Post op MVD

Hi everyone. I am new to this site. I have to say that I am really glad I found it. Suffering from TN feels so lonely because it seems no one really understands. I was diagnosed about 8 years ago and was able to keep it mostly under control with medication. About 2 months ago, I tripped and fell, landing on the side of my face that is affected. That started the worst time of my life. The flare ups were horrible and non stop. I found no relief through my medication or through new medications. I was hospitalized twice for pain management. Finally my Dr sent me to my neurosurgeon and I am now 4 days post op for and MVD. I have to say that I am happy so far in terms of not having any TN pain or numbness since the surgery. My question is for anyone that has undergone this procedure. I have the worst throbbing headache that none of my pain meds touch. Does this go away at some point? If it wasn’t for the headache I would almost feel half human again. :c) Also does anyone know how long the recovery time is? I am so tired and only resting and getting up to go to the restroom. Thanks for any responses and sorry it was so long. :c)

I stayed in bed for three weeks… It takes up to a YEAR to feel what is new normal for you



Dont do anything with your head, except maybe sleep in a chair or take more drugs till subsides…



You are in the clear if you have no fluid coming out of nose, ear, or incision!



Try to sleep it away… But pretend your head was shaken in a blender… 12 months … Things will fall into place…your anatomy.

Frances
I am 19 days post op. Thankfully all is going well except those damn headaches. They have subsided slowly over the past five days, but annoying none the less. My docs tell me they should subside fully before the end of week six. Otherwise, I am exhausted. My fault I think. I have not complied with the ‘rest when you feel tired’ marching order. I can tell you this week three I am napping more than the previous two. I am hoping to go back to work part time next week. As far as episodes…a few, but barely noticeable.

Be kind to yourself, rest. And good for you for taking the big step. I am confident it’s the best decision I have made in dealing with this dreaded condition

Wishing you a speedy recovery
Baba

Hi there. I'm now 3 weeks post-op. My headaches went away for the most part within 5-6 days. My surgeon warned me to just take Tylenol extra strength or Advil. He said if you are taking narcotics for the headaches that chances are it won't help and can give you rebound headaches. The hardest thing is trying to find a spot to get comfortable that your head doesn't hurt. I used a heating pad at the base of my neck to help with the stiffness. It does get better! Listen to your body and get the rest you need. I'm still dealing with nausea. Especially if I try to over due things or even just standing up for too long. But anything is better than dealing with the TN pain!!

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. My throbbing headache is still there but at most times tolerable. I have some facial pain on the opposite side around my temple and ear. I think that pain has more to do with the Halo sights. Also some of this, I know has to do with the neck stiffness. I am still feeling like I have been hit by a mack truck sometimes but my body has been very good at letting me know when I have had enough. Another quick question though. Anyone experience having any problems with their jaw muscles? My mouth just will not open all the way. It feels very tight and I am still eating a lot of soft food still due to that. Thanks in advance for your help.

My jaw is still a little sore from the about of time the breathing tube was in. It's getting better but it wasn't something I even thought would bother me going into the surgery. I still have some scabs where the Halo was. Still sore when I wash my hair. I have to be real gentle.

I was sleeping A LOT the first 2 weeks. With the pounding headache, does it feel better if you lie completely flat for a few minutes? The jaw pain/stiffness is probably from the breathing tube during surgery. The neck stiffness is probably from the position they put you in for surgery. It helped me to sleep semi-recumbent with lots of soft pillows and to use ice packs on my neck. The ice actually helped my neck more than the pain meds. But the surgeon did prescribe a muscle relaxer: Valium. That helped a lot off and on a month and on post op when the ice wasn’t working anymore. But the neck stiffness goes away eventually.