I found for me it helped to get my neurologist to call the surgeon. The first surgeon I went to with MRI in hand said I had the normal wear and tear on the back of a 50 year old woman, I told my neurologist that and it ticked him off so bad he called that surgeon to discuss the effect area's in the lumbar region and referred me to another surgeon who did a fusion within two weeks on L5/S1 and I feel like a new person. My neuro says there's alot of buck passing on back surgeries when a major surgery is involved sometimes and it helps to have a professional on your side to help be your voice, I know it did in my case.

Cathy