[Jeff Higgins]

I have two completely degenerated discs, one at the same L3/L4 as yours and one a bit higher up. Both are so dried out they can't swell or bulge anymore. I used to get cortisone shots in them, until there wasn't enough soft tissue left to absorb it anymore.

It's been 20 years at least, but I do remember having surgery to relieve one (or both, I just can't remember) of them. This was back when they were still soft enough to herniate or bulge. The thing I do remember about all of that was that it was day surgery, virtually at the "drive through window". I was back on my feet and back at work with minimal time lost. I want to say no more than a day or two, including the day of the surgery.

Can they do this orthoscopically today? Mine was old fashioned scalpel and stitches. I would hope that with modern methods, you can experience even less downtime than I did.

Good luck. I "feel your pain" - it certainly isn't pleasant. Mine went all the way down my right leg at times. No fun at all.