[diane54]

Hi
I've been reading this forum for a few months now since surgery was recommended to me. I'm scheduled for either a foraminotomy or fusion next month - haven't decided which NS to go with yet. Getting one more opinion next week. The pain down my arm is bad, neck pain is bad. Done PT, massage, acupuncture all that stuff. Epidural worked great for about 3 weeks and then its all back again.

When I told my surgeon my concerns about the failures on the forums I have been reading, his answer was "Most of the people that hang around the forums are the ones that didn't get better or don't want to get better." Now that sounded a little harsh to me.

Do you think the first part of the statement is true? That when people get better they stop reading this and posting, and get on with their lives?

I really would like to hear a success story or two before I go ahead with this.

I'm a quick healer, active and healthy otherwise, so I'm thinking I would do pretty well and would then get on with life.

I'm almost at wits end, ready to cancel surgery, but I don't want to feel like this anymore. I still get out every day, can drive, work, etc., but don't want the surgery to make me worse than I am now.

HELP ME DECIDE!!

Thanks!! Diane