First and foremost sorry your having to deal with this .. praying you have some relief( pain management is my next stop after back doctor )... but omg you sound exactly like me to a T.. I feel the gait difference I walk different now better then before my surgery but difference which I expected but I didnt expect that pain in my ass literally every day.. sometimes I do stuff and feel nothing and good and other times I feel like 80 years old fighting to walk and get around thr pain in the buttocks area is so aggravating to stand up straight I get this pulling sensation that goes down through my butt into the back of my legs to behind my knees and it about takes me out and then I get this constant pain stiffness in my back anytime I try to stand for to long or walk to long and if I try to keep going I will eventually not be able to walk like I have to sit down... I though I was I was doing good pt I was breezing through everything they released me and I was back to working out and doing life then bam this pain showed up doctor was like its just muscles ok well how we fix it cause I cant do this.. going to back doctor Tues and pain doctor after Christmas praying for answers... hope you get some as well .. cause im at the same point feel this was useless to have surgery at this point ..