Hello Mike,
Your story gave me courage to do the surgery, with expectation to recover almost 100%. I had postero-lateral inter-body fusion PLIF between L4-L5 vertebrae on the 1st of August, 2011. I undergone this operation after only two weeks post disc herniation!!! MRI showed that 75% of my disc was in the nerve canal. Standing up after sitting took some time, getting up from the bed in the morning was also a process. The only thing that was scaring me is that most of the patients suffer at least one year before doing this type of major operation. However, my doctor, here in Kuwait told me I can wait as much as I want but the sooner we do the surgery the better, to avoid any future re-occurrence that could cause loss of bowel movement and even temporary paralysis. I didn't want to take any chance! So I did it. I was off pain killers 12th day post-op. I will resume to my office work after one month after the surgery. I have no pain because the nerve was decompressed. I have tightness around the wound but that would be all. I sometimes wear after-pregnancy belt (rubber belt) just to remind me that I had a surgery to restrict me from sudden moves. This doctor was discouraging me to wear any type of back-brace so that my back muscle work and strengthen naturally while walking. The success of the operation depends on how long you have been suffering from pain i.e. the longer you "torture" your nerve, the more you will need to fully recover to be pain free. Of course subject to your condition too. But don't loose hope. Now, I will have to wait for fusion to take place, to adhere to doctor's orders meaning to walk as much as possible and then after 3 months I have X-ray to see if I fused or not. So wish me luck.
For all of you out-there that are still waiting to do the surgery, please stop reading horror stories as you are going to be scarred to death and then the positive outcome of the surgery will significantly reduce. Be positive, hope for the best as I am waiting for you to write your success story!

Good luck to all and God be with you!
Adriana