Ruptured disc with nerve involvement

On top of Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, etc., etc., I developed severe upper thigh pain. Was able to get MRI and it showed an L2 herniation, pressing on the nerve root.......which pretty much goes to everything on the left side. My regular doctor prescribed Tramadol and a medrol dose pack, which I just finished. It was helping a lot....but I don't want more of that for now. I saw a PA at a spine doc's office last year for something else. With this Covid 19 happening, they are really restricting things and I can't get in to see him or the spine doc there.

I know there are exercises for this on the Internet, but I'm cautious to do any of them because I haven't seen a doctor yet, and probably won't be able to for quite awhile (with the virus still being so widespread).
Anyone have a ruptured disc that was impinging on a nerve? Any suggestions as to what might ease the pain more?
Any safe exercises? I use a heating pad all the time, but it doesn't really help (even though it's comforting).
I also use 3g of Tylenol/day. I can't use NSAIDS. I use OTC pain creams, with marginal relief.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. It's fairly scary to be in so much pain, and not be able to see the doctor about it. And I do worry about becoming addicted to the Tramadol.
Thanks.

Wow Susie......thanks so much! This is what I was hoping to find. Glad to learn that the heating pad can make it worse. Fortunately, I just started Cymbalta a couple weeks ago and am going up on the dosage today. My body is so sensitive, my doc always starts low on the dosage. I was on only 20 and was to go up on it to 40 a week ago, but when this disc blew and I had to be on other meds, I was afraid of changing too many things at once. He put me on it for fibromyalgia, before the disc problem.
I'm 70 and have bone on bone knees and fibro. I try to stay as active as I can. One hobby I started loving was putting jigsaw puzzles together. I know that's a lot of sitting, but I just can't stand or walk a lot because of my knees (bad feet too). Man, am I a mess! ;) I hope that didn't cause the rupture, but I doubt it. Our dog is very old, blind, deaf, and I've had to lift her sometimes and that may have stressed my spine. But it's probably "just" from being old.
about the MRI......I had it on March 20. The report says "The herniation measures 5x14x21mm (AP, TV. CC)." It impinges on the L2 nerve root.
I think I have minimized how much the Cymbalta (Duloxetine) can help, so that gives me some hope. For some reason, I don't just get pain.........I get total panic, like it's the end of the world. I'm so strong in other areas, I don't know why pain freaks me out so much. I do take xanax for better sleep at night (have apnea and wear a cpap), so I try not to take it in the daytime too. Plus, it has to be taken at least 6 hours from the Tramadol.

Thanks too for the patient portal messaging possibility.

I can't thank you enough for your help!

Drs now discourage back & neck braces because it can weaken the back & neck muscles. An example, patients that have cervical & lumbar fusions in the olden days were put in braces immediately after surgery. Currently, we see fewer drs doing this for the reason I stated above.

about your increase with Cymbalta, it will take some time for it to reach it's full therapeutic potential.