Hi teresa ~ if it were me, i would NOT have the surgery. Why? because the spinal cord has not been compromised, and because if you do have surgery you will start on a road that leads you to more and more surgery. when you have spinal surgery, the levels above and below the surgery site become unstable and they also herniate and will need surgery. this keeps happening each time you have surgery until your whole spine has been operated on. also, there is no guarantee that your pain will ever be relieved. you might come out of surgery with the same pain or worse. any doctor that tells you he can relieve your pain is lying.

if i was you i''d ask for a referral to a pain management doctor where you have more options for conservative care. i wish you the very best and i'm sorry you didn't get any replies until now. God bless. hugs, leesa