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Dh had a similar surgery. It was on a Friday and because he's stubborn was back at work Monday. Granted I had to drive him into work Monday and Tuesday but he managed. He also teaches so he's on his feet a good portion of the day, although I think he tried to write on the board while sitting? It's college kids so they were at least a little more understanding.

Not sure if this is the same, I think it was a more involved surgery than you are considering but my husband had a MAS PLIF spinal fusion. In simple terms, he now has an implant in his spine to stop the nerves from being crushed. The recovery was a little scary the first monthish and he definitely still has some back issues over a year later but, it has definitely improved his quality of life in regards to back pain and mobility.

Let me know if you have any questions!

I don't have experience with surgery or to the level of herniated disc, but I can say that I'd also get a second opinion. If there's any way you'd trust a chiropractor, I'd also consider at least some adjunct care with one. I have a bulging disc & went from debilitating pain to 98% pain free after just 2 adjustments. He took x-rays & was very gentle with the 1st adjustment, after which I felt 75% better. I know it's not the same as your condition, but back surgery scares me after hearing several stories of outcomes worse than the original injury.

@Mrs. Carrot: I also should say that I had a really large herniation. It was beyond PT or injections being able to help. I could barely walk/stand. The pain relief was literally instant. When I woke up, I couldn't believe it.

I do have nerve damage that is pretty bad. Still, it's nothing compared to the pain that I was in before.

My brother has had two herniated discs repaired (in separate surgeries--happened a couple years apart) as an adult. I don't think anyone would say it was "fun," but he was so much better after both of them. He went from basically being able to do nothing, sitting with a heating pad, experiencing only minimal relief from steroid injections, etc., to being his normal self again. Obviously, you'll have restrictions for a while, but for him, it was great.

On the other side of the coin, my grandmother-in-law had back surgery and has never been the same since then. Honestly, I think a lot of her issues were that she had had problems for years and years and by the time she finally addressed it, it was really advanced and her nerves in that area were pretty severely damaged (which is what continues to cause her pain). And of course, she was 50 years older at the time of the surgery, too, which obviously complicates things.

I've read a ton of medical records involving back surgeries because of what I do, and a lot of how people do seems to depend on their overall health, how complicated the issue is, if they work hard to get back up and around afterwards, etc. It never hurts to get a second opinion if you are unsure, but if the disc is truly herniated and pressing on the nerve, that's a miserable existence.

@Mrs. Carrot: Ha! I don't know how to PM on here so I'll just put it all here.

My recovery has actually been super easy. I had my surgery on a Friday in the late afternoon. Saturday, I was up and moving around a lot more than I thought I'd be able to. I actually felt so good that I overdid it. I'd say the first 2-4 days, plan on doing a lot of laying in bed, making yourself relax. You do have to get up and walk around but it's also important to rest. I was off of pain meds by day 5 but really probably could have been off of them on day 3.

With the microdiscectomy, they gave me some internal stitches and then they glued the incision closed. The incision never really hurt. It felt achy at times but never really hurt too badly at all. The whole area was pretty stiff and sore though. Not miserably so, moreso, just really kind of uncomfortable. That's a lot of why you'll want to plan on spending at least a couple of days in bed (with time to get up and move around).

Really, my biggest problem is overdoing it. I feel so good so I do too much and I find that then I feel tired or stiff and sore. If you go into it just really knowing to listen to your body and knowing that you'll have to rest, I think you'll be just fine.

I have a two year old and not being able to carry her or pick her up has been a lot harder than I thought it would be. When she's crying and wants her mama to carry her, it's really hard to explain that I can't. We've found a groove where I'll sit down and she'll climb into my lap and then I can snuggle her.

Before my surgery, I found a lot of instances of people not doing well after it. I realize now that most of the people that it works for probably don't think to go onto message boards and talk about their positive experience. So far, I've had a really positive experience. The nerve damage and pain I have will hopefully go away after a while. Regardless, it is so much better than dealing with the herniation.

I was super scared to get the operation. I didn't want to be intubated and I was convinced I was going to die (I have a flair for the dramatics). I didn't die and I am so much better. They had to wheel me into the OR with me laying on my side with a pillow between my legs because laying on my back hurt too much. That was the last time I felt that pain.

I know this is all over the place, I'm trying to write things as I remember them! I do still feel like I'm recovering. Friday will be the two week mark for me. There is just one part of my incision that I have to keep covered. I also get in bed and rest as much as possible. I'm fortunate in the fact that since I can't lift my daughter and niece (who I watch during the week) so my husband is working from home,

I'm seriously happy to answer any other questions you have! Sorry again about this being all over the place. I really have had a positive experience. I'm terrified of re-herniation but my surgeon said only 5-10 % re-herniate.

@Mrs. Carrot: I was under general anesthesia and was on the ventilator! I'm curious to hear if you don't have to be intubated. I have no memory of it at all and it seemed to go just fine!

@Mrs. Carrot: It is definitely difficult when you have little ones! I think my case is a little different, because those things did help me a lot, just not 100%. And I may never be 100% back to normal. I'm able to do most things in my daily life, and I rarely get the sharp nerve pains anymore, but I do get sore from time to time. And I probably refrain from doing as much physical activity as I should because I'm always afraid of making it flare up again.

ETA: I do hope this brings you the relief you're looking for!

I had a microdiscetomy a few years back and it has been life changing! Before the surgery i tried pt, chiropractors, and had a few steriod epidurals. My pain just got worse and worse to the point where I was not able to walk at times, my legs gave out on me and I fell in a parking lot and couldnt get up, and I started having urinary problems.

The surgery was really easy. They wanted me to stay overnight but I ended up going home that same night. When I woke up i was not in excruciating pain like I had been. I felt sore where they made the incision, but that was it. I did not know they put a foley catheter in when I was asleep, i freaked out when I woke up and found it. It did not hurt when they removed it, but it burned soo bad the first time I peed. They also intubated me. I only knew because I asked why my throat was sore after surgery (i was extubated by time I woke up).

I had lifting restrictions for a couple weeks after surgery, but recovery was a breeze compared to all the pain I was in before.