@harvey2007 and @krisjb1
My name is Nancy and I am one of the Mentors at Connect. I have read comments from each of you and one common thought came to me. You each are dealing with pain originating in your spine, but there is nothing to say that the causes are similar. When surgery is presented as an option we can look at the pictures, and hear explanations of the reports. A clear explanation will make sense as we consider cause and effect of the pain. But there is another piece of information that could be critical to our decision. Left uncorrected, and if allowed to progress, what is possible outcome based on the location of the damage? Chronic pain? Paralysis? Incontinence? Other? The level of your problem and the severity both factor into that answer. Some of us also deal with poor quality of bone, and even the surgical options available to the surgeon can vary widely. In a nutshell, the question becomes more than surgery, yes or no? I suggest that you have a good support person help you navigate these waters and go with you to these appointments. It can get pretty confusing. Your Primary Care Physician might also be someone who could help you sort it out. Is there anything in my comments that can help you move forward with your decisions?
Peace, Nancy

Thanks Nancy.
But what do you do when 5 surgeons, all from distinguished hospitals, all tell you that you need different treatments. They not only disagree on the surgical procedure, but even which nerves are the cause - everything from L3 to S1.