Thank you for your story Mike. I have also read the horror stories and it has made me extremely anxious. I am scheduled to have 3 discs fused on March 18th. I have degenerative disc disease. This will be my 3rd surgery in six years. L-3 and L4 were fused in 2003. I also had a cervical fusion in 2004.
My left leg started to atropy in the past year and 1/2. Degeneration above and below the fusion was compromising my nerves . I had a laminotomy in November 2008 (hoping to avoid another fusion) but another disc severely herniated shortly after the surgery. I am in more pain now than ever before and my leg is still atrophying. My surgeon is confident that this is what I need. He is an excellent surgeon with an outstanding reputation. He says he has a 98% success rate. I am more worried about the rest of my spine and what is going to happen next. I am living on percocet for pain. I am also taking meds for depression and anxiety. I am hoping to tell you that I am feeling great in a month or two.