I have advanced degenerative disk disease plus many other sources of spinal pain associated with osteoarthritis. My pain doctor was generous with his prescriptions for opiates(oxycontin) supplemented with other drugs pending installation of an electric pain-interfering stimulator. this would have him install two wires up my spinal column, along side my chord, and wear a tiny pacemaker-like device under the skin of my abdomen which has a rechargeable battery. with the stimulator, whenver pain reaches a certain threshold, i touch a remote control and the stgimulator prevents my brain from recognizing the pain signals. i understand success is about at the 50% level, certainly better than the enormous volume of actually ineffectiv e drugs i was on. this doctor told my that the LAST rresort would be for the installation, in my belly, of a morphine pump. In desperation, i sent searching further, after hearing all my local orthopaedists tell me: Sorry, there is nothing further that can be done for your spine" i contacted the orthopaedic department at mt sinai in miami beach and was referred to a surgical practive that specialized in patients that others have given up on and offers some brand new surgical technology for my disease. about 9i0 days ago i had this 9-hour procedure followed by 6 days in the hospital (mostly to detox me from opiates) and 16 days in the hospital's post-surgical rehab center. Now, 3 months later, i walk on my own two legs/feet (i had been wheel-chair bound for many months);, i sleep in my own bed (after spending 6 months sleeping in a chair), and i off virtually all heavy drugs-just one percocet plus 2 ultrams per day, and, although my surgeon has warned me i will always be in some pain, it has little effect in my life now. the key: DO NOT GIVE UP! Technology is improving medicine and surgery all the time. lthe procedures done to me did not exist in the US 15 mon ths ago (called XLIF  and AXIALIF). my surgeon is now travelling all over the world teaching surgeons these new techniques. In fact, i understand the FDA just approved these techniques for use in diseases of the cerebral spine, too. Good Luck!