L4-L5 disc prolapse

Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum and wish to gain some insight into the long term prognosis of my condition. So here is a bit of my story:

I am now 37 years old and weigh 105kg and height 1.85m. BMI > 30

I believe my sciatic problem started in high school as I used to use a sports bag to school. It was always heavy due to all the books I carried and always slung it on my right shoulder. In my 20's I used to have these "electric shocks" running down my spine and had some back pain. I never really thought much of it and I basically led a normal life (travelling, playing soccer, cricket).

I had my first severe sciatic "attack" in 2017 and only then did I realise what was wrong with me. I treated it with bed rest and it was the usual come and go story. Bed rest for 2 weeks usually did the trick. Since 2017 I would usually have one bout of severe pain annually. I believe the most probable aggravating factor of my disc prolapsing was heavy gyming with poor technique. I did have certain limitations in my movement such as tight hamstrings (I could not even straighten my legs due to the pain)

Anyway everything changed for me in Dec 2021. I had taken up road cycling for the past 2 years and in Dec 2021 after a ride I noticed that I had pain in my right hip. This pain initially was not severe and I did walk with a limp. I thought it was actually hip bursitis and would resolve on its own. Throughout December the pain gradually worsened and it was still mainly the hip muscles involved. 2 days before Christmas I woke up in extreme pain and the pain was shooting down my leg and even involving the outer aspect of my ankle.I was crippled in my right leg and could not move due to the pain. These symptoms were new to me as there was now muscular component to the symptoms as well.

Saw a neurosurgeon initially and this person only promoted spinal fusion which I refused. Had the epidural steroid injections instead. It gave me minimal pain relief. Waited another 3 weeks hoping the situation would change. It only got worse as I noticed my muscles on the right leg wasting away. The actual first sign of wasting was that my right buttock was becoming flat. I knew that I needed a discetomy and reached out to an orthopaedic friend of mine who in turn referred me to an orthopaedic spinal surgeon. MRI done and showed severe compression of the right L4-L5 space. The Right side of my lumbar spine was narrowed but the intervertebral foramen on the left side had normal spacing.

Had a microdiscetomy on 18 Jan 2022 and was a success. Pain free and could move my leg easily post op. Attended physio for 6 months and doing core exercises.

Now here are my questions for this forum:

1. I am more than 6 months after my operation and do get the usual numbness in my right leg. This does not trouble me at all and am fully aware that the right nerve may not fully recover. My concern is that at times I get nerve irritation in the left leg. It is not pain nor do I have any pain in my back. I do wonder at times if I am actually prolapsing on the left side now. Do others also have these symptoms of contra lateral leg irritation/pain so far down the line post op?

2. I do road cycling as previously mentioned. I usually do long races up to 100km. I try to sit upright on the bike as much as possible. Get some niggling pain at times but nothing to write home about. Just wanted to ask of others opinions of road biking after such an operation. Currently I am working my way back to cycling and ride for about 40km with minimal discomfort. My physio says that road biking will not affect my back. Oh forgot to mention about my right leg. The muscle wasting has almost totally resolved but I do believe that I may never get back my true muscle mass.

Thanks to everyone for reading my post (sorry if it is so long). In general I would say my microdiscectomy was a success and I will continue to do my core exercises. It's just the symptoms in the left leg that I worry about as I do not know how to interpret it

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