I have had back problems since we had a motorcycle accident in 1992, and I took most of the impact on my lower thoracic and lumbar spine. Over the years, it got worse and worse, leading up to 2005, where after some months, it just got worse and worse and I finally returned to my chiropractor. His associate decided to pop my back and I lost all feeling in my legs and they buckled underneath me. They spasmed so badly on the way home that I had to stop driving. All of this to lead you to - I was referred to a surgeon- three herniations -L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1.....slippage of the L4 vertebra over the L5 , severe foraminal stenosis( where the nerve roots exit the spinal nerves ) at all three levels. It was so bad that I couldn't sit, stand or lay down without crying in my sleep, literally.
Anyway, I saw the physiatrist, who had me see the surgeon that very morning- he sent me to go pick up my most recent MRI, and had me return to see the surgeon. He told me that I needed surgery at all three levels, but especially at L4-5....and to open up both the central canal and the nerve root canals. I was sent for another MRI and a myelogram/CT scan, and a CT scan on it's own. Anyway, I didn't want surgery, at all, and in fact, wanted to avoid it but was told he would wait if I wanted, but sent me to pain management for a consult. PM doctor wouldn't treat me, said that I needed surgery- injections , etc were all off the table because of the condition of my back.....so back to the surgeon I went, obviously , no more chiro for me....
Anyway, my surgery was scheduled right away, in fact, within a week.......now that I think about it, I know others were booked weeks and months out, yet mine was placed right at the top of the heap....should have told me that I was in trouble. 
Yet, despite all of the emergent need for surgery, the paperwork called it elective anyway. I will tell you that my first surgery did not go well. For many reasons- it took well over 7 hours for my first surgery and they only wound up doing one level because of the extent of the damage in that area.....he never touched the other two levels..... and because he didn't, I developed a post op cauda equina syndrome. That should have sent me right back into the OR but instead , they released me some 35 hours post op.....which led to more problems- infections, loosing my ability to stand or walk, worsening of my condition over the next 17 months....I finally got fed up, and saw a couple of other surgeons who filled me in on what went wrong and I wound up having a revision/ last resort surgery to try to repair the damage from the CES.... and having to redo the fusion since it did not take the first time....I thought that I was in pain before the first surgery- let me tell you, it pales in comparision to the pain that I had post op......and for months afterward, along with new pains.......and numbness. I was told earlier this year, that I need a third surgery, for yet again, another spondylolysthesis( slippage of one vertebra over the one below it) , and for central canal stenosis ( spinal canal is almost closed), and foraminal stenosis, but I also have another added complication, the covering of the spinal cord is attached to the vertebre at three levels , and the surgery will wind up tearing the covering, which will cause a major spinal fluid leak so I will be spending some time on my back until they are able to seal the tear.....about 10 days or so is what they said, so I am waiting until I become paralyzed and then will have no choice but to have the surgery. That was the recommendation from my surgeon consult- two of them in fact.
I would strongly suggest if surgery is not an emergency, try your best to manage the pain and symptoms you are having with physical therapy, swimming, etc , muscle relaxers, TENS, anti inflammatories, creams, massage, and any other modality they recommend other than surgery. When the time comes that it is truly necessary, as long as there is no nerve damage, then it is time for surgery.
As far as the disc replacement thing goes, the results seem to be better in the cervical area, however, the patient really needs to be sure that there is no facet arthritis, and that they only put on in, rather than stack them on one another. They do NOT replicate the normal movement of the spine, their center does not match the true alignment and motion of the spine and there are far too many people who have had great disability after getting on implanted. The lumbar ones are not getting great outcomes , especially at the L5 -S1 levels because that area of the spine does not have that much movement and it seems to worsen facet problems. The disc sizing and placement needs to be perfect. They say that they can go in and fuse the level if the disc doesn't work but what they don't tell you is that removing them is really iffy.....because of the design of them, they would have to remove a large section of the vertebre to get the keel out in the lumbar area and there are major blood vessels that run through your abdomen that if damaged can lead to the patients death...