Hi bigmuscle,

I'm not speaking as anyone with any special expertise. I've had MS for many years along with quite a few back problems--several bouts of sciatica, a spinal fracture, "moderately advanced degenerative disc disease" plus arthritis, and nowadays a very wobbly gait but then I take only about 1,500 steps a day and spend the rest of the time in a wheelchair. But I'm old and am not surprised that my back is giving out.

Also, I'm not counting on working out at a gym. I can understand your concern with the specific details of what is going on with your spine.

From my own standpoint--which is probably so remote from yours as to be laughable--I would avoid any and all back surgery. I've encountered too many authoritative accounts indicating that back surgery may be unnecessary all too often.
But someone as young as you, with your interest in bodybuilding, probably has a different level of concern--and may have been putting up with far worse pain than I've had.

So I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. Maybe just knowing about other perspectives will be useful to you in some way.