I asked if there's anything else for me to do and they said no, just show up on the 15th at 10:30am.
They didn't really say anything about having another person with you, or anything about the recovery process other than stating many people are able to go home the day after surgery.
My gf needs to take off work and she wasn't sure if she should take off a couple days or the full week afterwards...
How long until you can lift heavy stuff and exercise?
Obviously there's a range depending on complications, age and such, but what's typical? Would you take a week off work? 2?
The paperwork says to fast from midnight the night before surgery, but it doesn't say whether to take your meds or not. I assume I continue taking them but would the surgeon have mentioned if any of my meds conflict with the anesthesia?
I read about MVDs and it said if you're on opiates or anti seizure meds they wean you off beforehand but they didn't tell me to do that.
Do I bring my meds with me as I check in? If I take oxycodone daily will it conflict with any pain meds they give for the surgery?
Have you gone to do your pre-surgery blood work yet? I’ve had two mvd’s and each time a nurse from the hospital called me a few days after I scheduled to go over my medications and what I should not take before surgery.
I have never heard of anyone going home the next day. They should keep you one night in icu and one night in a regular bed MINIMUM. I would question getting my mvd anywhere that didn’t do that. My first mvd I was in the hospital 4 days and begging them to keep me longer. My second mvd they only kept me 3 days and I was too out of it to protest until I got home and the pain meds wore off. I wanted to go back to the hospital for pain control immediately. I have a complicated case though. I know a lot of people are ready to be home in 3 days no problem.
You can’t lift anything over 15lbs or bend your head over for at least a week. You can’t drive for 2 weeks. I would tell your girlfriend to take 1 week off to take care of you. You will probably need 3-4 weeks off work at least. Most people said they wished they had stayed off longer. Remember it is brain surgery. Nerve tissue takes a long time to heal, and cutting a hole in your skull and through the dura that surrounds the brain is going to piss your whole body off. Most people are really really tired for a few weeks after surgery.
If your hospital doesn’t call within the next couple of days I would call them and ask them what you need to do as far as medicine. The hospital will more than likely not want you to bring your meds with you. They will give you what you need while you are with them. They like to keep tabs on everything you are taking
Things nobody told me before my mvd:
they put in a catheter. It took me more than 24 hours to realize I hadn’t gotten up to pee in a really long time (I was in icu) and then they told me. Awkward. I was prepared for it mentally round 2
the halo they screw on to keep your head still and in the right position is LITERALLY screwed on. Both times I woke up with a random staple in my forehead because I gushed blood when they screwed it on. You will probably have a few sore spots around your head from that.
when they put you under that deep everything stops including your digestive tract. They will be forcing down stool softener a like crazy. It ain’t pretty but be prepared.
bring your own pillow. Hospital pillows suck.
If I think of anything else I will share it. I get the feeling from your post that you think this is going to be an easier recovery than it may in fact be. Both of my recoveries have sucked, but like I said its been complicated. Even the best recoveries I’ve seen really took 3-4 weeks though.
Oh, make sure you ask them if there are any medicines on your regular list of meds that their hospital pharmacy does not carry. I had a hospital (not the one I had my surgery at) keep me for a WEEK and not tell me until I was being released that they hadn’t given me one of my meds the whole time I was there. You only find these things out the hard way. I wish I didn’t have this much knowledge of hospitals and brain surgery to impart to others at 32 years old. My brother razzes me a but about being an “old hat” at brain surgery. I was bossing nurses around after my last one bc I knew what was going on!
They put my own piece of bone back in and then a titanium mesh over it and plaster type stuff over that. My doc said I wouldn’t have any problem at the airport or need any kind of implant card or anything. If they can’t reuse the bone I think they do put a titanium plate over it. You will have to ask your doc if you need an implant card for that (it makes life easier in case anyone ever has questions).
The catheter isn’t that bad. You are still too out of it to care when they take it out. Probably a little different since you are a guy, but I’m sure it won’t be any worse. Just be prepared to lose a little dignity while you are there depending on what kind of nurses you get.
I have a 2 MVD's done so I will see if I can answer your questions.
1. I was 26 for my first one and 27 for the second one. Each time I took 3 weeks off of work. I would say by the second week I was getting back into my normal routine but the extra week definitely helped with rest.
2. You will want someone to be with you when you are discharged. The first time I was discharged 3 days after surgery and the second I was discharge 4 days after surgery. It really helped to have someone help get things and be there because you will be weak.
3. I won't lie but I felt like I was hit by an truck after each. I was layed on my left side for each surgery and the screwed into the halo. Being on your side for 4+ hours will make you really really sore. I had a huge headache when I woke up. I had holes from where the halo was but it wasn't bad. The sites were sore but not bad.
4. I wasn't weaned off my meds until after the surgery. It was 7 days post op that I had my follow up where they gave me the wean down schedule.
5. Definitley bring your own pillow!
6. I have a titanium plate over the site where they drilled into. It won't set off metal detectors. I fly alot for work and never have a problem. Titanium is non magnetic so you can still get an MRI and it won't set off detectors.
7. The hospital I was at will not let you admister your own drugs, they need to do it for you. I gave them the list of medications I take on a daily basis so it will be in your record and they get them from the pharmacy to give to you.
8. If I remember I had lifting restrictions for up to 3 weeks. It gradually increased week after week. I was back to the gym and running by week 4. It will be different for everyone.
Hi everyone! Great info. How long has it been since your surgery? My doctor told me that alot has changed over past few years. I am going in on April 1. The hospital will call me tomorrow with specifics. I was told I would be in ICU one night and a regular room 2nd night.
Shindig,
My mvd is April 9th, I just finished all my pre-op tests, which included; chest X-ray,heart (EKG), physical, 7 viles of blood checking for everything under the sun, and a sleep study checking for sleep apnea.
My surgery is in a different province, I’m flying there with my husband.
I meet with my surgeon and the anaesthesiologist the day before surgery to discuss everything.
My surgery time is 12:30pm…that’s going to suck fasting wise…but oh well.
I would advise having all your questions answered prior to surgery by your surgeon’s office.
Read through the packet they sent you!
We’ll be recovering at the same time, lets definitely keep in touch!
((Hugs)) Mimi
My last mvd was on feb 25, 4.5 weeks ago. My info is super up to day. I’m still in bed recovering, but like I said I had some complications after I came home. You should be up and around much faster than me. I hope all the information helps! Oh and depending on the preference of whoever closes you up you will have stitches or staples in for 2 weeks and then they will remove those in their office. I had staples the first time and stitches the second. I will try to attach pics of mine but I’ve never done that before so if it doesn’t work I’m sorry lol First pic is my first mvd and I had staples. Second pic is second mvd and I had stitches. Both pics are really soon after surgery. Sorry if they are a little graphic for anyone!
Uh photos didn’t work! Ok trying again. This is my first surgery with staples. I was still in the hospital so it’s only a couple days after surgery. 364-image.jpg (1.1 MB)
Good luck with your surgery! I can tell you I thought I would bounce back quickly after it, that wasn't the case. I was 31 when I had my first surgery. I am pretty healthy, but it really knocked me down. Like Heather said...it is a brain surgery. It takes everything out of you. Just don't overdue it. After my first surgery I felt pretty good about 10 days out but on the 11th day I woke up in extreme pain. They had to go back in 14 days later. I think that I over did it. Everything had shifted, after the second surgery my dad made sure I did absolutely nothing for 2 weeks. It took me a long time to get back to where I felt like I had energy.
This pic is my second surgery with stitches. I’m at home so it’s a few days after surgery. I felt way worse after the second mvd so I want thinking about pics in the hospital. 363-image.jpg (1.09 MB)
I also overdid it after my first mvd and ended up with a cad leak that made a big bubble on the back of my head. Then the fluid somehow got into my mastoid sinus and I could feel it moving around in my ear. It was really disconcerting but the surgeon said it would just resolve itself. My parents have had me on lockdown this time.
LeahL said:
Good luck with your surgery! I can tell you I thought I would bounce back quickly after it, that wasn’t the case. I was 31 when I had my first surgery. I am pretty healthy, but it really knocked me down. Like Heather said…it is a brain surgery. It takes everything out of you. Just don’t overdue it. After my first surgery I felt pretty good about 10 days out but on the 11th day I woke up in extreme pain. They had to go back in 14 days later. I think that I over did it. Everything had shifted, after the second surgery my dad made sure I did absolutely nothing for 2 weeks. It took me a long time to get back to where I felt like I had energy.
Did you have horrible headaches after either surgery?
Heather Calkins said:
This pic is my second surgery with stitches. I'm at home so it's a few days after surgery. I felt way worse after the second mvd so I want thinking about pics in the hospital.
After my first surgery I had mild headaches, but I don’t remember them being too bad. They kept me pretty doped up at the hospital so I don’t remember them being bad at all then.
After this one I had pressure headaches so bad. I had my surgery on a Monday and then they sent me for a spinal tap on the Friday the week after surgery. When I got home from that my headaches were 1000 times worse I couldn’t move my head without screaming and crying. I was like that all weekend until I could go see my doc on Monday. They shuttled me over to the hospital (thank god his office is in the building next to the hospital!) and sent me back in for a blood patch. My spinal tap speaks was leaking all weekend and that’s what caused the headaches to get worse. So I had people in my spinal cord are two times after my surgery on top of the already bad recovery. If you ever have a positional headache like that don’t waste time. Get right to the hospital. They can fix it right away. I can’t believe I waited that long!
I don't know about most of the questions you posted shindig, but I have been told that you have to have someone with you for 2 weeks ALL THE TIME because you will be a fall risk because of vertigo from CSF in your ear. Hope this helps! I would call the doc's office and ask them all of these questions to be sure.
Congratulations on scheduling your MVD. That is a big first step in healing. Just a few notes from my surgery to add to the great information that you already received from others.
You will be glad you have the catheter as you will not need to get out of bed.
In addition to not bending over or lifting anything heavier that 5 lbs, you should not blow your nose.
I did not wean off the Neurontin prior to surgery but rather according to a schedule my surgeon gave me starting 2 weeks after surgery. I took my pills to the hospital with me but never needed to take any of them.
I had a titanium plate screwed over the small hole in my head to replace the bone that was removed. I had stitches in the incision and also there was a dressing placed over the surgical site that was stapled on and removed 24 hours after surgery. I think this was to keep pressure on the incision. My incision had 7 sutures and there were 7 staples on the dressing.
A resident checked me every 3-4 hours, day and night, for signs of impairment (stroke). That makes sleep difficult.
The only pain relief I received after the 1st day was tylenol. My incision never hurt but my head ached for weeks.
I had loss of hearing on the MVD side and tinnitis on the other side. Both were back to normal in a few days.
I spent 2 weeks on the sofa at home not doing anything much except sleeping and then had some withdrawal effects from the Neurontin. Eventually the brain fog was gone and my vision improved. It was a 6 weeks recovery - but I am a lot older than you!
I only had nurses coming to give me meds and a medical assistant taking my vitals to wake me up. No residents checking for stroke or anything. I was yelling at everyone to let me sleep the first time. This last time I was happy to see the nurse with the pain meds. I was hoping she would just camp out in my room lol I usually hate pain medicine, but my head hurt pretty badly. My incision site was sore from both surgeries but worse this time. I forgot to mention the dressing the first 24 hours. The first surgery I had a wrap all the way around my head like Frankenstein and the second I had a bandage that stuck on. The sticky one SUCKED when the pulled it off bc it pulled my hair out too. I even cut off close 2ft of hair before this surgery to avoid hair pain!!
MimiK said:
Hi Shindig,
Congratulations on scheduling your MVD. That is a big first step in healing. Just a few notes from my surgery to add to the great information that you already received from others.
You will be glad you have the catheter as you will not need to get out of bed.
In addition to not bending over or lifting anything heavier that 5 lbs, you should not blow your nose.
I did not wean off the Neurontin prior to surgery but rather according to a schedule my surgeon gave me starting 2 weeks after surgery. I took my pills to the hospital with me but never needed to take any of them.
I had a titanium plate screwed over the small hole in my head to replace the bone that was removed. I had stitches in the incision and also there was a dressing placed over the surgical site that was stapled on and removed 24 hours after surgery. I think this was to keep pressure on the incision. My incision had 7 sutures and there were 7 staples on the dressing.
A resident checked me every 3-4 hours, day and night, for signs of impairment (stroke). That makes sleep difficult.
The only pain relief I received after the 1st day was tylenol. My incision never hurt but my head ached for weeks.
I had loss of hearing on the MVD side and tinnitis on the other side. Both were back to normal in a few days.
I spent 2 weeks on the sofa at home not doing anything much except sleeping and then had some withdrawal effects from the Neurontin. Eventually the brain fog was gone and my vision improved. It was a 6 weeks recovery - but I am a lot older than you!
