Has anyone successfully recovered from lumbar disc surgery?

Matt,

I continually put mine off for over a decade, I had/have compressions of the L4/5 and S1, have done all the spectrum from meds, chiro, shots, PT, massage, etc., I lived with it from 1985 until I retired in 2010, it didn't shorten my career, but it didn't help me in the long run either. I held off until retirement and had the VA get involved, still receiving the litany of treatments, they are pushing surgery, but to me that is the last resort, the risk of paralysis and non-full recovery for me is too high that I will either continue with the meds and other avenues or just live with it.

I had a friend that had to have the vertebrae in his upper spine and neck fused, his career was pretty much done after that, luckily he had his 20+ already in so they couldn't med him out, but he chose to retire anyway for his and family's sake.

It is a hard decision, I would try and get the profile in MEDPROS lifted for the PCS, and in all honesty go back in once you get to Tripler and be re-evaluated and put back in the system for further referrals to the specialists. It is a back handed way to do it, but it is what would be done to you if it could be gotten away with, anyone who has been in long enough knows this.

Good luck and stay strong.