Questions in The Neurology Forum are being answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic , consistently ranked one of the best hospitals in America. Sorry to hear about your back problems. You did not mention whether the cord was compromised or not.
Surgery is always the last compromise for pain relief.
There is no guarantee considering pain relief. It may be that you are at the point of surgery, but I would get a second opinion. Whether you should lift anymore at work is dependent on many factors, such as the etiology of your condition. If you have a degenerative process and multiple MRI changes, then likely this is not the best job for you. If the spine is otherwise in great shape then maybe better lifting mechanics and avoiding the obviously heavier patient.