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Everyone who is contemplating surgery should keep this in mind. There are no tests available to doctors that can determine the severity of your pain, specifically on an individual basis. It has come to my understanding that any surgeon who performs surgery considers it successful if the procedure goes as planned. This surgery cannot be determined by the patient's level of pain. Until I can be certain that the procedure will be successful and I won't be in pain, I won't have spinal surgery. I am waiting for this guarantee to arrive!
Replies to "Everyone who is contemplating surgery should keep this in mind. There are no tests available to..."
That's why the term "failed back surgery syndrome" has become so common. It's essentially saying that "I tried surgery to help reduce my patient's pain, but it didn't work".
It is sort of a trial and error process...but we, the patients, are the error. Why would anyone want something that has such a high rate of failure?
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Agree 100%. Just don't hold your breath waiting for that guarantee. If only these docs pushing for these surgeries could experience our level 7-9 pain for just one day, perhaps they might be more empathetic.