Mine was the worst pain I'd ever had, but it was worth it to identify which disk was causing my back pain. The neurologist could not proceed with surgery without figuring out which disk to remove and therefore at which level to perform the fusion. Fortunately, the pain only lasted a day or so and then it was just a matter of alternating rest and moving around. You will be put on antibiotics first and be given good pain meds to deal with the aftermath. Best of luck to you, and remember, it's worth going through it.