[Larry from Buffalo]

My name is Larry from Buffalo NY. So my L4 and L5 area is pretty screwed up. It has been bugging me for I would say 25 years(I'm 44). My guess is it was the result of a work injury around 18-19 yrs old. I went to my primary dozens of times throughout the years and they kept telling me I was fine its just a muscle.

A couple years ago I finally found out how to go about having it really looked at, and ended up at UB Neurosurgery, who does back fusions. I wasn't thrilled with the idea and I passed on it. I have been aggravating it so often at this point that I can't do much. I'm very into working out, lifting weights, body building and now I can't do any of that. My muscle mass is depleting and now I work an office job opposed to construction and it seems like sitting is worse than actually forcing myself to physically work.

So I just discovered ADR and it seemed like a better idea to me. I started talking to AIMIS with a doctor Smith. Their facility is in the country of Cyrprus .After looking through my X-rays and MRIs his comments are below, but my insurance won't cover surgery abroad and it was 80k Euros.

Quote
This young man has a severe disc degeneration at L5S1 with moderate foraminal stenosis.
There are also early changes at the L45 region with mild Modic changes.
Prior to our final recommendation, He needs to have flexion/extension X-rays of the LS spine to rule out any sign of gross instability.
In general, he is most likely an excellent candidate for a total disc replacement rather than a fusion..
However, the question needs to be answered, is the L45 a pain generator as well as L5S1 or is L5S1 the only pain generator.
Another possibility would be TDR at L5 S1 and then stem cells transplantation into L45 disc at the same procedure

Unquote

So I joined this site and researched and found Dr. Fabien Bitan. Going through my insurance web site he was in my healthcare network. He reviewed my MRIs and X-rays and said he still wanted a CAT Scan done but from what he saw, he felt a hybrid may be the best route as L5 was squished so small and bone on bone that opening it up may not be in my best interest and to fuse that one and use ADR in L4. All depending on an interview to see my physical health and the CAT scan. Then all the sudden today his office emails me that they are out of network, I call my insurance and they confirm. He was on the site last week now gone, so I am not sure what happened there.

Sooooo , he I am looking for names of other surgeons in the attempt to find one in network . Thank you to anyone who took the time to read and Happy New years.