Greetings to Living with TN Friends
On March 27th, I underwent Microvascular Decompression surgery at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Francisco. Attending Physican Dr Larson, head of NeuroSurgery and Chief Resident Corinna Zygourakis performed the 4.5 hour operation. After they entered through the skull, the surgeons discovered two additional blood vessel/nerve contacts.
So far, so good. I woke up pain free. Intensive Care Unit observed me the first night: the normal procedure and on Day Two, I was moved to the general recovery unit, where I remained until discharge on Day Four.
My physical condition during the Post-Op hospital stay went from inability to get out of the bed, due to weakness and disorientation to a gradual regaining of strength so that I was able to get up and walk with the aid of a walker and then a cane. At discharge, my walking was very unbalanced and I experienced facial right side partial numbness. Also, I could hear a hiss sound in my inner right ear. The feeling is similar to that experienced after a plane flight. You don't really feel anything, nor is it painful but you can sense a space between your inner ear and your head
As for my appetite, I couldn't even look at food the first 24 hours but by the time of discharge, I ate everything on the plate. Now, I eat everything in sight: a factor being the ability to eat, chew, laugh, smile widely. I weigh more now than I did a month ago.
Four weeks after surgery, all the post op concerns of right side facial :numbness, balance problems and the inner ear hiss are improving at the expected pace or better. I drive now.
I continue to follow the same med regimen: 600mg,Gabapentin 3x, 125mg Lamotrigine and 5mg oxycodone if needed. The Physicians want me to stay on the meds until the follow-up when, if all is well, I will begin to taper off.
A very brief background; My age is 65 ..pain started 8 years ago.. misdiagnosed dental pain for 3 years ..probably TN progressing over time to TN 2...same pain control meds for 5 years..some people never knew I had a problem, but family and closer friends observed the misery of the monster at work..4 months ago or so, things began to deteriorate badly. Meds, including rising use of oxycodone, were losing the battle...Progression obvious..initiated discussions with Neurosurgeons at University of California San Francisco Medical Center (Dr "Eddie" Chang) and the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center ( Dr Larson) . Of course, I mentioned our site to everyone and almost all knew about us. They immediately realized, I knew a lot about this stuff. My question they seemed to like the most was, "What do you consider a success"?" The two institutions work together. The VA is a teaching hospital. Dr Zygourakis is a member of both teams. I heard they were going to bring in several Med Students to observe the MVD surgery. I should have sold admission tickets. As I mentioned to others; when I rolled into the O.R., thousands of TNers rolled in with me. Thank you to everyone and to newer members, I want to tell you it took a long time for me to get where I am today. It can be difficult at times, but remain hopeful. Everyone's journey is different. Continue to inform yourself with the resources on our site. Information is power. Be kind to yourself and try not to blow your stack when someone inquires for the hundredth time, " How's your jaw pain?'
That's it for now. I take it a day at a time. The Monster sleeps.