[bmills]

David, I don't have leg pain from nerve compression and I have fairly good disc space still. With my research and docotor's recommendation, I don't feel that I'm a good candidate for less invasive procedures like Micro-D or SED.

I chose against IDET so far because I don't think it will be permanent and it will just cause more break down of the disc. Jeff who just went to Zeegers in Munich for his 3 level has good info on IDET and several others here have tried it.

I tried the epidural and facet joint injections.

I also have L5/S1 that is ruptured and protruding. My L4/L5 now has turned up with a tear and leaked on the discogram. Yes discograms suck. Sometimes I wonder if a discogram can atually cause a disc tear.

Anyway, my L5/S1 definitely produced concordant pain during the discogram and leaked. L4/L5 is questionable because it actually did not seem to produce concordant pain.

I'm working with a good doctor here in Colorado. He's not the one that is nearest to my area but I think he is the best in the state even though there are many now doing ADR. I continue to talk to many of his past ADR patients to see how they are doing. The findings are good so far.

I'm also fighting the insurance at the same time. My first level appeal with Cigna was sent in last Friday. They have approved a two level fusion but turned down ADR. Very frustrating.

Getting ready to use an attorney for the 2nd level appeal if that is needed. I'm also going to file an insurance complaint with the Colorado State Insurance dept.

I know of another Cigna member that got their two level ADR approved recently. I don't know if he was with HMO though.

I don't know as much as many members on the forum but I have done a ton of research on the less invasive avenues and talked to doctors and doctor's offices about them. Let me know if I can help.

Also, please keep us posted with how your situation progresses. Hopefully the insurance companies come along very soon. Many of us are waiting in pain.

Sometimes I think they should give us the cash for the fusions they keep wanting to approve and then let us use that to pay for ADR. !!

In some ways I'm almost ready to pursue a fusion in order to improve but I know that will only lead to the breakdown of more levels.

Brady