[bbeiss]

Hello- I'm new to this forum but needed some advice/support on making the decision to have an ADR.I am 44 and having low back pain with intermittent numbness and weakness of my legs. Have had pain for years but has become increasingly worst since a fall last Dec.Tried all conservative treatments without any relief and really don't like taking meds. Surgical consult recommended an ADr at L5-S1 vs. ALIF. Waiting to hear if I've been accepted in a clinical trial in NC for the ADR which would be great since I have Anthem BC and don't think I'll have much luck with reimbursement.

My big questions/ concern- especially after researching all this on the internet - is am I jumping into this too quickly. I can still function but am in pain all the time. I don't take much medicine yet. I am usually a very active person with 3 kids under 10 to keep up with and am finding that really hard to do. I have been told and seen that my disc is bad to the core with very decreased disc height so the disc is not going to get better. Do I be proactive and have the ADR before things get so bad that I can't function and I'm in better shape to recover or do I wait.

Any input would be appreciated. Its great to find a site where people have had the same experiences. Thanks.