No experience, but sending you best DU vibes to deal with the pain. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

She endured it for as long as she could, but eventually opted for a fusion (XLIF procedure).

This was 3 years ago and quality of life is much improved since then.

I have herniated disks in my cervical spine. Pain meds are necessary in the short term; then you can try physical therapy and if needed, losing weight will help tremendously. Steroid injections are less invasive than surgery which should be the last resort.

I've had several friends who have had really good outcomes from this type of treatment and it spared them from surgery.

after suffering with a herniated disc (don't remember, but I think L-5?). I couldn't stand or sit and was miserable. The surgery was a piece of cake, and I was immediately pain free. I don't even remember taking pain meds after. I haven't had any pain or problems since.
Good luck to you.

I had a discectomy in Feb on L3 - L4. It was better for two months then it came back.....worse than ever before. Another MRI showed my disk was ruptured again. Last time I had disk shrapnel caught in ligaments and the disk was pressing into my spine.

This time it's very very bad. My hip and right leg have very painful sciatica and weakness. Steroids helped only a little and my narcotics only take the edge off for a short time. It hurts to roll over in bed. At this moment the narcs are helping me to sit here and write.

My neuro said it's bad but can't operate for four weeks! I've already been in this pickle for two weeks. The pain/weakness has progressed. Neuro is busy with other surgeries and fitting in a vacation, so I have to wait.

Neuro was going to a bi-lateral discectomy in Feb, which would have made it more apt to re-injure, he decided, while he had me on the operating table, to just do the one side. After the op I could feel things moving and crunching back there.

Please keep us updated. I'm in a right pickle myself.

Good luck to you.

I have back problems. I never go to a surgeon. I always go to someone in rehabilitative/sports medicine. Surgeons always want to operate, and evidence shows that surgery is generally not more effective long term than physical therapy. That neuro-surgeon will want to operate. When you're a hammer, everything is a nail.

FYI: I have four bad discs in my lower back, three are degenerative, meaning the disc stuff has depleted. One still has enough in it to be considered herniated.

Herniated disks will heal... I had one in my neck and lower back (fortunately not at the same time). They took 3-6 months to heal and left me with some limited mobility.

But, having seen some of the 'bad' results of back surgery, I am extremely reluctant to go there. I will take the mobility loss.

I was also fortunate enough to be overseas where Arcoxia is approved... It is non-addictive and kills the pain. If I get a bad disk back here in the USA, I am probably screwn.