fusion versus disc replacement Posted: 04-26-08 14:12pm
Hello everyone, I am 32 yrs old and have
lower back pain. L4 & L5 are degenerative
and bulging, and my upper back and neck
area are showing degenerative discs as
well, just not as bad as my lower back.
My doctor has done a discogram on my lower
back and isolated the problem discs. now I
am faced with surgery or not to have
surgery. For the most part I function
normally everday, alittle pain but
liveable. When it gets bad I am down for a
week or so with the flare up.
So I need help trying to work through
this, I don't know anyone to talk to that
has been in my place. I have to decide if
surgery is what I need or not. If I want
surgery which type, my doctor says that I
should not go for disc replacement because
I am to young, he says to take fusion. I
don't know, I know that disc replacement
will not last the rest of my life and he
will have to do fusion surgery anyways,
but 10 or 15 years down the road no
telling what they will be able to do when
they do fail. I hate to settle for fusion
now and lose mobilty, and cause more
stress on the rest of back from the
fusion. I'm just looking for experiences
that other people have had good or bad and
which way they wish they would have went.
I am trying to make the best decision for
me and my wife and 4 small children.
Thank you to eveyone that has any input
on this matter. Bryan
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