Duke Spine Center patients tell about their treatment experiences.

Donna Hicks
Dr. Gottfried changed my life for the better. He told me what he could do and he was very confident he could fix my back.

Penny Bender
For several years I had been having lower back pain plus increasing leg problems -- burning, pain, and numbness. Treatments had included orthopaedic interventions, epidurals, chiropractics, and acupuncture. None was long lasting.

L. Brooks
My journey to Duke was one filled with pain and very few answers as to why I was in so much pain. I was initially treated for sciatica that, over time, did not get better -- only worse. After 47 days, my pain had gotten to the point that I could no longer walk.

Christina Ceci
In August of 2007, I had to have an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) that took about six weeks to recover from and was performed by another facility. In June of 2010, I was faced with the same situation on a different disk. The big issue this time was that I was pregnant with my fourth child, have had a history of complications in previous pregnancies, and I am of advanced maternal age.

Larry Daniel
Dr. Gottfried took the time to explain what was going on with my spine. He also told me in detail (with pictures and my x-rays) how he was going to perform the surgery. I felt a sense of relief and knew right then he was the man for the job.

Robert Hornack
I had been troubled by stenosis and scoliosis. Initially I had surgery (and it was incomplete) in Charleston, SC. The surgery didn't go well; I had more issues after the surgery and the installed hardware was falling apart.

Mary Wesley Harvey
From the first office visit, I knew I was at the right place. Dr. Bagley immediately put me at ease and never once did I feel rushed when asking questions or voicing concerns. It was as if I was his only patient.

Pam Keeney
I have been dealing with neck pain and other complications for several years. I have tried medication, physical therapy, traction, cervical injections, and nerve ablation. Three out of four doctors recommended surgery, but I didn't feel comfortable enough with these doctors to let them cut around my spinal cord.

Nancy Lufty
I am a 55-year-old woman, and I have been dealing with back problems for the past six years due to degenerative disc disease and adult progressive scoliosis. I had always been very active but could no longer do the outdoor activities that I love.

Carol Noble
I live each day totally pain-free and free of the fog that accompanies narcotics. I cannot believe the freedom of life without pain or medications! I praise God everyday for Dr. Bagley and his wonderful team for their continuous, compassionate care they provided before, during, and after my extensive surgery.

Micki Webb
I am a 72-year-old lady and I would like to share my very successful story about my back surgery that I had at Duke University Hospital in April 2009.

Nancy Jones
I awoke on July 12 of this year with unbearable pain in my left lower back hip area. Within 24 hours, the pain had relocated into my left knee area, and the left side of that leg was numb.