Bulging Disc: Surgery or not?

[Iggy82]

About 2 years ago, I started feeling classical symptoms of sciatica - pain radiating down my right leg, all the way to the knee, mostly on the side of the leg. This happened right after I made about 10 consecutive jumps. A year later after that episode, I had MRI done. It showed that I had 2 bulging/herniated discs and 1 herniated disc. The bulging/herniated discs are at L1-L2 and L2-L3 position. The mildly herniated disc was at L5-S1 position. My leg pain is always there, however, its severity is on and off. It's never extreme, such as inability to get out of bed or not go to work. However, at times it's distressing resulting in inability to exercise at gym or do various physical activities fully.

I am 25 years old and sports has always been a somewhat large part of my life. I have a gym membership for 10 years, I play basketball, tennis, soccer and other sports recreationally. This pain has inhibited some of those activities and I had to cut out many of the exercises that I used to do in the gym (squats, back rows, military press and etc.)

Recently I had 2 epidural injections done, about 3 weeks apart. The first one helped for about 10 days and the 2nd one I had done less than a week ago and the pain has already come back almost fully.

I have seen 2 surgeons and both recommended surgeries after first trying more conservative treatment. I have been prescribed by one surgeon to undergo a PT course for 6 weeks. While I didn't start it yet, it's unlikely to help in my view.
The first surgeon recommended a laminectomy and the 2nd one microdiscectomy.

Is it worth going through one of these surgeries given my age and somewhat nagging pain, should PT fail (as I predict it will)? If so, how successful are these surgeries in terms of pain relief? Will I ever be able to go back to gym again at at least 80% of how I used to? In other words, do the benefits outweigh the costs of recovery, pain and some risk?
Is PT any help in situations like these where the pain is chronic and according to MRI and X-Ray, I have some bone spurs and somewhat degenerated discs?
Thank You for your time and attention,
- Igor

[nanabear2yew]

I has a bulging disk.. Dr said it was a huge bulging disk. L5-S1. I had surgery APRIL 17,2012
AND its now June 6. 2012; but I Still have major pain that goes from my buttock down thigh..my ankle and big toe...and I fee like I'm stepping in water when I walk. Sick of the pain!

  

[Crystal5515]

My husband had partial disc removal when he was 31 due to a herniated disc.  he is now 47 and has had zero back pain since the surgery.  I also have a herniated disc for the past 6 months severe pain and numbness and am going to likely have surgery with the same doc.  I hope it helps, this pain is unbearable at times....:(.  Tried PT and chiropractor with no luck.  

[Crystal5515]

I know how you feel, I have had a bulging disc in my lower back since January of 2012.  It started out as  mild pain, i went to the chiropractor, pt and did some stretching and it has only gotten worse. I just got an MRI and waiting on the doctor for my next option.  My husband had surgery (microdisectomy sp?) and he has fully recovered and can exercise like before (no heavy lifting of course) but he hasn't felt pain in years.  At this point I am ready for the surgery.I can only walk about 15 feet and then I have to stop because of the numbness or pain and can't sit or stand for a long time, usually just laying in an awkward position on my side helps the most.

[emmaloafy]

I started noticed shooting pain down my leg when I was 14, after PT treatments and a few pills nothing really helped, I got an MRI and and have a herniated disc in my L4 L5, the medication didn't really do anything so I started going to the chiropractor which started helping a bit. The pain occured a little less often and I could bend a little farther down. I am now 20 and the pain has just gotten worse over time and now my left foot and back of my leg goes numb a few time daily when I'm walking or just standing. Everytime I go in to the doctor they just tell me the same thing, that I'm too young for surgery and to just wait it out. It's been 6 years of pain and I am slowly unable to do more and more things and it's getting really frustrating. I don't know what to do anymore and I just want to be able to put on my shoes or get dressed or sit pain free.

[Mattside]

Great... I was looking for positive advice or hopeful posts.... I'm 24... Heavy construction... Snowboard...surf...rock climb... Just started golfing.... Found out my back injury from a truck accident is now a bulged disc... Depressing day

[mahaamin]

I'm 34 y, 105 kg and 177cm hieght. i used to be aactive regardless that im overweight ,played many sports and goes to the gym regularly. i had a health problem last year rested at home for about 7 months,and as a result i gained 10 kg going from 95 kg to my current weight, again i started to go to the gym with all my power to loss extra weight, used spinning pikes and orbitracks, after 3 classes of spinning,i had a backache which begun to increase and lastly get worse radiating to my left buttocks and leg laterally, first i handelled the matter by myself taking oral analgesics which became useless after 10 days, then i went to ortho. doctor advised by bed rest and muscle relaxants and analgesic,also was no pain releif, so, i started to take IM voltaren, then went to make MRI that showed mild S3-S4 , S4-S5 disc , and sever disc herniation S5-L1 with a slight normal space between vertebrae. then lastly i started PT the second session was 2 days ago, here i would like to ask,if it will be normal one month ago to go to the gym? if swimming is ok ?  , is steps excercise and trademills and bikes is contra-indicated in my case? N.B. I know that i must loose weight but i don't eat much and i loose weight only when exercising. pleasr, advice me.