This is just my UNEDUCATED opinion, but I do not think you are a surgical candidate at this time. You don't have herniations - you have bulges. And I don't see anything that indicates that you have spinal cord impingement so it doesn't sound like an emergency. Believe me, you really do NOT want surgery. For one thing, surgery does NOT relieve pain. It only corrects mechanical problems. If you happen to get pain relief from surgery, it was just plain luck. Also, when you have spinal surgery on discs, the level above and/or below will fail because they're taking on more of the load due to the surgery -- you'll end up needing more surgery. It's a vicious cycle. I've had 2 open surgeries - not the micro-surgeries that they do now - and after those, the levels above failed and more surgery was needed. Now, I'm considered inoperable due to osteooporosis -- but my spine is a wreck, and I'm disabled.

Your best bet would be to get your opinion from the Neurosurgeon, but then get a referral to pain management. They can give you more options for pain relief. Surgery just isn't the answer. Not until or IF the spinal cord is impinged. Best of luck and God bless. Hugs, Lee