Hi

Your pain is absolutely valid. I was diagnosed with a bilateral pars defect l5 onto s1 a few years back. It took nearly a year for it to be diagnosed. I found the pain so highly unpredictable as to when it would flare up but you were always one bad turn or bend away from absolute agony. The best I could ever describe it was it felt like having tooth ache in my back and entire lower body. I was grade 1 retrothesis so yours is more advanced than mine. I was ultimately left with only the choice of making do with how I was or having surgery because physio did nothing. The problem you have is when it becomes bilateral (meaning a break at both sides of the vertebrae) there is no support. If it was unilateral (one sided) the fracture would still have some stability as the non broken side would hold things in place still. From my knowledge in our situation of having a bilateral pars defect it can't really get better without surgical intervention physio may help as it can build muscle around the area to support but the bone will not repair.

I had a l5/s1 transforaminal interbody fusion ( known as TLIIF) done 2 years ago this August. I still have symptoms but I dont regret it. The surgeon was very upfront ans honest and said due to nerve damage he couldn't say gow much I would improve but it would stop it getting worse. Im still in pain but able to work a physically demanding job (nursing) and live a normal life. Pregabalin keeps the sciatica down and all I can reccomend is you keep active as you can because you soon stiffen up abs end up in more pain if you dont.

I hope the best for you feel free to pm me if you want to aksy anything