Hello,
I will be very honest with you, it was a very painful recovery, especially compared to the cervical surgery I had. I had 1 month of very bad pain which included spasms. Thank goodness I had a very comfy recliner chair that I slept in. In total, it took me 3 months to heal.
Don't let any of this frighten you. I think because I expected the surgery to be like the first one, I was surprised by the pain.
Would I do it again, without a shadow of a doubt! As it is, I probably waited too long. I have a lot of nerve damage in my legs that cannot be fixed. Wish I would have done it sooner.
My biggest advice I would give anyone having surgery, is to do everything you can so that it does not fail. What makes the surgery fail? Feeling so well that you go back to doing things you probably shouldn't.
Since my surgery, I baby my back. I do not pick up anything that is more than a gallon (and that weight took about a year), Bend at your knees, not your waist. Do not reach high (use a stool to get things too high to reach). I don't twist my body. I try not to make sudden moves.
I know it sounds like a lot, but it helps a lot. Most of all, find a GREAT PT facility. If possible, aquatic PT is the best because it puts the least amount of pressure on your back. Also, as you age, some pain returns (nothing like before) because arthritis tends to attack our old spine.
Best of luck with your decision.