[Maria]

I was 28 when I injured my spine and the L5S1 was operated on 7 years later (open discectomy). I was told that eventually my pain might stop if I autofused (no surgery involved, natural fusing of adjacent vertebral bodies) and that process from date of injury to date of reported autofusion was something like 28 years. So it wasn't a rapid process even tho I believe it was hastened by my discectomy at L5S1 and removal of disc material at that level.

In between those years of initial injury to autofusion there lots of painful episodes and even going from episodic pain to chronic pain.

I sought surgical opinions and would have had surgery if I had not started feeling better than I had in long long time. Surgeries recommended in the interim were 3 level global fusion in 2001, 2 level ADR in 2003 and hybrid surgery with fusion at L5S1 and ADR at L4 in 2006.

As recommended by others here I did seek multiple surgical opinions/consultations. Something like 6 throughout the course of years with my regular Primary treating doctor offering several differing types of surgical solutions over the years. I obtained several opinions from same surgeon with changes in MRIs/CT scans/Xrays over the years.

I agree with getting several opinions at least where surgery is recommended.

Again I wish you the best and if you're able take the time to do thorough research and seek at least several opinions hopefully you can arrive at a conclusion that will best fit your own individual needs.

Mark is a wonderful resource person here with regard to spine surgery/spine surgeons and others are excellent resource people as well such as Keano and those who've had ADR and fusion surgeries. I'm one who hasn't had ADR or fusion and I am doing better however I still take a low dose pain medication daily and I stopped working at the height of my disabling pain.

Good luck!