Madeline,
I'd have to agree with annapurna on this. Talk to both sides and get as many details as possible including time frames. If you feel like the PT is helping, keep doing it with plenty of rest. It may not be something that can be healed naturally in only a couple months, which is likely not the best news for you but realistic. If PT is not helping, then keep discussions open and options open with your surgeon. Find out what kind of surgeries are options for you from your surgeon. He may be suggesting a microdiscectomy but do you know exactly why he makes that assessment? Some surgeons have different reasons for trying different things and I found it helpful to ask where their reasoning came from when talking to the surgeons I worked with pre-op.
It's always best to try and let your body heal itself, but sometimes that's not possible or can't be done without majorly impacting your normal lifestyle. I can definitely sympathize with your position as I spent a good 10 yrs dealing with back pain, shying away from various physical activities because of it and basically getting fatter than I wanted from the lack of exercise due to pain.
If my back hadn't given me the final "eff you" when it did, I'd probably still be gimping around miserable.
I had my disc replacement just after my 27th birthday and it was probably one of the best birthday presents I could have ever given myself. I am one of the lucky ones who was able to find a successful means of resolving my back pain. Hopefully it'll continue to be successful. Now, that isn't to say I never feel any discomfort, because I do, but it's relatively easy to deal with. i.e. avoid certain folding chairs, don't do anything stupid, listen to my body, etc.
At these earlier stages I think patience and education are going to be your two strengths. Dig through these forums as there's a wealth of information and personalize experiences that you can draw questions and answers from. Feel free to present as many questions as you have to the group here as there's almost always someone who can provide some kind of answer or guidance. But most of all, keep asking your doctors questions and make sure they give you answers you understand. If they say something that confuses you, keep asking more questions until you have a good understanding of what's going on, where you can go with it and what the potential outcomes are. If something a doctor says about your current situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsure, get another physician's opinion.
Here's to hoping you find a solution that fits your situation best.
~Sara