I have a l4-5 herniated disk with pinched nerve. pain is ok with gabapentin. but i do not want to take medicine for ever. should i go for surgery?

Nerve pain.: Gabapentin helps nerve pain. You may not need to take it forever even without surgery. Your pain may remit after a period of treatment with Gabapentin. This is not the reason for surgery.

No Simple Answer: L4/5 herniated disk w/pinched nerve and pain will often - but far from always - respond to surgery. Factors such as exact location of disk material pressing on nerve root, weakness present (if any), exam findings like changed reflexes all matter. Minimally invasive techniques are helpful in some cases; others need surgery. A focused neurologic exam and a visit w/a neurosurgeon is a good plan

How about LESI's: There are sometimes others options prior to committing to surgery. Lumbar epidural steroid injections can often provide signicant relief. Sometimes to the point of avoiding surgery altogether. My reccomedation would be to consider this option, which is minimally invasive prior to surgery. It may significantly help and it does not "burn any bridges" if surgery eventually needs to be done.