[Dreamy]

I’m new to this site. My name is Jamie and I live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Like Greg said, I am so happy to have found this site! I have been going though pure hell the worst 4 years of my life with this back issue. Like everyone else I have issues w/the L5/S1 no disk at all left just bone on bone. I have tried everything from Physical Therapy to Acupuncture to the Injections (of every kind) to Discectomy and nothing has helped. I have been in pain mgmt for the past 3 years I am on enough drugs to knock down a Horse, yet the drugs don't even help anymore! I think about just stop taking them, but then I am so afraid that if I do I really may not be able to move. I have been to Dr. after Dr. and then they tell you crap like "you will just have to learn to live with it"! I can honestly say that until a couple months ago I was HOPELESS!!!! I was done really ready to throw in the towel! I am only 38 years old but I have the back for a 100 yr. old. So as a last ditch effort I went to see a “Spine Specialist” who actually seemed like he might know what he was talking about. He ordered a bunch of tests as well including the most barbaric of them all the Discogram (I thought I was going to dye!!!) they couldn’t even get the needle in. So after that I went back to take to him and said that my only op. was surgery, or to live w/it. So we starting talking and the only surgery he does his Fusion, but he is very close with a college that does the ADR. So we talked about the Fusion and then he told me listen, I want you to go and meet with Dr. Garcia, he even called his office to see if they accepted my Insurance, and of course they didn’t….lol but, he got him to meet with me anyway. So about a month ago I went and meet w/Dr. Garcia and learned about Disk Replacement and not only that but I was a perfect candidate for a clinical trial to have the Disk put.



So after reading as much as humanly possible talking w/both Dr. Garcia & my other Dr. and my kids and having really nothing to loose I have decided to have the Disk Replacement done on the 19th of this month. I am scared to death, but I am even more scared of not having this done!



So if anyone could let me know if you have had this done and what I am looking at as far as recovery time, pain, just anything & everything at all, I would really appreciate any feedback. I am so nervous & scared yet I am so excited to get my life back. This has affected EVERY SINGLE part of my life!



I look forward to hearing from any of you soon.



Thanks,

Jamie