Spinal fusion L4/5/S1 - 6 weeks post op and nerve pain and weakness has returned

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum so apologies if I ramble.

6 weeks ago I had a spinal fusion with pedicle screws of the above vertebrae, laminectomy and decompression with facet joints removed.

This is after around 20 years of back problems and being told there was nothing wrong me, to a surgeon getting all excited and deciding surgery was the only answer.

At this point I had been off work for 9 months with excruciating sciatic pain, though little actual back pain by this point. There was significant muscle weakness in my left leg, though the right wasn't badly affected.

Surgery was supposed to take around 5 hours, but in the upshot took 12.5 as the state of my spine was much worse than revealed by MRI with extremely thickened ligaments.

I awoke to pain, but the nerve pain in my left leg had gone, also the paraesthesia in my left foot.

I was discharged after a week (I had complications after the lengthy surgery, including pressure sores and a collapsed lung).

I returned home in horrible pain from my spine - I know the surgeon told me the surgery wouldn't get rid of it, but I wasn't too bothered as it had never been that bad. He didn't warn me it would be 100 times worse, with no improvement in six weeks.

This last week, however, the sciatic pain appears to be back with a vengeance in the left and right sides. .. so intense I pass out. Walking is agony, I cannot bend or twist even tiny increments, and no sleep either. I have pain in my sacro region which extends into my hips, through my buttocks and down the front of my thighs too.

I appreciate there is a lot of settling down to do, but I am rather alarmed by the recurrence of the pain and weakness. My GP is little or no help and has no experience or help to offer.

I want to return to work... The theory was I would within a couple of months, but as I can't do anything for more than a few minutes without being in agony I can't see that happening.

Has anyone else had this sort of experience? Surgeon won't see me again for 6-9 months (dependant on waiting list) and though he has said it was very major surgery he also doesn't seem to be able to offer me any constructive advice.

Thanks for bearing with me in this long post!