You need to find your own individual balance between activity and inactivity thats the only thing that works. Too much work = too much pain. Not enuf work = too much pain amd stiffness. Aside from meds this is the only thing that you can control.

I’d see 2 more doctors to get their opinions

Most surgeons are reluctant to do surgery unless all other treatment modalities have been completely exhausted. You hadn't mentioned what you required surgery for. If it is for neropathy then surgery makes nerve pain worse. My daughter has bone spurs in her neck and the only way they could remove the spurs is to go through the front of the neck and there is the potential for paralysis and even worse. She understands that she hadn't exhausted everything possible without surgery and now things have become better for her.

If you have exhausted all other treatments then consult with another surgeon for second opinion.

Surgery was considered for herniated disc at L3, but too many other discs were already beginning to deteriorate from DDD, he only gave me 10% of success and 90% of a cascade failure of my whole back. He was quite insistent I not persue it with another surgon. He was most concerned for my risk.
Gentle Hugs and lesser pain days y'all!
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🤠Larry 🤓Lou 🐏Bock

There are other things than meds gor pain, but thry are not fot everybody. I have an SCS that helps pain originating from the spinal cord. It lets me use about 1/2 the meds I used to, but it does nothing for fibromyalgia pain or neuropathy. You have to be careful of who even puts it in. Many people have not had success because it wasn't just right on the placement. Fractional measurements make a big difference on this one. That's all I have outside of surgery. If it's not high enough chance to succeed, know it can make you worse too.
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🤠Larry 🤓Lou 🐏Bock