Melissa, yes the hardest part is getting a doc to take you seriously. Do you have a man you can take with you, that is older like a father or big brother? I am totally serious when I ask this. A rhuemy is not a good doc to see for this unless you have rheumatoid arthritis which can be ruled out by bloodwork.
Rheumys do not do back surgery that I am aware of. I went to 3 docs before I found mine that would give me a chance on my word. The ortho was the worst. The one I ended up with is a spine surgeon, thats all he does is back surgery 3 days a week and appts twice a week.
Keep a log showing everything you have tried, and show the doc you have tried ALL avenues over this amount of time and certainly dont want to have back surgery. Some docs actually think people seek out these surgeries for attention. Take all their tests they want you to do and get copies of everything in case you need to move on to the next doctor.
Always remeraber, you are paying them. If you don't like what they say, move on. If i remeraber right you have a little less flexibility with your insurance, but get 2nd, 3rd opinions, whatever you are able to. Ask around who is the best surgeon in the area, everyone knows who has a reputation in the area. Ask the nurse at your GP, or people in the waiting room at pain management etc. Someone will let you know who it is.
Don't take docs info off the internet either, they automatically assume that you are making things up. They have a word for it that is similar to hypochondriac which is sad because we are only trying to help ourselves. Not all docs think this way, but just be ware.
Keep your statements focused on the specialty of the doctor, everything else bring up to your gp.
Stick to the facts doctors hear, such as nurabness here, pain here, radiating, stabbing, throbbing, weakness, history of . Those are key worRAB that trigger the doctors training.
I was in daily pain that grew and grew, until I was limping on the right side. Pain by the end up the day would tighten up the right side of my back so bad that I would have knots in my back. I still have right sided pain and sciatica 6 months after surgery but it is more bearable now than before surgery.
Hope that helps!
Jen