[Deborah]

Did you have the physician at the front of the fight for you? I really think that's the needed key... a doc (with access to all the data, studies, and with the credibility to prove the point) willing to fight the good fight!

Now that you've made the decision to go for it with fusion... I think you're right not to consider it a total loss. The reality is that most trial results show fusion has very similar long term outcomes to TDR. We don't really know absolutely for sure that TDR will prevent other levels from being involved... it seems logical, but we just don't know until we're getting in solid long term data (which isn't even being reliably gathered for the most part). Someone with 'some' damage on an adjoining level may find it takes longer, but still happens... I don't know.

Trials do show that recovery is quicker with TDR ... there aren't as many restrictions for as long, since there isn't the same need for major bone knitting to take place. It may simply 'hurt more' after a fusion, but that's not a certainty. What matters is your recovery, and results come in only a bit better with TDR. We all want that bit of help, but you can make a fusion change your life for the better, too!

There's no question in my mind, particularly after a very definitive discogram (have you had one??) getting the 'bad discs' out was the most critically important factor to my hub's surgery.

Blessings!
Debi