Dull pain in SI 0-2, even while sleeping, best sleeping night in quite a while, day 2 w/ no ambien. I am summarizing my pain, exercise and treatments in a spreadsheet and it shows what an idiot I had been about the running/resting cycle back in Feb/Mar. I hope what I have learned will become useful to someone else, and even hopefully for me (if I am ever in training again). I am fasting, have a headache.(ended up being a 25+ hr fast)
Eve: Neurosurgeon spent over an hour with me, was very kind. Discussed my case, went through the dozens of films I brought from my mri's and xrays, and then did some manipulations, including making me squat in a catcher position for a couple of minutes to test my piriformis (not easy to do since was at 24.5 hours of my fast). Had me walk the hall once. No pain on walking, just right a bit weaker than left. He says that the surgery he could do is fusing the joint, which he doesn't recommend since I am so young and it would cause more stress to my left SI and that joint might need to be fused a couple of years down the road, and I would be stiff for life in that part of my body. He says he is not aware of anyone who scopes the SI, but will ask around, but that he might suggest a bone biopsy to get more info on what is going on at that joint. He says there isn't an alternate explanation for why there's uptake on the SI in the MRI's besides infection or stress reaction, and he agreed its not an infection from the lab work. He is not convinced I have A.S., and he was seeming to rely on the MRI images for that doubt, despite my genome, SI pain, and sausage toes. He says that I can be doing more damage than good by staying off my feet this long, though he did agree with the original crutch decision. He didn't have an explanation why my stress reaction would get worse when I was on crutches for the 5 weeks between the MRI's. He asked if I had been on an extensive course of anti-inflammatories, and I have not. He seemed to have some doubt if the steroid shot got in the right place. Results: He will call Dr. McLane. Then I will talk to Dr. McLane about how to proceed. He thinks the injury was likely caused by my hamstring injury and my hamstring injury may have been caused by my orthotics. He suggested walking without the orthotics. I may get a bone biopsy, I will ask about potentially going on another steroid round as I transition to walking. I will proceed with trying to get into a rheum. to confirm or override the A.S. diagnosis by McLane. Whether I have or don't have A.S. is irrelevant in the short term (other than you'd want to be on medication asap), since I am highly immobile and will need to increase my mobility gradually either way. This appt was two steps forward, for which I am grateful. The doctor, Dr. Gardner, was wonderful and patient with me. I'd highly recommend if you need spine surgery :)
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