In August 2007 I herniated two discs in my lower spine. I tried to put surgery off as long as I could. I tried everything! Chiropracter, PT, massage therapy, yoga. I was thinking about trying meditation even. But it just got worse and worse and soon I couldn't walk anymore.
One doctor said he wanted to do a discectomy, where they just cut out part of the disc that's pressing on the nerve. Another doctor wanted to do a fusion with a cage with screws. I chose to do the discectomy.
Now I feel great. I went to my post-op appointment and the dr said I would be back jumping in two months--just in time for the new season
Maybe think about asking your doctor if a discectomy would work. Or do some reseach into Artifical Disc Replacement. Someone earlier mentioned that once you have surgery, your back is never the same. That seems to be true. I've researched fusions and it seems that a fusion will put pressure on other parts of the back, leading to future surgery. Some doctors think that artificial discs are better for your back than fusions. I don't know for sure. And maybe they just to artifical disc replacements for the lower back . . . unless you go to Europe.
From personal experiece, I know back surgery often begets more surgery. This is my third discectomy. But I waited so long to have surgery the first time, that it messed up the muscles in my back, shoulders, and neck (I couldn't walk straight and then not at all). After the surgery I don't think I waited long enough to heal before doing stuff. The doctor says I also have bad genes. I will probably wait more than two months to jump again just to make sure my back is as strong as it can be. I don't want to scare you--but back surgery is not fun. But I am happy I had it because now I can walk and I have my life back.
Anyway, best of luck! When I was thinking about fusing my back, I talked to lots of people who had successful fusions.
