[Maria]

Since I have no hardware but I do have a disrupted L3, previous discectomy on L4 and L5S1. L4 is still bulging and when L5S1 was as well I had a great deal of pain with sitting.. really horrible in fact.

Then about '05ish to '06 I noticed a change with regard to being able to walk much more and much less pain albeit using low dose pain medication, gabapentin and ESIs tho all same treatment for about 5 years ~ just less pain and more mobility.

Still sitting always flared everything up and made me miserable until about a year ago. L5S1 supposedly has autofused as I probably mentioned (original injury 20 plus years ago).

If this autofusion has created a lack of motion at this segment it has definately helped alleviate pain w/sitting. I still cannot sit long long periods however at least I can sit again w/o having to go thru all kinds of extremes to try and sit and have a cup of tea, coffee or a meal out with people (or even by myself).

So I still have problems at the other 2 levels tho the one that seems to have been the most problematic was dealt with even if on it's own and the relief has actually been significant.

I keep wishing that L4 might autofuse anyday now by itself...

I'm really interested to hear what the consultations will yield in terms of opinions/recommendations and what you'll be thinking with regard to these consultations.

I'd try to keep up the walking just to keep the rest of your body going strong.