>>I certainly understand the desire to relieve debilitating pain. Until last year I used to be very active - played tennis, skied, worked out for 2-3 hours a day . Now I have such terrible pain in my legs that some days I can barely walk. Like you say - what a drag it is getting old.
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>Anecdote is not data - but if the pain in the legs correlates with stenosis of the spine pressing on some nerves, micro-chirurgic widening of the canal was one thing tried only after lots of less intruding measures that helped in a particular case. In hindsight should have been tried sooner here, even if no problems stemmed from operation. IAC best wishes to get better / at least over that hump next year.

I agree with you, Thomas, with one caveat. Make sure to be carefully tested for osteoporosis before the surgery and, if it's there, make sure to have it treated and under control first.

Tamar