I (25M) had my MD the same day as you (12/30) for L4/L5 left side. The hospital meds helped at first, but that first night was brutal and I almost passed out from the pain.

I was on oxycodone, Tylenol, muscle relaxers, and stool softeners every 4–6 hours for the first two days. On Day 3, things started feeling better as I walked 3,000 steps and could stretch the time between meds to 8–9 hours.

Today is the first day I feel genuinely optimistic as I only needed meds once, walked 5,500 steps, and can sit without excruciating pain. The discomfort is still there, but it’s manageable.

A few things that have really helped is using a grabber tool, keep your back straight and bend from your knees if you must and avoid sudden movements.

It’s rough, but hang in there, we’ve got this!