You have had reasonable relief at this early stage from your surgery. Prior to surgery, you had significant pain especially with rising up from a sitting position. This was probably due to the nerve “getting caught” in the transition. The nerve actually moves like a cable over a pulley when you rise and the herniation probably trapped the nerve when rising.
The pain has receded to about a three which is good. Remember that the surgeon removes the herniation but mother nature has to heal the nerve. This takes time and sometimes, the surgeon has to help the nerve along with steroids (either oral or injectable). It may take three to six months for the nerve to resolve from healing (longer if there is motor weakness previously present).
The nerve may always be somewhat more sensitive. This is not uncommon.
I cannot tell you why you have some opposite sided pain. I have seen this and it may be due to pain crossover in the cord level (the pain tracts cross over each other at about the T10 level) but that is just theory.
The nerve will swell during the night and a more swollen nerve in the morning is more symptomatic. Standing and walking should relieve the swelling after about 20 minutes.
Reherniation is more common during the first six weeks after surgery so your biomechanics have to be “better behaved”. Hopefully, your therapist has discussed with you how to bend lift and twist to keep you out of harms way.
Dr. Corenman
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.