Hello Portwes,

Welcome to the forum.

Without a doubt get a second opinion, and even a third.

This past March I started to have pain in my leg which progressed to a tingling sensation in my lower leg. One doctor told me surgery may be a good idea, a second spine surgeon said I needed to have surgery within 6 months, and my PM doc, and another highly recommended spine surgeon said NO WAY did I need to have surgery at this time. The end of April I had an epidural injection with a corticosteroid and within a week the pain in my leg was gone and is still gone. It took about a month for the tingling sensation to go away. END RESULT - The corticosteroid (doc used Kenalog) reduced the inflammation/swelling around where the nerve was/is pinched. No cure, but I have no pain.

For me, I'm going to atay away from the knife as long as I can. As long as there is onlly a little back pain, and I can function (that means gardening, etc.) no surgery for me.

Portwes, get those 2nd and 3rd opinions. Of concern of course is the muscle weakness and the doctors and best advise you on this.

Do stay in touch as I'm most interested in what the other doctors say.

Also, I would invite you to the "Laser Spine Surgery" thread. A great group of people.

I agree with Rich. You need to get a second opinion and maybe even a 3rd as well.

I'm surprised that your doc is not even talking about a laminotomy instead of a full laminectomy or fusion.

On the other hand, personal experience has taught me that neurosurgeons are more likely to do a laminectomy.

I would suggest that you try to find a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spines for another opinion, or just an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in spines.

I would do nothing about surgery until you have had at least one other opinion if not more.

Fran