I'll give you my background,...I have had degenerative disc disease for a long time, also have had Lyme's disease, was told I had fibromyalgia before I had back surgery 6 yrs. ago, but...etc..I am a 50 yr. old female, have always been more active than most people, dog groomer, broke horses, etc...had plenty or "wrecks" on horses too. OK. 6 years ago had problems with incontinence, could'nt get my left leg to do what I wanted (as in lifting it high enough to walk up stairs, etc)...I'd trip and fall on my face, couldnt get it high enough to put in a stirrup to mount a horse, etc..sciatica pain from hell too. Chiropractor sent me to a Great neurosurgeon, cleaned up the bad areas (L3 and 4)and I was tickled pink...felt 10 years younger and everything worked, no more pain etc...OK, one year ago coming home from work, I was rear ended by a large truck while sitting at a red light (truck was going about 50 miles an hour)...felt like a machete' hit me across the whole width of my back, between the butt and hips, started with leg pains, feet pain, wasn't as bad or as frequent at first but steadily is getting worse, some days I walk like Quasimodo all hunched over to releive that pain, can't sit for long, and am again incontinent at times, (more than before) pain comes and goes, but lately is almost always there,my left side mostly but it will switch to my right, ice cold foot, tingling etc...comes and goes with the pain.I spend most of my days laying around like a slug, even sitting hurts me,and for marital relations...forget it, it takes me a week to get over the pain it causes. I've been going to a chiro. and an acupuncturist for a year now, finally my regular Dr sent me for MRI's and report said I have severe degen. disc. disease, a small herniation inside the disc,nothing much else. She sent me to a neurosurgeon this week, he looked at MRI's and said L5 and S is compressed from ddd, I need a laminotomy and a spinal fusion for the disc disease. I already HAD the disc disease for years, but after last back surgery it did NOT bother me ..I was working full time, etc....the neurologist I saw said that small hernia inside the disc shouldn't cause all this damned pain! The neurosurgeon said yes, it could plus the degenerated discs are pinching on nerves...my chiropractor says my spine is "unstable" is why sometimes it is worse on left...then sometimes right. I can feel my back "grate" at times.... Here's my question now.. If this problem is all about disc degeneration, then why did it not show up or practically cripple me til I was rear ended?? and why would the neurologist say a hernited disc shouldnt hurt me if it does?? I am really confused here, if this is all from DDD, will this surgery help and won't it come back again?? I know this is long and rambly, but, do you think I should get a second opinion before I agree to this? Neurosurgeon also said I need to see an Orthopedic Surgeon too, they will both need to do this surgery....does this sound right? Thanks in advance for your time, I know this is a lot of questions...but thanks again.