[David]

Previous surgery:

None.

Less invasive procedures:

Well, I would like to *think* that if less invasive procedures might help, that my surgeon would have recommended them, but that remains to be seen. All I can tell you is that he immediately recommended fusion (actually, they offered physical therapy first, but I really just don't see that point anymore. I would get maybe 6 months of *some* relief, and then the cycle would start over again)

Basically, my philosophy over the last ten years has been that my back pain would never go away, short of having surgery (basically, if you knew my medical history, I require surgery every couple of years for various things).

Until recently, fusion was my only option, and I would like to avoid that at all costs. On the other hand, most everything I read about the ADR procedure seems very positive, especially in my case.

As you can tell, right now I am considering all options, although my goal is to have surgery sometime this year (hopefully within the next 6 months).

I generally lead a (somewhat) active lifestyle, but I am now to the point where I go to work (in pain) go home (in pain), and do nothing else. At 33, this isn't much fun.

Dr Bradford Mullin:

Any suggestions on how I should contact him? I tried contacting another surgeon (Dr. Greg Balturshot), but his office wouldn't talk to me w/o a referral from another physician.