How old is everyone here having MD?

I'm 38 and have been dealing with recurrent assumed bulging disc pain on/off for 3-4 years. I'm fairly certain my original injury was at 18 years old lifting a heavy suitcase - I was laid out for almost 3 days at that onset and then only had the occasional twinge until 2019 when issues showed back up. Biggest flare was in March 2020 which kept me out of work. Worked through those problems/pain with PT and at one point a Medrol dosepack months into PT when it seemed to be doing well and had a terrible flare.

But I can't use steroids on/off forever - they help lots when it flares up, even if just taken for 3 days at a lower dose, but I've gained 25 lbs through that and the activity restrictions I need for surviving this and avoiding pain (effectively cannot lift anything beyond about 20-30lbs, goodbye any jogging or impact/twisting activity for my spine, even prolonged walking or good sex can flare it. Anymore, I feel like I'm stuck in this terrible cycle (a 1 hour car ride can get it annoyed, I use a heating pad EVERYWHERE, bought an adjustable bed to assist me like an ancient person, it just feels like it's inevitable and never ending)... and I know that putting more weight on is bad for the compression AND for outcomes w surgery. I have never even had an MRI even, just more dumb x-rays, but am going to my GP with this request later this month because I need answers and reassurance. I HAVE to know how bad it is, because from the inside it feels really shitty and I'm discouraged. If an MD is on the table, I feel like I'm on the sooner rather than later train because it seems like it's only downhill from here.

Help reassure my imposter syndrome and tell me that people of my age group do indeed get this and go on to be successful and relatively pain free. I need some hope that a solution exists. I'm not looking for a magic bullet but I need to know that what I'm doing AND considering surgery may get me to a better place someday.