I'm going to bounce around some: I'm 1 week post op - having a rough recovery but appear to be improving slightly every day.The surgeon stated two days prior to surgery that it looked like he was going to have to manipulate a lot and had some concerns about having enough space to put enough pads that would be required. Post op -he said it was very successful and that I should continue getting better. I've had immediate relief of face / jaw pain - still have ear pain and new ringing in ears.. Speech is muted and hoarse, swallowing can be strained - dry food stuck in throat, - may be improving; no more excess saliva. Tongue feels better but still not great, may be improving; still burpin a lot maybe not quite as much. I spent 6 days in the hosp due to exterme head pain, couldn't void urine , no bowel movements - pain meds werent touching the head pain for the first 4 days - head still feels swollen but not as bad . Almost fainted several times when getting up too quick. Pain meds are working pretty well now . The recovery has been so rough that I have a hard time assessing whats operation related or not.
Key excerpts from the operation notes:
.......the nervus intermedius was identified and sectioned. We then turned our attention to the 9th and 10th nerves. A vein running between the 9th nerve and upper fascicle of the 10th nerve was identified. This was at the level of the brainstem. It was cauterized and divided. A small artery that was compressing the 9th and the upper fascicle of the 10th was decompressed with Teflon pledglets. The vertebral artery was seen compressing the entire 9th and 10th nerve complex at the brainstem entry and exit zone. This was compressed with numerous Teflon pledglets due to its size. Next we ....turned our attention to the 5th nerve where a small arteriole was running along the 5th nerve was decompressed with Teflon pledglets.
Questions: Is anybody familar with the vertebral artery in these cases. I have a lot of cervical issues and wonder if they could play a role?
Anybody have a similar - (tough recovery) experience? If anybody has any thoughts please share - I appeciate it.
To Dear Brave Eddie, Thank you for sharing your experience and take it easy. I had the surgery 17 years ago and remember clearly the post opp headache you mentioned, It is a very big opp and takes time after surgery to settle as I recall. So try to make time your friend. You are much in my thoughts. Much Love Worrier Woman. {Lisa}
Yes the headache was HUGE so much so, I thought it would never go away - but it did. I was also vomiting non-stop and dry-retching for days until a friend brought in a small bottle of ginger beer, and that sorted it quickly. Every anti-emitic they gave me just caused more vomiting. Just relax as much as you can, and take it easy. The body needs time to heal.
Michael, Good to know as I don't get a lot from the medical team as to what to expect, etc. This is rough my friend !
Best ,
Eddie
KiwiSurvivor said:
Thanks Eddie
Yes the headache was HUGE so much so, I thought it would never go away - but it did. I was also vomiting non-stop and dry-retching for days until a friend brought in a small bottle of ginger beer, and that sorted it quickly. Every anti-emitic they gave me just caused more vomiting. Just relax as much as you can, and take it easy. The body needs time to heal.
Thanks so much warrior woman, it means a LOT to hear from kind people who have been through it.
Eddie
warrior woman said:
To Dear Brave Eddie, Thank you for sharing your experience and take it easy. I had the surgery 17 years ago and remember clearly the post opp headache you mentioned, It is a very big opp and takes time after surgery to settle as I recall. So try to make time your friend. You are much in my thoughts. Much Love Worrier Woman. {Lisa}
Hi Eddie, thanks for sharing your experience. I am thinking of having the Op as have put up with this pain for 18 years and been on medication for the same period. I have been put off the OP twice, once in 1997 by a neurosurgeon when I first got GPN and again 7 years ago by a neurologist I went to see because I developed double vision from the medication.
Phil, thank you for your comments. Good luck with whatever your path for improvement for your condition. All the best, Eddie/>
chips987 said:
Hi Eddie, thanks for sharing your experience. I am thinking of having the Op as have put up with this pain for 18 years and been on medication for the same period. I have been put off the OP twice, once in 1997 by a neurosurgeon when I first got GPN and again 7 years ago by a neurologist I went to see because I developed double vision from the medication.
Hi Eddie, well done Brave man! It's a tough one to go through but I promise that for the first 2 weeks you won't feel like you're improving but then all of a sudden you'll feel better as every day goes by. The voice and swallowing thing I had and was very very concerned about, but it all sorted itself out in the first 2 weeks and while my voice was still a bit shaky for a month, it is still gradually getting stronger. The headaches too will stop, may come back but then stop again. Remember it's your grey matter they've tinkered with so of course your head is going to pound! My GP gave me 800mg SLOW RELEASE ibuprofen which have been a godsend for those headaches....you take one in the morn and one in the eve and they release themselves slowly in between.
Keep us posted on how you're getting on, remember it's early days for you my friend.
Regarding the vertebral artery: mine and my PICA were tortuous and impinged on my 9th and 10th nerves.
My surgeon said that the odds of recurrence are greater because of this.
So far I’ve been pain free for 2-1/2 years, for which I’m very grateful.
I'm better on some fronts - which is good, but still struggling on others. Headache is still bad. Incision area still hurts and I'm now 26 days post op. Head is still swollen - although it has gone down some. Jaw is still painful / tight, tongue hurts but is better than it was before MVD.. Ringing and pulsating tinnitus is much worse. Saliva is down which is good - I was carrying a cup around 24/7 and don't have to do that now.Still weak, tired - although I've been out on walks, etc.
I feel better on the pain meds but have been trying to wean off - just 1 hydrocodone a day ; still on 600 oxcarbonize.
I had some yellow watery discharge from incision site about 2 weeks post op. I'm wondering if I may have some complications?
Trying to determine if I should start lining up dr appts for residual issues...what do you (anyone) think?
I hope you get a reply to your post, but you should be aware that the last post before yours was about seven years ago.
Why not post your story and see if anyone reacts to it? Click on the butterfly (upper left) and then on the big + sign, lower right. Then fill in the form. Maybe other people can offer you some encouragement or advice. It sounds like you really need it.