I didn't have the surgery, my extrusion retracted. but it took over a year and i was partially paralyzed during this time. damaged really isn't the correct word. your nervous system just finds a new path to keeping things moving. this is years of extensive research & being my own advocate. this is what worked for me. i had to address my bad biomechanics. if there's not someone that specializes in this in your area pilates is similar. once i corrected my posture the pressure was relieved from my discs. i could not fire my nerve even after the rehab so i went to medical acupuncture and had the nerve roots electrically stimulated at the spine as well as directly in the muscles. they fired within a few treatments. then, i went to myofascial release with someone trained by barnes (http://www.myofascialrelease.com/home.asp) and they taught my nervous system to work correctly. by the second treatment my, i had a new body. the nerves started firing correctly and i think i'll be stronger than i was before the injury. i hope this helps. if you have ?s let me know. kimpton.
i also had a microdiscectomy on L5-S1 because of a large extrusion. the surgery was on june 2.
What i was told by my doctor is it is a **** shoot on how much the nerve will regerate. He said i had let mine be pinched for too long and it might not regenerate at all. I think it depends on everyones situation and how damaged the nerve is. With it now 2 weeks post op for me i have noticed a gradual increase in the strength of my leg wich is great. But i am not sure if it is the muscles regenerating or the nerve itself....
best of luck and good health