a second MRI in preparation for a second opinion at the same hospital that did my hip. I'm researching my new MRI tonight too. If you want to compare notes message me anytime.

Barbara