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Gabbycat

Shiny_Rock
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Joined
Nov 6, 2011
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Anyone here deal with it? I've had an episode of what my Dr. is pretty sure is SI joint dysfunction that has gone on for five weeks now causing low back pain and just an overall feeling of instability. It seemed like I was getting a little better until I attended a physical therapy appointment, and the therapist was so aggressive that I ended up in the ER from things getting completely re-inflamed. Now I'm scared to move for fear of doing something wrong and starting from scratch again, and I have spent a lot of time in bed because of the fear. I've done the course of Prednisone, and I currently have Tramadol and Diazepam prescribed for pain and to help me relax, but I'm afraid of using them too much. I think my biggest problem currently is just the fear factor vs. actual pain.

My friends and family who don't have this issue have tried to be sympathetic, but they don't really seem to understand why I don't just get moving again. I was wondering if anyone has dealt with this debilitating issue and how you overcame the fear to get moving again. I'm at the point where I think I need psychological intervention to help me.

Oh, and to add to the fun, while doing the MRI to my lumbar spine to make sure that it wasn't a disc issue they found a mass in my pelvis. The Dr.'s office said that it's most likely a fibroid, but I can't help but wonder if the two are connected. Pelvic ultrasound is scheduled for Friday.
 
I can empathize with you. I take a biologic via infusion for my ankylosing spondylitis, which had caused me back pain since I was a child. It has given me such relief. I have to have MRI's and was surprised to learn, way after the fact, that I have both a fibroid and a cyst on my spine near my tailbone. No one thought they were important, so no one told me about them. They just got mentioned to me while my doctor was dictating a history. I was like, wth, okay, thanks for not telling me. I hope you find relief, and that you get the proper diagnosis.
 
@lyra I'm sorry that you are able to empathize but appreciate the empathy. I hate that anyone has to deal with this issue. My doctor has suggested a steroid injection into the joint. Needless to say, that also makes me a bit nervous, but if it will help I'll go through it. If anyone has done that and had success I'd love to hear about that as well.
 
Hi Gabbycat. My husband had severe back pain for a year. Last month he had an epidural and has had success with relief. He can now play golf again and is a much nicer person! He first had an MRI then the injection. Hope this information helps.
 
@Queenie60 It does help. Thank you for the response. And I can totally understand about it helping become a nicer person. My poor husband has had to just hold me as a cry and cry, and our life together has been drastically different these past weeks. I feel so bad that he has to take care of me, like I'm a huge burden. Not that HE makes me feel that way, but I hate feeling so helpless.
 
I do. Had a back injury several years ago now and then found out I have scoliosis and degenerative disk disease and still not doing well. Especially with being pregnant. Been to physical therapy three times now to try and work on strengthening my back more. It always helps me not slide back as much when I go so im really sorry they were so aggressive with you there :(

Maybe deal with that mass first and see if you can get a new therapist when you try PT again. Maybe a different therapist might have a way to help you feel less sore after a session. My therapist used to offer ice/heat afterwards and I saw a lot of the other patients seemed to like it.
 
Yes, I should have added that I went to this therapy group because I had been there 8 years ago with a back problem after doing an incorrect lift, and they did really well for me that time. The girl I had before no longer worked there, so this was a new, and young, therapist. I don't blame him because he did not have the benefit of the MRI imaging when we started, so he was doing therapy based on the assumption it was a bulging disc. He noticed my uneven pelvis and basically tried to level it in one session, which of course would be all the WRONG exercises for SI issues (I have a leg length discrepancy to boot). After that is when I visited a spine specialist/pain management doctor who recommended a therapist he likes to work with. The doctor calls him "my SI joint guru". So, I am hopeful that this new therapist, who I will see for the first time tomorrow, will know what he's doing since it sound like he has lots of experience.
 
I have had cortisone shots in both shoulders and both heels. They helped immensely, so I would say give it a try. It may not be long lasting, and you can only do it a couple of times, but for me, it did bring near instant relief. Sometimes having a break from the pain gives you a mental boost too. My chiro kept saying don't do the shots--I have to wonder why, because it was the one thing that actually helped when none of the physio through him did a thing.
 
Back issues are so encompassing, I'm so sorry, & hope you can find relief!
 
@lyra So he never gave a reason why to not do the cortisone shots? Interesting. Unless he knew of some side effect possibilities, I would think that a person in healthcare would encourage the person they're looking after to try everything possible to get relief.

@sarahb Thank you for the sympathies. It really has ruled my every thought and movement since it happened. I sometimes wake up and just start shaking from fear. Xanax and Diazepam (not both together, but I try to alternate them) have been the biggest help to relax my brain and body, and I hate having to say that.
 
I have heard that fibroids can cause back pain. You could be correct that they are connected. Hope you can get some relief soon. Back pain can be so debilitating. My DH has pain that runs down his leg from his lower back. May be a disc issue or sciatica. In a couple months he will go off work and have it checked out. He will likely retire because of it.
 
@Gabbycat To be fair, I hadn't been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at that time. No amount of chiropractic manipulation was going to help, but no one knew that. When I couldn't stand the pain any longer, my gp sent me to an orthopedic surgeon, who administered the shot in my shoulder. It was a few more years, pain started in the other shoulder, and both heels had Achilles tendinitis, by the time I was sent to a rheumatologist who diagnosed me on the spot. He did a few cortisone shots as well, but there's a limit on how many you can have. It's something worth looking at if one of your doctors is recommending it. The way I'm understanding it, you have a "mechanical" issue, and not an autoimmune type disease like I have.
 
I've had corticosteroid injections to the spine/neck/shoulder/hip on 4 occasions. Definitely worth it. At this point if something goes wrong again I plan to skip all the pills and PT and go directly to the syringe. Just a thought.
 
doberman said:
I've had corticosteroid injections to the spine/neck/shoulder/hip on 4 occasions. Definitely worth it. At this point if something goes wrong again I plan to skip all the pills and PT and go directly to the syringe. Just a thought.
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Agree - my husband did everything and anything to relieve and help his back pain. The injection is what worked for him.
 
A good pillow and additional layers of bedding like mattress pads could give you a little relief at night. Proper/improper alignment can alleviate or aggravate your situation right now.

Don't be ashamed of needing to take medication. Had I not been on lexapro and had a bump in my dosage after my husband passed, I wouldn't be able to have juggled what I have to date. My neighbor got through the worst of chemo with a bump in his lexapro as well. Lots of pain relieving dust being sent your waY!:wavey:
 
I had 3 years of SI dysfunction and it was awful. My sympathies! When it was flared, I would get electric shocks up and down my spine which of course made me tense up and would make it worse. It would wake me at night until I got smart about taking the meds I was prescribed to mitigate the pain.
What worked for me was continuing to move - regular low impact exercise (mostly walking on even ground), gentle realignment by an osteopath, regular clinical Pilates sessions with a physiotherapist and gradually building up strength with progressive weightlifting and lots of walking. I also found heat pads and spas were good for helping to relax.
Take the painkillers when you need them and please don’t worry about using them too much - the fear of the pain means you’ll be carrying yourself tensed and that is more likely to make it continue happening so it becomes a vicious cycle.
My physio doesn’t recommend repeated corticosteroid shots because they have a systemic effect and if overused can cause weakened tissues.. which is obviously counterproductive long term. But when used carefully, they’re can be the best or only option for settling flared up stuff like this.
I hope you get some relief with the new therapist and start taking the meds as you need so you can get on top of it.
 
Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts, experiences, and well wishes. The new PT that I saw yesterday didn't really see any SI joint dysfunction when doing the eval, so he thinks it may just be slightly inflamed for whatever reason and/or possible facet syndrome. He was very kind and patient and is definitely on board with taking things very slowly. I'm also not convinced, however, that this newly discovered fibroid (if that is indeed what it is) is not to blame, as you said @luv2sparkle, since no one seems to be able to pin point any one thing. I just had my women's wellness exam a few months ago, and the nurse practitioner did not catch anything during the pelvic exam at that time, which makes me slightly more nervous that it would be something fast growing.

@doberman I have had one injection into my right ankle before when it flared up a few years after breaking it. I still have pins and plates in there, and apparently they rub on some of the tendons at times. When the OTC NSaids didn't do the trick to settle things, I went for the injection, and it indeed helped (although the injection site itself hurt like a mother that night!).

@PintoBean First, I think it's amazing that you are still able to think of other people's pain considering what you've been through, and I almost feel like a tool even complaining about this because I know things can be way worse in life. There are so many other people here on PS that are facing greater health issues than this. Second, thank you for the reassurance that it is okay to take medicine. My mother was raised in a home with an alcoholic father and is scared to death of any type of addiction, so meds of any type were greatly poo-pooed in my home growing up. Her solution to everything was just drink more water or peppermint tea and walk it off or take a bath with Epsom salts. Coincidentally, I have also been reading that tricyclic antidepressants can be used for pain as well at times. May be worth asking about the help with the anxiety/depression that this has brought on.

@foxinsox I have heard the same about the injections long-term. I'm hoping that this is just a one time kinda thing, or at the very least it doesn't flare up again for some time so that I'm not needing them on a frequent basis. My new PT asked me to give him a week or so to try to get things moving and settled down with e-stim, hot packs, ultrasound, etc. before going for the injection but agreed that if the conservative treatment didn't work I should get the injection done.
 
Gabbycat, I can tell you that I have had fibroids for a while and they are not always mentioned to me during an exam. Like one time out of the last 10 years. If it was told to you that it was most likely a fibroid then it probably is. They can cause all manner of weird pain. Try not to worry. I had to go to the dr last October for some symptoms and was terrified I had cancer and my Dr. told me it was not very likely and not to worry. I had to have an ultrasound too. I was literally freaking out during it trying to get the tech to tell me anything. It was nothing. Try not to worry. I know that is easier said than done. Hugs to you!
 
Thank you for sharing that @luv2sparkle. This is all new to me, so I just haven't been sure about anything. But knowing that fibroids can be there during pelvic exams and not always mentioned is reassuring that it's probably nothing. More than likely it's just a random coincidence and not really the cause of my trouble. But I do intend to ask about the location of it in relation to my spine. Sorry to be graphic, but it was told to me that it is between my uterus and rectum which certain sounds like it could be in a trouble spot for the spine. But I also don't know where most of them are located on the average person anyway. Definitely not looking forward to having to drink all that water and then not go pee. I always feel the need to pee more when I get nervous, which doing this test most certainly will make me nervous, and my bladder control hasn't been the best as I'm getting older. Hope I can hold it! Isn't it fun being a woman? :roll
 
Gabbycat said:
Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts, experiences, and well wishes. The new PT that I saw yesterday didn't really see any SI joint dysfunction when doing the eval, so he thinks it may just be slightly inflamed for whatever reason and/or possible facet syndrome. He was very kind and patient and is definitely on board with taking things very slowly. I'm also not convinced, however, that this newly discovered fibroid (if that is indeed what it is) is not to blame, as you said @luv2sparkle, I have had one injection into my right ankle before when it flared up a few years after breaking it. I still have pins and plates in there, and apparently they rub on some of the tendons at times. When the OTC NSaids didn't do the trick to settle things, I went for the injection, and it indeed helped (although the injection site itself hurt like a mother that night!).

@PintoBean First, I think it's amazing that you are still able to think of other people's pain considering what you've been through, and I almost feel like a tool even complaining about this because I know things can be way worse in life. There are so many other people here on PS that are facing greater health issues than this. Second, thank you for the reassurance that it is okay to take medicine. My mother was raised in a home with an alcoholic father and is scared to death of any type of addiction, so meds of any type were greatly poo-pooed in my home growing up. Her solution to everything was just drink more water or peppermint tea and walk it off or take a bath with Epsom salts. Coincidentally, I have also been reading that tricyclic antidepressants can be used for pain as well at times. ....... May be worth asking about the help with the anxiety/depression that this .
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Certain anti depressant medications can help, some more than others. But there are side effects (loss of libido, weight gain, etc.) Be careful of the diazepam you're taking. It's habit forming, and you can't drink alcohol while taking it. I tried a benzodiazpine once and I felt like I was walking around with a paper bag over my head and then I fell asleep in the middle of the day lol. Obviously those pills are not for me.

I have never heard of fibroids causing pain. Excess bleeding, yes. My friend has SI joint issues and she swears by her chiropractor. A massage might help too.
 
Yeah, I'm not a fan of anti depressants as I know they can have nasty side effects. I've tried a few for various reasons (Cymbalta, Zoloft, and Imipramine), and each one of them either worsened my IBS-D or caused a racing heart, which is a concern because I've had A-fib before caused by a hole in my heart that wasn't caught until I was in my mid 30's. So I've never made it past the couple of weeks most people need before they are able to adjust to having them in their system. But I know there are tons of others on the market that I haven't tried yet. It would be a last resort for me. And I'm with you on the diazepam. I've tried to make sure I'm only taking it when I absolutely can't stand it anymore. But that and the Xanax are the only things that have truly relaxed my muscles as well as my mind to give me any kind of total relief. So far all of the practitioners I've seen have agreed that it's okay to be taking for now. But I will definitely wean myself off as able.

My husband has been away since Saturday morning because we had a vacation planned to take my parents into NYC to see the Metropolitan Museum. They are scared to death of driving in/navigating the city by themselves, and because of their ages and various health issues they are also afraid that their time for travel is beginning to come to an end. So I encouraged my hubby to go ahead and take them, and my sisters took turns babysitting me. But he's flying back today, and that will help exponentially with my anxiety and hopefully therefore my need for the anti-anxiety meds.

I've considered massage, too, but I'm not sure that I'd be able to tolerate lying on my stomach. My PT also wants me to avoid being in the extension position as much as possible at this time. But it may be something I can do down the road.
 
Gabbycat said:
Yeah, I'm not a fan of anti depressants as I know they can have nasty side effects. I've tried a few for various reasons (Cymbalta, Zoloft, and Imipramine), and each one of them either worsened my IBS-D or caused a racing heart, which is a concern because I've had A-fib before caused by a hole in my heart that wasn't caught until I was in my mid 30's. So I've never made it past the couple of weeks most people need before they are able to adjust to having them in their system. But I know there are tons of others on the market that I haven't tried yet. It would be a last resort for me. And I'm with you on the diazepam. I've tried to make sure I'm only taking it when I absolutely can't stand it anymore. But that and the Xanax are the only things that have truly relaxed my muscles as well as my mind to give me any kind of total relief. So far all of the practitioners I've seen have agreed that it's okay to be taking for now. But I will definitely wean myself off as able.

My husband has been away since Saturday morning because we had a vacation planned to take my parents into NYC to see the Metropolitan Museum. They are scared to death of driving in/navigating the city by themselves, and because of their ages and various health issues they are also afraid that their time for travel is beginning to come to an end. So I encouraged my hubby to go ahead and take them, and my sisters took turns babysitting me. But he's flying back today, and that will help exponentially with my anxiety and hopefully therefore my need for the anti-anxiety meds.

I've considered massage, too, but I'm not sure that I'd be able to tolerate lying on my stomach. My PT also wants me to avoid being in the extension position as much as possible at this time. But it may be something I can do down the road.
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Try reflexology. I lay on my back with my clothes on.
 
@PintoBean, insert dirty joke here about lying on my back with clothes off. Although that is clearly not happening right now. :lol:
I don't know much about reflexology. I'll do some research on it. I've also heard about acupuncture being helpful, but I've never tried that for anything either.
 
@Gabbycat I have nothing helpful to add aside from the excellent advice you have received here but I do want to send you (((hugs))) and healing vibes. I hope you find complete relief very soon.
 
So, I just got a call earlier from my Dr. saying that insurance denied the SI joint injections, so looks like that's out. I have an appt. with him in the morning to discuss other alternatives.
Thank you @missy. Just need to find the right combo, but I'm sure I'll be fine soon.
 
@Gabbycat That stinks about the shots. I wonder why they refused, or maybe that's the norm, I don't know. I'm totally spoiled by both specialist referrals, and free procedures here. Have you been put on a muscle relaxant? My DH has disc issues and that was the only thing that gave a bit of relief. Really, nothing is perfect, but just a little relief now and then is so good emotionally and physically. Have you seen a rheumatologist? Do you have any auto immune issues. Of course I'm hyper aware of thinking about that because of issues I have, and that my kids inherited from me. It was the mention of SI joints plus IBS. Have you done bloodwork with genetic testing?
 
The girl at the office said it was pretty standard for insurance to refuse SI injections. Not sure why exactly. I have not seen a rheumatologist. We have a strong history of thyroid disease in our family, but all the recent blood work on that has come back normal albeit on the low side for I believe the free T4. I was deficient in vit. D this winter and put on a bolus of that, but I think most folks are deficient in the winter anyway. Several years ago I visited with a naturopathic doctor who found elevated CRP but only suggested including multi vitamins and adding in omega 3's. Didn't think there was anything autoimmune going on. Unfortunately my biological father died when I was only weeks old, and my paternal grandmother had nothing to do with us after his death. He was an only child, as was she, and my paternal grandfather was already deceased. So I really don't know much about the medical history on that side of the family.
 
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