[Maria]

Allan,
As you probably know this had been determined to be the surgery proposed for me as well. Dr.Delamarter had said I could get the fusion w/o the hardware which to me sounds ideal as I hate the idea of screws. Not sure how well the fusion would work w/o hardware but I did like the idea. Also proposed BMP and bone stimulator I believe.

My BMD is (or was at last check) a -2.2 in lumbar spine and I've not been taking my Actonel or calcium supplements but had been weight bearing and walking quite a bit on a daily basis. Have worse BMD in hips and my GP in San Diego had said to quit worrying about my back so much and worry about future hip fractures and get on the osteoporosis prevention bandwagon...

I should have at least been taking the Actonel faithfully but all kinds of calcium supplements bother me greatly it seems, mostly since on Methadone and it's effect on my gut (despite laxatives).

I really don't like the idea of fusion either but it seems that from 2003 when I could have had the trial 2 level ADR done and last year, there had been a change in the facets at L5S1 which made at least the surgeons here in the US feel that I should not undertake ADR at that level. Of course it could also be that one level ADR is all that is FDA approved and I'm going thru WC to get this done...

What it seems I have read in some of the spine information has been there isn't that much motion at L5S1 so fusing it isn't going to stop the motion there significantly. Also that fusing L5S1 and L4 is going to put more strain on the SI joints and there would be more liklihood of probs/pain at SI joints and esp. if some is already existing/problematic.

At least this is what I believe I've retained from things I've read at this forum and maybe others ~ of course, Mark is the man as far as giving us the best updated info from the spine surgeons he has been working with so I too will wait to see what he replies to you~

I usually can walk quite a bit but right now, even walking is limited..bummer, pain sucks!