My Microdiscectomy Experience: Surgery & First Week Recovery

Two weeks ago, I wrote about my decision to go ahead with microdiscectomy surgery after my herniated L4-L5 disc flared up again. I had done all the “right” things—physical therapy, core work, activity modification, plenty of walking—but the nerve pain kept coming back. At that point, fixing the problem surgically felt like the best option.

Here’s exactly how my surgery day and first week of recovery unfolded. If you’re facing the same procedure, I hope this helps take some of the fear and uncertainty out of the process.

Surgery Day: Bright & Early

On August 6, I arrived at the outpatient surgery center at 5:30 a.m. They moved me to pre-op almost immediately—hospital gown, warm socks, comfy bed. A nurse came in to do an EKG, start an IV (quick and painless—thank you!), draw a little blood, and give me anti-nausea meds just in case.

My surgeon’s PA, Macie, came by next. We reviewed activity guidelines: walking would be my main exercise for the first few weeks, avoiding bending, lifting, and twisting. No physical therapy exercises yet. She also showed me the back brace I’d wear when walking to help prevent accidental twisting.

I’d read online that not all surgeons recommend a brace, but mine did. I was fine with it—anything to keep me from accidentally doing something dumb in those early days.

One by one, the rest of my surgical team stopped in: the doctor who would monitor my nerves, my surgeon (who had me confirm “microdiscectomy” and “right side” so many times I could’ve spelled it in my sleep), and the anesthesiologist—who was warm, reassuring, and had me laughing before we even rolled into the OR.

The Next Thing I Knew…

I remember the oxygen mask. Then… someone was saying my name. It was over.

Just like that.

A nurse in recovery asked how I’d herniated my disc. When I told him “running a marathon,” he gasped—he’s training for Dallas. I laughed and reassured him this was not a normal marathon side effect, since I’d done six others without injury.

From there, I was moved to a recliner, offered water and crackers, and handed hydrocodone “just to get ahead of any pain.” My IV came out, I changed back into my clothes, and the nurse showed my husband, Eric, my very swollen bandaged incision (so he wouldn’t freak out later). She also gave us waterproof dressings for showering.

By 9:45 a.m., we were in the car headed home—with a quick Walgreens stop for prescriptions: gabapentin, ondansetron, methocarbamol, and oxycodone. I only ended up taking gabapentin the first couple nights to help me sleep, plus Tylenol every eight hours for the first two days.

The pain that had been my constant companion? Gone. Completely. I wasn’t sure if it was the anesthesia talking, but it felt like a miracle.

My First Week: Day-by-Day Highlights

Day 1 – Short walk down the street with my brace. No pain. Rest of the day: light movement around the house, TV marathons instead of running ones.

Day 2 – Morning walk, then errands with Eric (he lifted everything). Lunch out, dinner with his parents. Slight nerve pain in my right glute while at the store, but Macie had said occasional twinges are normal during healing.

Day 3 – Same short walk. Breakfast out. Slight discomfort told me I’d probably overdone it, so I rested more.

Day 4 – Walked about a mile total. Took Advil for the first time post-surgery (had to wait 72 hours). It helped with inflammation.

Day 5 – Two short walks, about a mile each. No nerve pain. Still being careful about bending and twisting.

Day 6 – Two walks again, totaling 5,500 steps. Tried sleeping with a U-shaped pregnancy pillow (Reddit suggestion) to help with side/back sleeping, but it hurt my neck. Went back to a regular pillow between my knees.

My Microdiscectomy Takeaways So Far

• The procedure was far less scary than I’d expected—especially after reading way too many worst-case scenarios online.

• Walking has been the single best thing for my recovery.

• I’m thrilled to be able to sit pain-free for the first time in months.

• I've kept a healthy diet through recovery, focused on eating whole foods, avoiding animal products, and avoiding alcohol

• There’s a 10–15% chance of reherniation, but for me, the payoff of being pain-free was worth the risk.

  
  

I’ll update again after my three-week follow-up, but so far, this has been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my health.