NicolaAnne - without that last bit of info; that the bulge is too big, in your shoes, I would be opting for the stepping stone of the epidural, as if it didn't work, I could move forward to surgery. However, there may also have been subtle, guiding, messages in how your doctor delivered the messages to you.
Do you have private medical insurance, or does your employer have occupational health facilities/support? If you do, there could be an interesting professionally qualified, sounding board available. With PPP (I only quote them, as I have direct experience), you can call their specialist advisors to discuss any proposed treatment plans. If you have medical insurance that is likely to shorten any waiting for treatment, whichever route you elect to follow.
I feel for you. Several years agin, I had very bad tennis elbow. I never would have believed that level of pain was possible for no visible reason. I know if i had been told that eating a sustained diet of blue Smarties would fix it, I would have been right onto it. In the end, having tried physio, rest, and cortisone injections, I bumped into a dully qualified GP/chiropractor at a cocktail party. He didn't know I had tennis elbow, but asked me quietly what was wrong with my elbow, as I was clearly in discomfort. It transpired I kept putting my other hand to it. He suggested he could probably fix it. He professed to having a knack with elbows. Ooooer vicar! But to be fair, cure it, he did! In precisely two treatments. It was like a miracle. He did do lots of x-rays, and so on, before crunching my shoulder, which was actually the issue, so it wasn't exactly crunch and hope.
I hope you manage to get things sorted without too much more delay. Pain can be so debilitating.