5 days Post-Op.....What were your symptoms?

General
1

Hello All!!

Well....I MADE IT!!! God I was so scared I wouldn't make it through the surgery but I did! I wanted to weigh my symptoms with everyone elses to see if I'm on track or if something is 'just not right' and I need to call the doc (I'm not a worry wart am I lol)

Everyday my neck is getting a little stronger. But I finally figured out last night that sleeping setting up pretty much is the only way I can get up in the morning with out excruciating pounding pressure where I feel like I need to hold my head up. It's still too early to tell if the surgery has done any good or not due to my whole body still hurting. But, by the 4th or 5th day of your post op how did you feel? Here are my symptoms:

-Incision - looks good except for at the base of my neck, a little red,bit swollen and tinder but not feverish.

*Some parts of the right side of my incision are a bit bumpy (have been since surgery, and are very numb. (afraid I'm going to get a CSF leak)

- My head throbs here an there, but most of the time it's just tender pressure and a tight neck. One spot at the base of my neck to the right feels like I have a piece of hair that's constantly being pulled on, but there is no hair there and I can tell it's on the inside.

- Still tire very easy, very hard to bend over without getting that pounding sensation when I stand back up, so I try not to bend over.

- The pain that was in my right ear before is still there, but feels like it want's to let up.

-Throat a bit tender, and still can't quite open my mouth all the way to bite food.

-Front neck still swollen and bruised from being on my belly during surgery.

Other than that I think I'm healing on track, it's just the weird pressure and numbness that's bugging me (like i said b/c i'm afraid I might end up with a CSF leak).

Any signs or symptoms that you feel I should watch out for are very welcomed. I don't know what to expect from here, or how soon I'll heal from surgery symptoms. I know the Chiari symptoms may take a while to recover from. Thank you all in advance for your answers and advice. I pray this is the only surgery I will need! And thank you all for your kind words and prayers for me this whole way!

Thanks All

Angela B.

2

Hello!

5 days post op I still felt like I was hit by a mac truck, sorry! But each day was better then the last!

I highly recommend taking ice packs and keeping them in the fridge (not freezer), having enough to rotate. I would lay on those and that would help that "pain in the neck" feeling back there. I would get swelling and pressure pain. I fell in love with my cold packs!

I remember at one point thinking I did have a leak, I still wonder if I had a small one, but my tests were all clear. It was a fear on the back of my mind too! Just take it real slow!!! Push your fluids and rest up! Whenever you do feel a bad headache coming on, drink some caffeine and lay flat for a while!

The other pressure and pain should fade. There is going to pain from them doing what they did. Hang in there Chiari Soldier, 5 days is soon yet! You'll get there!

3

Thank you both! Now I don't feel so crazy. Last nights pain was HORRIBLE! But, I thought I had stopped when I needed to b/c my head/neck were killing me! needless to say I didn't and today, I'm still up and haven't been to bed yet. Feeling pretty good though and went almost 7 hours without feeling like I needed meds. But at the first sign of even a tinge of stronger pain I took my meds. I also noticed when I re-started my vitamin D, within 2 days it made my 'swelling' feeling all over my body ease up alot!

Thank you Thank you to you both!! And Beeba, you are right on target with the 'night crawling', that's exactly how it feels! But, I can already tell i think that my fatigue is getting better than what it was before surgery. It was terrible. But the true test will be when I go back to my OVERLY stressful job! I hope you both have a wonderful week and thanks for your replies, I feel a ton better!

4

HaHAHA!!For that I'm thankful I have no inome, and that reason only, cuz my dumbass (sry for language) would be the one to buy something- especially the zumba one or P90 X b/c I gained about 20 lbs since December due to being so sick and not being able to exercise except for holding the couch down lol But, on the other hand....I can't pay my bills right now either an am no where near ready to go back to work....little scary! Plus hubby just had surgery on his back today too so no work for either of us. Anyway- Your funny...love the sense of humor! :) Thanks for the warning....dually noted lol