I had degenerative discs at L4-S1 and ruptured my L5-S1 last January. I had a microdiscectomy last July and that made my sciatic worse. Finally found a new surgeon this year and had an anterior discectomy at L4-L5 and L5-S1 (artificial discs implanted) and a posterior decompression and fusions at the same levels using LANX clamps. Couldn't get rid of a fever I was having after the surgery and ended up with responsive staph infection. Back in for a second surgery to clean out the infection, IV PICC line in my arm for 6 weeks of IV meds 3x a day. Ended up back in for a third back surgery for the same infection (3 back surgeries in less then a month, 20 days in the hospital). My last surgery was April 3rd of this year. Happy to report I have zero sciatic pain anymore but the back pain is still healing and I start PT this month hopefully.
I really can't say I recommend or don't recommend a major back surgery. I have an excellent surgeon with a very good reputation. For me, the sciatic pain was so bad I was in the ER at least once a month having these sciatic attacks that I thought were gonna kill me. So now that that pain is gone, I feel it's a success even though I am still healing and the staph about killed me.
I'm 37 with 5 kids and now I can't go play baseball or basketball with the kids. Shooting is the only hobby I am willing to risk doing for now.