Hi all! I'm 5 mths post op, and not back at work YET! I know a few people that actually wend back at 6 weeks. My PCP is handling my rehab and has been very slow and detailed with it. However, I have talked with many that did no rehab and went straight back. A few of these people have had further problems, requiring more surgeries and still have many symptoms. Any comments on the relationship of your symptoms, rehab, work..etc. Sometimes I feel like I should have gone back already. Other times, I am so, so , so glad I'm still off..I crash pretty quickly at times.
I really don't feel like I'm comparing myself. I feel more like others are..you know that feeling when you don't want to tell anyone you don't feel well because you KNOW they are tired of it? Then some other Chiarians are like, "well-I went back after 6 wks and didn't do rehab-why are you doing rehab.." I appreciate your comment. I guess I just need some reassurance from time to time. Thank you!
Emmaline said:
I was 10 mos when I went back. It's very individual to each patient. If you go back too early, it may undo the healing process or cause a set back. You can't go by what others do, it's what you need and are comfortable with. I'm so glad I was able to wait until I felt ready.
I am not doubting myself. I know how I feel. I wish I felt better. I wish i didn't agree with my doctor and that was more of a fighter,or should I say "ignorer"--ignore the symptoms. Maybe I've had too many people say that they just deal with pain and don't let it run their lives. I don't know what I'm saying. It's just not a good day I guess. Thanks for your input.
Beeba said:
You know the drill!! You have been here way to long to compare apples to oranges. Every person is different and everyone recovers different. The good thing about being here is when you say you ain't ready we believe you. You don't need to explain it or justify it to us. If and when you are ready only you will know. I went a year before joining here with people saying you should this or you should that and guess what? When I could this or I could that I did this and I did that..... If you say you aren't ready than you aren't. And when you feel you are I will have confidence in your success. I am wondering if this post was more about you questioning or doubting yourself. It just takes time and that is that. And if 100% never comes it takes time to learn how to adjust to living at 80% and how to do so not feeling bad. It is all good. You will get to a place where you can live comfortably.
While I was Able to return really quickly to a director’s position, I had a new onset of muscle spasms that lasted for the next 3 weeks. They were a completely new symptom. In retrospect, after thinking I was Wonder Woman at first, I am fully aware that there is no way I could have gone back so early to a full time healthcare position. I could not have tolerated a commute, I could not have tolerated more than 8 hours, could not have tolerated the lifting. Most employers I have had do not allow limited duty or lifting restrictions. If you are responsible for another human being, you need to be as close to 100% as possible, or to a manageable level.
I had my operation in November of 2012. I returned to work 13 weeks later. I kind of wish I had taken it a bit slower, but I had to get back for financial reasons. Also, my neurosurgeon was happy enough with my progression that he wasn't worried about my 30 mile drive. I do however need to take it easy, and when I make sudden turns with my neck, I definitely pay for a moment.
I also started doing Physical Therapy a few weeks back because I feel like I hit a wall and my body feels weak (particularly my neck and upper back), but I also sit in a chair 9+ hours per day not including my drive... it's important to make sure your body is READY... that you are READY. ...how far do you drive to work and what kind of work do you do?
I'm still WAY better on any bad day than I was before surgery, but some of the symptoms do sneak in every once in a while. I hope you continue to improve and are able to get back to action soon!
I am back to playing drums in a band (we'll see how it goes - i'm optimistic but realistic of my condition!) so, who knows! I know some folks don't have the best experience, but as long as your quality of life is better, even the bad days are better. In my opinion.
Brian
Everyone recovers differently and honestly the type of job you do will have a lot to do with how fast you can return. I returned at 8 weeks. I'm an accountant so my job is an office job, sitting at a desk all day. My commute is literally only one mile from home. I did not have PT because my insurance doesn't cover it. I was given some neck exercises to do on my own. Even with an easy commute and very un-physical job the first few weeks were rough and I saw an increase in neck pain and muscle weakness. Had I been an RN I do not think I would have been able to return to work so fast. For the first two months working was all I was able to accomplish. Starting at around month 3 I was able to add in more outside activity like exercising and cleaning the house. I would still say compared to a "normal" person I'm not as active or energetic but I'm much improved from where I was before! It takes time and there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving your body the time it needs to fully heal.
I am also 5 months post op and an RN. I tried to go back to work at 3 months, knowing that I wasn't 100% but felt pressure to try and quickly realized that it was too soon. I was completely exhausted after a 4 hour shift. After those 4 hour shifts, I would come home and be so weak and fatigued that I would be in bed the rest of the day. I also started having severe neck pain and muscle spasms which I had not been having as bad, plus worse flashes and floaters in my vision which were present before surgery but had lessoned since the surgery. My surgeon and also my PCP said that it was probably too soon for me to have gone back and my body was letting me know this. I was placed back on medical leave. I started having bad joint pain and a few other symptoms that are making my PCP wonder if I have developed an auto immune disorder which is complicating my recovery. I have a lot of trouble with cognitive issues some which I had prior to surgery, some that i developed after. Things like difficulty focusing, brain fog, short term memory loss, trouble with word finding. These had improved to the point where I felt I was safe to go back to work, but when I tried at that 3 months point, I realized that it was too much for me physically and mentally. I am also a wife and mother to 3 young kids, and now I struggle to get through the demands of just being at home each day. It is so frustrating to realize that I set myself back in my recovery and now I am having a hard time moving forward. My energy level is starting to improve only slightly on good days, but I can not push myself too hard or I pay dearly. I agree with previous posters that it really depends on the type of work that you do. Nursing is a very physically and mentally demanding job. I remind myself that I had a major surgery and that it was not a cure for the Chiari, just a treatment. I am still better than I was prior to surgery! I think we have to learn to give ourselves grace and listen to our bodies. It is so hard to do, but better for us in the long run. Just know you are not alone! Sometimes that helps more than anything. Hang in there!