[emilys42]

hi, my name is emily. i am 31, fairly new to this site and am somewhat overwhelmed by all the medical talk. i am scheduled to have artificial disc replacement for the cervical degeneration in order to stabilize my neck, then ultimately have lumbar ADR. i have DDD in L4-L5, L5-L6, C5-C6, C6-C7. i have horrible low back pain that radiates around to my pelvic and groin area, then down into my hips, thighs and buttocks. i also have possible interstitial cystitis. i say possible because i do not have typical IC symptoms. no frequency, no urgency, and a clear cystoscopy, but constant urethral burning. it is unbelievabley painful, like a constant urinary tract infection. i cannot get relief from any of the usual IC treatments e.g. elmiron, hydroxyzine, bladder installations. i have been told by some doctors that this urethral pain could be coming from nerves of the cervical spine where i have degeneration, but i can never get a difininate answer. overall, three major whammies-back issues, pelvic pain and IC.

ultimately why i'm posting is because i am somewhat in the dark about what to expect from cervical ADR. i live in atlanta and am going to san diego for surgery. i'm worried about how the flight back will be. if there is anyone out there who has had ADR and would be willing to share their experiences i would be most grateful.

thanks so much, emily