You need to get a second opinion and then if that doctor concurs, get the surgery done. The main thing is that as long as you're working, you're progressively pushing that disc against the nerve. Get the fusion done with an artificial disc and DO THE PHYSICAL THERAPY. It's only going to get worse and you could end up paralyzed. My wife has had several back surgeries. They suck, but if you do what the doctors and physical therapist tell you to do (and NO MORE than that) you should be able to fully recover and resume a somewhat normal lifestyle. You may have to make adjustments to the way you do certain things and have to have some daily pain meds, but it won't be anywhere near as bad as it will get without surgery. Choice is yours. If it were me, I'd get the surgery done ASAP. By law, you're entitled to get as many opinions as you want to. NEVER take just one doctors opinion. Some are just in it for the money and some actually still care about helping someone. Ask around and find out who people recommend. It's not a surgery to be taken lightly. Make sure the doctor is SKILLED in back surgeries and not just some hack orthopedist. We'll put you on our prayer list, along with Unc and Valerie and everyone else. Unc, is it Val's lungs again?

 

I should elaborate on the surgery; it's an outpatient procedure where they go in with a laser and vaporize just the herniated portion of the disc and leave the rest... in theory, it should make me feel brand new again(aside from muscle atrophy from favoring my left leg), and I'll be pain free for a while.., the operation will slightly increase my chances for arthritic degeneration later on, because they have to drill through bone to get a clear path to get at the disc with the laser, but I'll still have probably half (thickness) of that disc...

Even if I do nothing, the bones will eventually widen from impact and cause issues requiring a fusion, but the laser operation might slightly accelerate this...

I've had several opinions on this

My physical therapist said that therapy isn't helping when I'm also standing for twelve hours on concrete...

The neurologist I was seeing, upon seeing my MRI, said simply that I would likely need surgery, and referred me to the neurosurgery/pain clinic

The PA I was seeing(their primary doctor was out on leave) said that if the therapy didn't work and the nerve blocks didn't help, then surgery was my last option to gain relief

The new doctor in that facility said that the herniation can be fixed with surgery, or I could leave it alone, given my young age, and hope it heals up... Given my current occupation, it doesn't seem likely...

 

Get the frigging surgery. The longer you put it off, the worse off you're going to be. Personally, I'd get a fusion done and just have it all out of the way. But, I'm old and lazy, so you do what you want to.

 

I agree with Rubeous

 

I'm w Rubebarb, etc I would wait on the fusion until you abs need it as I assume it will limit mobility which you might need as you are quite young. Check w the surgeons. And yes get a 2nd opinion.

Get a copy of your scans and x rays on CD or DVD (this is very common) and take to another surgeon after you research things.

 

So, I went back to the doctor, and opted to schedule the operation... So far, the date is 07/29, with my pre-operative appointment being on 07/08(tomorrow)... I'm not sure what I'm gonna do about money in the meantime(4wk recovery at best, six at worst), but I'll find a way to make it all work...

The pain is starting to attack my ability to sleep, sometimes I just sit awake until I fall asleep because I can't lie down to sleep without severe pain... Such sleep deprivation really affects mental clarity, or even if I show up for work on time...

 

Sleep Deprivation is another side affect of having a chronic problem and quite possibly is the direct reason of the recent automobile accident I had. But that is another story. Having to deal with having a quite serious back operation is of itself a scary proposition. "Specially if the operation has a reputation of being disabling of it's own. I've said it before, I had one when I was in my early 40's and I am now 74. Life was not perfect after the operation but it did let me go back to work even though I had limitations. Being some what stubborn I ignored most of them and worked around others but then again what are your choices? You need an income and you do what you have to do. Eventually it did put me out of the work force in the field I was working in but I was better prepared to deal with that.
The real bottom line is it leaves your options open just a bit to have the operation and let that take care of what it can.
And learn to live with the rest.
Part of your decision making procedures is to deal with the need for opiate based pain killers. Sort of a collection of words that immediately bring with them a bad reputation because the word OPIATE is used to scare you with. Such as in you may be come addicted! Another scare word.
Pain relief is what you are looking for and pain medication issue by the medical community and monitored by them is about as non-intrusive as it can get. It is not the prescription that leads toward addiction it is the abuse of it that does. And you are now in charge of the abuse factor. All part of the new tomorrow. I have been using opiate pain killers now for almost two decades, I follow the guide lines laid out for the prescription and it gives me what is needed, some control of the level of pain so that I in turn can have a life. I currently have a prescription for Methadone (5mg) and Oxycodone (10mg), the first 1 daily, the second as needed up to 3 a day. And as my back continues to deteriorate it has been increased as needed, but the operative word is as needed (well 2 words) but the point is, controlled and monitored by the medical community and it is up to me to deal with the abuse and that to is monitored. It works and it keeps the pain far enough in the back ground that I can have a daily life.
Another method that has helped is YOGA. It forces me to keep what is left of my back flexible with in reason. Some times the relief is a matter of minutes, other times a day or so, but there is relief. I went today (a once a week procedure) and I still feel pretty good but problems with the back screws things up pretty much for ever but I refuse to let it get me down.
All of these do not restore things to what they were before but they are all methods that let me deal favorably with a situation that initially was very unpleasant. I was where you are now some 30+ years ago. And tomorrow morning I will go out and work on the prepping of the 1994 Saturn S coupe for paint. Oh things are not perfect and I am having trouble with balance but I am 74 and am finding people my age that can't do what I can still do and their backs are better than mine.
Oh Well!
Things are what they are.
Good luck.

 

It brings me comfort knowing that soon(providing nothing goes wrong) my issue might be resolved... The pain has taken so many activities from me; it'd be nice to be able to sleep properly again, or play with my son, or actually work some overtime, or really wrench on a car, etc... Given that the clinic I go to doesn't prescribe any sort of narcotics, they are still out of the question, but I might not need them after the procedure...

In addition to this operation, I'm strongly considering a change in career(not like working with hot plastic, on concrete, for 12 hours a day is terribly healthy for me at all), maybe some type of job involving driving... At least the seats in a car are cushioned...

 

Doesn't it give you a whole lot of warm fuzzies to know a bunch from the Geriatrics crowd of defunct auto brands are rooting for your success? It don't get no better than that!

 

Indeed, it does... I'm happy knowing people are interested in my well being, outside my immediate family... You guys are just about as close as family to me...