Cheryl,
I've always had the impression that in the States discograms aren't nearly as common as in Europe. Before lumbar ADR in Germany I had three U.S. surgeons recommend fusion and there was never mention of discogram. In fact one of them told me that CT-myleo was the last diagnostic preceding fusion.
48% sounds low. I've heard cervical fusions are generally successful, and certainly more so than lumbar fusions. There are surgeons today who just don't do fusions unless there is gross instability or other calamity. Your doc sounds like one of them, or for whatever reason he doesn't want to operate on you. Good riddance to him.
From what I've seen on these forums the amount of degeneration is not always a good indicator of pain or disc damage. Your thinking seems sound to me.
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Jim
2003 L5S1 Charite
1981 L5S1 Discectomy
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