Well, I agree that you need to see a Neurosurgeon first, before you undergo any of the other surgeries. You will go to the Neuro for an OPINION -- not necessarily for surgery at this time. Surgery isn't always the answer, unless you're in danger of having some permanent nerve damage. Just so you know, surgery ONLY corrects mechanical problems -- it does NOT guarantee that your pain will be relieved. Many people come out of surgery with the same pain or worse. That's what happened to me -- twice. I had 2 open surgeries to repair herniated discs -- and both times, I had more pain than before. My last surgery was in 1995, and I STILL have the nasty pain. It is being controlled now by medication.

You might try "googling" "neurosurgeon's" in your area. Look at their credentials & there should be a link there that lets you do a "background" check on them, i.e. if they've had any malpractice suits against them, if they've been reprimanded by the AMA, etc. Word of mouth is a good reference for doctors too.

I know it seems overwhelming when you have so many issues. But don't feel bad -- we ALL get overwhelmed when we're in such pain. It doesn't take much to addle us. LOL Take care & best of luck. Please let us know how you come out, ok? Hugs, Lee