[brattigans]

Hello Everyone. My name is Barbara and I have been suffering from back pain since my early 20's and I am not 39. The first time I looked into getting surgery was over 8 years ago, but once finding out what that entailed, I decided I would live with the pain until I couldn't do it anymore. I have pushed through my pain for years. I have always been very active, running 1/2 marathons, spinning, cross training etc. I have a 4 year old daughter and I own three separate businesses, the last we just opened our first franchise, in San Francisco. I feel like my story could go on and on, just as I'm sure you all feel the same, but to quickly sum it up, over the last 3 years, the downhill progression has been overwhelming. My life has always been lived in my own painful bubble. Always acting like everything is okay, and that I'm strong and I can just push through it mentally and physically and I think i've done a good job, but over the last year I know I have given up. I am not active anymore, I can make it to work about 3 days a week, and then I have to stay home and lye vertical for the day. I don't do anything on the weekend, so I can lye on the bed or couch so I can make it to work. My pain is extensive. I have lower back pain, severe; that radiates out to my hips and then down the front and back of my legs. I have seen many pain specialist, medication, tons of radio frequency, epidurals, and facet injections, and every type of holistic type of pain relief, vitamins, reiki, massage, accupuncture, etc. So now we are at surgery time. I have known this for over a year, but because of my business I had to hold off. But I couldn't get in there faster now.

Prognosis: I have discogenic disease multilevel and spondylothesis L4-L5 and L5-S1. Stress fracture is the cause, 2.
Doctor Recommendation: I've had a recomendation for multi-level Alif and Alif and ADR.

I am here because I need help trying to figure out what is the best decision to make for my body. I have done extensive research on multi-level disc replacement in Germany. I had a great conversation with a young man, 26 who had his back surgery in Germany 2 years ago, multi-level ADR and he loved it. It worked. My only concern is the stress fracture. Based on my research, ADR is not approved by insurance for a patient that has a stress fracture. I've seen Dr. Patrick Johnson in Los Angeles, who said that I am a candidate for multi-level. He is not affiliated with any insurance company and Cedar I have been informed is not the most insurance friendly company in the world.

If anyone who has gone through this same decision making process for the same type of prognosis and info on what the outcome was I would greatly appreciated or any doctors in Orange County, or Los Angeles that you had a good experience with on your surgery. Otherwise I am on the search.

Thank you and this is a wonderful place for so many of us that are so tired from the pain, to try to make an educated decision about our bodies.

Thank you!!! B