[oPer8rNY]

Thank you to all forum members who participates in this forum--I've read so much helpful information here on this forum. Quick history of my back problems--2009 first herniation (L4,L5) treated very conservatively - surgery was the last resort after one year of debilitating pain. My surgery was a success and I was pain free immediately and back on my feet that day in fact. 2011--slipped and fell on ice in the parking lot of my building. I re-injured the same disc L4,L5. My surgeon treated me conservatively again for almost one year. Second surgery in 2011--to decompress the same nerve at L4,L5. The surgeon found an osteophyte and tried to decompress nerve with not much success. I had very little back pain coming out of surgery but I lived with numbness and weakness in my foot for the next 5 years. I then found another surgeon in 2016. He said he could help me and at this point, the facet had fused on its own. I went in for a third surgery in 2016 and the surgeon went in further into the pedicle to try to decompress nerve. The surgery was a success for a few months until I injured L5,S1 herniation. Now, I am considering ADR surgery after reading about it online and on this forum. Unfortunately, for me, I did not know about it in 2009. I had a friend, who just recently got back from Spain, and he had a two level ADR with Dr. Clavel. I've since sent all my records and MRIs to Dr. Clavel and have received a response from him that I would be a candidate for ADR at levels 3 and 4 and L5, S1 but not to touch 4,5 since it is already fused.

I'm having a hard time believing that I can squeeze a disc in at L5,S1 and at level 3,4 without causing a lot of problems. I have yet to set up my Skype session with Dr. Clavel to go further with my consultation, but will do so within the next week or so. I would really appreciate it if someone who has had this type of surgery can respond or help me in making an informed decision. All feedback and help is appreciated.


2009 first laminectomy L4, L5 -success
2011 second injury--fell on ice - second surgery -not a success
2016 facet fused
2016 third surgery L4,L5 decompression - success - no back pain
2017 new herniation - L5, S1, L3-L4 not looking good at all!