[fuzzy]

I have posponed surgery for years. And the severity of the low back pain got a little better by learing how to live with it. Avoid wrong activity, that includes chiropractors, they were very bad for my back, also got screwed up in PT. When all is well, I am really carefull for weeks, at home, no physical work, light varying activity and constanly listening to the needs of my spine, then the pain is quite low. I have sucessfully avoided the severe attacks last year by avoiding all that might trigger it. Sold motorcycle etc. My beloved housebuilding project is on hold. Pain is within the iboprofen level...

BUT, the burning, tingeling, ice sensations in my feet have consistently, steadily increased in parallel with the decreasing disc height on the 3 lower levels over the years ( MRIs for 7 years). I cant drive, driving 20 minutes my gas pedal foot feels like falling off and eventually can't push the pedal any more. Gave up on clutch cars years ago as it would trigger strong low back pain, not to mention my feet would go numb.

I lie down, these symtoms will go almost go away (low back pain stays around longer). The "almost" part is new. They used to completely go away after lying for an hour, unless I pushed it. Then it quickly got much worse. Walking on the concrete at an airport and then sitting in a plane makes it rEAL bad REALLY quick, I started turning frequent flyer into frequent passenger in a lexus were the seat can be moved totally flat. My wife drives.
I travel to Europe a lot and my last trip there in summer was horror I was alone and that was the last time I made that trip, next trip there will have to be to an ADR surgeon.

I can't just stay home, have a driver and not be able to go anywere. I can't go to see a movie. Cant sit for more then half an hour then my low back is very sore and my feet are screaming and this is the best it gets!

Recently in anticipation of this surgery I got the bone density test as requested by Bertagnoli. This test shows low bone density, borderline osteoporosis in the hips. Bertagnoli says no problem we have "cement". I am 42 years old male, physically fit, slim, have always eaten healthy, lots of calcium, milk, weightlifting until my low back stopped me, a hiker, climber, totally fit. But my bones look like those of a 80 year old woman, after my US Dr asked my what I need a bone denisty test for, "those are for women" and insurance would not pay, for same reason. I really wonder how valid this test is (dexa scan) I find it hard to believe my bones are this bad, very hard to believe.