Spine surgical procedure in itself does not require patients to be confined to bed. With adequate pain relief and physiotherapy most patients are able to mobilise out of bed the same day evening or next day morning.
Patients are typically prescribed pain medications and physical therapy programme to help them get back to activities of daily living as early as possible. The patient is seen in outpatient clinic in 7-10 days after surgery for a wound inspection. At least one more appointment (it can be 2 depending on surgery type) is given before patient is finally discharged.
Most patients can resume low demand jobs within 4-6 weeks after a microdiscectomy procedure. For activities involving heavy workload a longer period of muscle strengthening and physiotherapy may be required
Continue to have trust in your surgeon. Your surgeon will explain to you the nature of complication in detail. Most complications are manageable and with correct treatment most patients will recover to expected functional outcome.