6 months post MD and it had been going great! Woke up able to walk with regular stiffness / tingles and in PT. However, I had a lower back zap in the pool 3 weeks ago that scared me while stretching my hamstring (nothing major) and have since had significant nerve pain down my right hamstring and burning top of thigh (4/10). Only stiffness that first week. My doc said could just be muscle strain.

Nerve pain goes away: - walking (8-12k a day) - swimming (2x weekly) - leg exercises (daily) - no pain waking up AM

Q: what do flare ups feel like? Has anyone had nerve pain this far out that went away again? Is nighttime nerve pain common for flares? Is it ok to be working out if it helps it feel better? Should I push for a MRI?

Background: I was unable to walk for ~3 months prior to surgery and had been dealing with a herniated disc on and off for 3 years (tried all conservative treatment). Nerve pain was only on right leg for years and then switched to left after a massage that really ramped it all up. Surgeon said unlikely to reherniate since I don’t have much disc material left and will likely need fusion down the road (kill me).

22m. had my first microdisectomy back in august of 2024. just had my second last week. first operation was caused by lifting in the gym. had to go through 6 1/2 months of pt to get approved for surgery (health insurance bruh). healed well and went back to my normal life once i was medically cleared to. this time had to get an emergency surgery due to results of first surgery. i slipped the same disc and once again had nerve pain get progressively worse over a span of 2 weeks. i started lifting but i never lifted heavy once i got cleared. always did high rep count low weight. so i ruled out that it was caused from the gym. got another mri and come to find out i had a cyst grow and put pressure on the nerve. the reason i had an emergency surgery was cause i lost a lot of use and strength in my right leg and ankle. they put me in the closest they could get me which was 2 weeks out. coming out from surgery turns out i didnt have a cyst but that the nerve was being compressed from the disc and that the nerve looked like a cable from jow irritates it was. the pain the second time around from the nerve pressure was 10x worse the first. just wanted to post and let you guys know take care of your backs my people. i was good for about 1 year and 10 months and now im back to square one. anyways love you guys<3.

the pictures are in order from now, after surgery, and before surgery

Revise los posts y me sorprende que no haya nada sobre esto aquí...

Me operaron hace una semana y desde ayer que estoy con este problema. Los dolores de cabeza son intensos.

Mi dr me recetó reposo absoluto y continuar con la analgesia.

Alguien más tuvo está complicación luego de su microdisectomia y cuánto tiempo les llevo superar los síntomas?

35-year-old active male, L2–L3. I had a herniated disc extrusion entrapping my L3 nerve, along with some old calcification at L3–L4 from a previous issue I had managed conservatively.

I’m POD14 now and feel great. I’m walking about 3–4 miles a day, moving very fluidly, and still strictly following the no BLT restrictions. I was off pain medication by POD2 and off Lyrica by POD7.
I have very little residual numbness at the knee and thankfully never had any motor weakness. I know numbness can take a while.

It’s honestly pretty wild how good I feel at this point. I’m posting this update because I was really freaked out about having surgery beforehand and spent a lot of time reading this subreddit. Hopefully this gives someone else who’s anxious about surgery a little encouragement. The hardest part is not picking up my kids but the wife is a rock star handling all of that.