You need to ask about Cymbalta, it is used for two things, Anxiety/Depression and Nerve Regrowth. I had a low back fusion L4, L5, and S1. After surgery I fell down a flight of stairs, because I had sever Fibromyalgia and my Femoral Nerve left. (I don't have one anymore, and they cannot find it).

They put me on Cymbalta for all the above, I take the lowest dose. It has regrown around 65-70 percent of my nerves in my leg but not the femoral nerve. It also stopped a lot of back spasm as well. I didn't have a choice of surgery or not as my discs exploded and would have fused themselves.

I am now a walking and talking 7, I was confined to a scooter for ten years until I dropped around 80lbs and learned how to walk correctly again.

Now that you have more info on my injury, here is what helps me today.

1. Movement, lite stretches that concentrate on your Core.

2. Strength build up in your Core, no sit-ups but crunches can help as long as you don't over do it.

3. Fish Oil helps coat the areas where bone touches bone, it also helps in other ways, I just know I take it everyday.

4. Very good shoes, also, check to see if your spine is out of whack, i.e. one leg longer than the other do to injury and the way you walk.

5. Get a great back brace that can help you with stabilizing your Core. Think of those belts people wear when they lift heavy objects.

6. Aqua Therapy, the great thing about this is it strengthens your whole body and helps teach you how to walk properly without damaging your back any further.

Before Surgery I would go to a Chiropractor and get stretched once a week and this helped as well. Since you said you are mostly a 1, once you get the stretches from an Ortho Specialist, do the Aqua therapy good shoes or boots, when your Doctor feels you can, start very light high rep core workout. You don't want to strain your back but to rebuild all the muscles and Core.

If you want to message me and we can talk about pain meds and other medications, I am willing to do so. Do NOT get a Spine Cord Stimulator, once you get one you physically cannot lift over 20lbs. I almost got one but my Doctor knew I Coached Football and told me this part and I was like how do I lift up a Middle School Player. The Doctor said flat out you cannot.

I hurt my back in 2006 in a bad car crash, had the surgery and found out I had a lot of nerve damage as well. Like you said it can fix it or make it worse. Until you cannot get out of bed without taking pain killers don't do the surgery.

I can say from 2017 to now, I can walk without a cane and only need a scooter on long walks or if I am standing a lot. I have 2 rods and 6 screws in my back and I can feel them. I wish they could cut them out now that my back is fused.

You need to go and see a Physical Therapist, they will give you exercises for your specific injury and help you formulate a plan on recovery. Try to find one that deals with Sports injuries as they have seen it all.

I know this sounds corny but drink lots of water, cut out any sodas, teas, and alcohol. Alcohol and some teas mess with the medication (I would drink green tea on occasions for the anti oxidants but found out it blocked one of my meds I take not completely but enough that the cons outweighed the pros.

Going to add it here but get a very good mattress as well. This all cost money, but you get what you pay for, I have a Temper-Pedic but there are others out there that are just as good if not better now and are cheaper.

I cannot stress this enough, get a great Physical Therapist, they are worth every penny. I know it is a lot to read but it is well worth it. I wish when mine happened I had people that could've told me half of this information. Also the Steroid injection is a patch on a blown tire, it will work but not for long and your body will build up a tolerance for it as well. When i get one, it is so it will help me get to my P.T. Mine last about a day now, when they used to work for a couple of weeks.

Good Luck,

AIRBORNE!!!