I had a discectomy of my l4/l5 disc. I was hurt at work in March and went for an MRI in May. They found an annular tear with some sort of abutting the nerve.
I couldn't work any more in June, it was too painful.
I just had the surgery September 10th, but the issue is I think the pain I'm having now is more than what it was before the surgery.

I remember in PT that when I was first tested the therapist would have me sit in a chair and she would put her hands over my knees and have me try and lift my knees. It was painful on my right side always, but I could do it.
Now I can't do it at all on my right side. I can do it just fine on my left side with minimal pain if any at all.

If I happen to bend at my knees to pick something much needed up off the ground...I guess I must be opening something up because when I stand again and get moving again...my left side hurts down to my knee.

My right side hurts all the time..it feels better to drag my right leg rather than lift it to walk.
My big toe hurts more to move it.
Sometimes it feels like someone dumped hot cigarette ashes on me and other times it's a different kind of feeling like dropped a bunch of forks on my leg when I'm walking. I can't lay on my back at all even in a recliner...it hurts.

Meds I was on before surgery Gabapentin...taken off due to migraines...
Tried Lyrica...hair loss-taken off
Tried the other one too can't remember...but didn't work either.
So, went to pain management dr...was on hydrocodone, and thru my family doctor I was on Savella because unfortunately I also have Fibromyalgia.

According to the MRI I also have disc dessication in my T10 and T11 which catches occassionally when my upper back is overcompensating...well who am I kidding...not occassionally like all the time....and the dessication was also in my the L4/L5 which possibly contributed to the tear...bulge.
I take Topomax...no bad symptoms.
I was re-prescribed Gabapentin and decided to deal with the migraines if it helped, but I can't tell if it's helping because I'm in so much pain...even taking some steroids, but would have liked a shot of them to help...
I've read alot of stuff about inflammation can cause the other side to act up because they had to lift the nerves and all that.

The doctor said he only did a partial discectomy removing whatever pieces were broken off...is that what he was supposed to do?
Do I have nerve damage?
I mean did he make me worse?
Even as I type this I'm trying to get comfortable and I have the hot tinglies in my left leg as well as some in my right leg.
I even still get some numbness in my right leg, but not the calf...on the front part to the left side of the bone.

Somebody offer me some sort of advice besides asking the doctor. I'm hoping you have something similar you can tell me, besides I'm crazy.