Paulette - Revision of Scoliosis Surgery & Laminectomy of L5-S1

**Paulette** · 01-11-2011, 11:57 PM

Beth,
I also had symptoms similar to yours, although not as severe. It began after having a revision scoliosis surgery, which included a laminectomy of L5-S1. That was almost two years ago. I have tried PT, and have had my rt. SI joint fused. I still continue to have pain with sitting and cannot reach for anything without a pulling sensation in my rt. buttock and vagina. I have to take small steps with the rt. leg, or the nerve becomes inflamed. I am not sure what to do next. Your post was in November. Are you doing any better? Have you sought out any treatment options? Paulette

**Justin** · 01-29-2011, 09:05 PM

Hi Paulette,

Welcome to the Spine Patient Society.

I must have missed your original post. How are you feeling now?

**Paulette** · 01-30-2011, 01:07 AM

Justin.
I am doing worse than ever. Fusing the SI joint has made things much worse. I am frightened, because I don't want to live the rest of my life like this. I read that fusing the spine to the sacrum can cause PN. No one can tell me why. Do you have any insight into this? Could the screws be causing the problem? I had a 3 T MRI, which said the pudendal nerve was normal. So the problem is higher up. Or maybe the SI wan't fused right. Thanks for any comments. Paulette

**Justin** · 01-30-2011, 03:45 AM

Originally Posted by Paulette

Justin.
I am doing worse than ever. Fusing the SI joint has made things much worse. I am frightened, because I don't want to live the rest of my life like this. I read that fusing the spine to the sacrum can cause PN. No one can tell me why. Do you have any insight into this? Could the screws be causing the problem? I had a 3 T MRI, which said the pudendal nerve was normal. So the problem is higher up. Or maybe the SI wan't fused right. Thanks for any comments. Paulette

Gosh, Paulette, I'm sorry to hear that. Sometimes when you fuse a joint such as a sacroiliac joint, it puts undue stress on surrounding structures. This can lead to continued pain. Do you know if your SI joint has completed fused?

CindyLou, a Moderator here at the Spine Patient Society, recently had her SI joint fused. If I remember correctly, she was having continued pain after the surgery and it was found that the joint did not completely fuse. Hopefully, she will see this thread and chime in.

I wish you the very best, Paulette. I do hope things get better and please keep us posted on your progress, as we do care.

**Paulette** · 01-30-2011, 07:48 PM

Justin,
How did she find out she was not completely fused? The surgeon said it was too early for me to be fused, but he can't take out the implants, because there is a coating that causes the bone to grow into the implant. How did Cindylou find out the fusion didn't take? I ended up with three CT scans, because the surgeon kept getting the implant into the neuroforamen. So i don't dare have another CT scan. i have already had had cancer once. Please have her contact me. Thank you, paulette