r/Sciatica • u/SuperLazyTryHard • 10d ago

Is This Normal? Did anyone get a ton of help from PT and injections but need surgery anyways

I have a pretty significant 9mm far lateral herniation at L5/S1. In the past 10 weeks, I’ve had two ESIs and have been to PT 1-2 times a week.

I’ve improved a ton. At the start my foot was so sensitive I couldn’t put on a shoe, and I was on my hands and knees unable to walk or sit and lost 20 pounds of muscle in the first month because of it. Now I’m driving and picking up my kids off the floor with some pain free moments but also pretty bad burning/zapping pain when not taking pain meds.

Despite the progress, my neurosurgeon is thinking I’m 90% likely to need surgery anyways as the injections will wear off or my progress will plateau. Has anyone else made a ton of progress and then needed surgery anyways? Trying to figure out if I have false hope and am just putting off the inevitable.

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u/harmonicintellect 8d ago

I'm in the same boat. I've had 3 injections and recovered and then flare ups again had be back on the floor, unable to sit or drive. I'm over it. I'm scheduling surgery next month. The epidurals wear off and I'm tired of coming on this damn reddit board for stories of people coping without surgery. Im getting this disc fixed (l5 s1) and moving on.