I have changed my name, for no other reason that a bit of variety, and Buddhist thoughts alway makes me feel good even if I struggle to live by them 
Anyway. It's the ol' back moaner, the Cat in disguise.
I am now 4 weeks post left sided l5/s1 microdisctectomy. I have a slight misaligned l5/s1 vertebrae which was not fused. I also have a right sided prolapse that was not addressed due to the misaligned vertebrae and the surgeon trying to avoid fusion. right sided prolapse was not really problematic, only some lower level pain so not a huge deal this time.
I made AMAZING recovery. I was superwoman. I did a little bit too much, a little bit too quickly. I had a little dip as I got a bug, and found myself back in bed for a day or two. Went to a yurt on holiday with friends, had an amazing time, and my back was not the feature of the weekend, it was lovely. I felt normal. I was careful, I was cautious, but I didn't just lay around doing nothing. I avoided bodyboarding 
and the fab rolltop bath in the middle of the countryside, but I did some walking down and back up a hill. I pushed myself a little. But, I felt good. I relaxed for a day when I came home.
I have had some increasing back 'wobbles'. limited sciatic pain which continues to amaze me, but continue to be very stiff and sore in my spine in the morning, and by mid afternoon onwards. Have a good run in the day of feeling good. But, my back keeps 'going'. I think I know what's going on - before surgery, it would normally 'go' as in the vertebrae slips, the disc would hit the nerve that it was prolapsed onto and that would cause a cascade of events which would stop me standing up/moving. Now, it's 'going' but without the sciatic pain.
And over the last few days, it's increased in frequency. Today, I have lost motion forward, backward, to the side, twisting, pretty much completely. I don't mean big bends, I mean leaning slightly, or very slight turns (ie not moving like a lorry reversing!) and it is spasming and my back is giving way. I also find I keep losing my footing on slightly uneven surfaces. I can't drive (I have been driving the car 3 times since the weekend as felt ready - er, no!)
Today, my legs gave way and I found myself on the floor crouched, unable to get up. It was not the legs that went, it was the back losing the weight of my body, if that makes sense. But, I have increased bilateral sciatic pain in both feet, ankles in particular - pain, aching, not pins and needles. It hurts.
I am now back in bed, worrying. Is this as good as it's going to get? DH says not to panic as I am still recovering. I feel like I was ready to go back to work soon (occupational health disagreed on that one!) and start being 'normal' again and DH thinks I have done too much and to slow down. But, it's 4wks, so I should be making proper progress right? Of course not kayaking or bodyboarding or jumping waves, but I feel worse now than I did 2 weeks ago. I was walking almost normally then, and now, I have to tread each step carefully again, am nowhere near running about (on the yurt holiday I ran a couple of steps out of necessity and it was fine, but not now).
Please reassure me this is normal! and not due to my misaligned spine (which I was told wouldn't be fixed by this op but had hoped that it was not so bad once leg pain was gone).