Hi Ali and welcome,
As all those who have come before you, the first thing you need to do is calm down and breathe. There is help out there for you, all of which is dependent on your circumstances as Cindylou, who just had surgery herself and is already posting for others
, stated.
The first step is finding the right doctor which usually means getting 2nd or more opinions. You want a doctor that is well versed in all remedies available to you. You'd be surprised at how doctors who don't perform certain procedures won't recommend them and will even tell you how bad they are. Mark can help steer you in the right direction. Gil's web address was just a little off (globalpatientnetwork). The correct one is
GPN Artificial Disc Replacement ADR. He's so calming and informative. Should you choose to use his services you'll need to have copies of your films and other records, which you should have anyway, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Mark underwent a 2 level lumbar ADR surgery about 5 years ago and is now facing cervical surgery. He's been there done that and became a patient advocate just to help those who don't know what to do next.
Then, when your brain starts functioning again, which will be soon, I promise, educate yourself. Ask questions and often. Don't be afraid to ask for simpler explanations when you don't understand something. This is your body and you have a right to know what's what.
Ali, we all know you're in pain and don't know which way to turn. Everyone posting here has walked in your shoes... EVERYONE. We all have spinal issues and we all understand.
Your Old English Sheepdogs (cute puppies) had leaned on you for years and now it's your turn to lean on them, one of the benefits of having dogs. They want you whole.
Glad to see you have a pain managment doc. You can't think clearly when hurting clouds your mind.
I hope you find the solution you're looking for and wish you a pain free future, Dale