Post TLIF spinal fusion pain management

Hi all! I am now 4 weeks post op from a TLIF L5-S1 spinal fusion. I’m 22, and we tried everything we could to avoid surgery but in the end were forced to as I was losing power in my right leg and developing a foot drop which had the potential to become permanent, and as a result of my bilateral pars defect and grade 1 spondylolisthesis a laminectomy wouldn’t be enough to fix it. I have a few questions now, and would love some advice.

1. I’m still taking an opioid at night times because otherwise the pain is far too much to bear. I take 20 mg modified release Targin (so it works over 12 hrs) and I’ve tried to get off it a few times but found that I couldn’t rest or get comfortable because of the pain. I am off it during the days now which is a good thing, but I’m desperate to get off it at night as I feel it’s too long to be on opioids. My dr prescribed Endep to hopefully help with the nerve pain I’m still experiencing and also provide me with a slight drowsiness, but I’m finding it’s not helping at all. Do any of you have advice on how you managed pain following surgery? I go back to work next week and would like to be off Targin before then. P.S I’m in Australia, and I am working closely with my GP and surgeon to get me off opioids as quickly as possible, to avoid any addiction (which is why I’m still only on a slow release dose) but would love some support from those who have gone through it.

2. When I came out of surgery the surgeon told me the disc was pressing so hard and was so attached to the nerve that he had to leave some of it attached, since taking it off would irritate the wound more. I’m unclear about what this means for my future - has anyone else had a similar experience?

3. My muscles have all begun extremely tight and sore because of the ongoing pain (I began experiencing symptoms in Dec 2018) and although I have gone to a physio, I am struggling to find relief for these issues as I’m so limited in movement and stretching. Usually I would try a warm bath but that’s out of the question until my follow up meeting with my surgeon (Early May), does anyone have any other tips?

Thank you! I also wanted to say I literally joined reddit to join this group. I found it before my surgery and it was helpful then in giving me realistic expectations, but now I’d love to connect too.