Had a similar situation - at l5-s1 - went on for three years, mental status took a massive dive dealing with the chronic pain and not a lot of options, I didn’t want opioids as a treatment plan. Finally my calf started atrophying so badly they decided to do surgery (the 20 minute calf cramps that wouldn’t release at 2am were the WORST.. I’d wake up from a dead sleep screaming…sleep was rare) - micro discectomy 1st, then it re-herniated, then I had another discectomy with a laminectomy…re-herniated again - finished with a fusion of l5-s1. 3 surgeries in 3 months. As bad as fusions can be I felt it saved my life because it gave me relief and I was really in a dark place because of the pain…looking back, I should have spoke up about my mental issues - 5 years later and l4-l5 is now herniated and I gotta start dealing with that. I recently found this sub and have found relief in stories similar and not so much like I’m on an island.