Dearheart DO NOT HAVE SURGERY!!! You will just end up needing more and more surgery!!! Don't let this doctor sell you down the path. With fusion and regular spinal surgeries, the levels above/below the surgery site will FAIL and you will find yourself needing more surgery. That's because those levels have to take on more of the load -- and the doctors don't tell you this!!! It's called the domino effect - and it happens all the time. I had 2 open surgeries and it happened to me both times -- but I had my surgeries before the internet so I had no way of knowing this or doing research.

The American Medical Soc. said that last year the fusions that were performed had NO better outcome than the people who were referred to physical therapy!!! They said that there were THOUSANDS of NEEDLESS surgeries in the U.S. Now, isn't that scary?? If I had known HALF of what I know now, they never would have touched me back in 1986 & 1995.

I've had sciatica for 26 years, and I finally have found some relief -- I now use the Fentanyl Patch along with Methadone ~ and this actually WORKS!!! I've tried every pain medication you can imagine. I also use Topamax for nerve pain, and that works GREAT -- I no longer have the burning, stinging pain that nerve pain causes. Perhaps your doctor will prescribe these for you.

I wish you the very best -- I know how awful this pain is. But for heavens' sakes, don't let them operate on you or you'll end up with more pain than you have now. Surgery does NOT fix pain. It only fixes mechanical problems. If any doctor says he can fix your pain, run away from him because he cannot do that. God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee