Hi everyone,
On April 17th, I underwent decompression surgery: craniotomy, laminectomy, and duraplasty. They did not remove or cauterize the herniated brain tissue. Nor did they operate on my spine; according to the spinal MRI I got in March 2013, I don't have a syrinx. The NS said my herniation was 2 cm but he felt confident that his brand of decompression surgery would "fix" me.
After the surgery, they sent me home too early - the anesthesia and opioid pain meds had totally shut down my bowel - and I got a bowel obstruction. I was readmitted to the hospital and entubated. I was in for a week and the whole thing was very traumatic. But eventually my gut woke up and I didn't need bowel surgery. I can eat again and my belly is getting back to normal, so I'm very happy about that.
However, I have all these questions about recovering from the surgery. I've only spoken with the NS for a total of less than 10 minutes, since my initial appointment. He's pretty inaccessible. They just refer me to his physician's assistant, who knows practically nothing about Chiari and is, frankly, rude and dismissive.
So, long story short, if you have had the type of decompression surgery I had, how long did it take before you could do normal things? For example:
1. Work
2. Carry grocery bags and laundry baskets
3. Exercise
4. Have a massage!!!
5. Concentrate, work on the computer, not need to sleep all day long?!
If anyone has any recovery experience to share, I'd be most grateful. I still feel very ill and weak and I'd love to know how long this feeling is likely to last.
- Paula
1. Work---------------8 weeks for me. It seems to vary for everyone!
2. Carry grocery bags and laundry baskets------------6 weeks!
3. Exercise----------I took short walks beginning right after I left the hospital. No "real" exercise til 6 weeks and then I started slow.
4. Have a massage!!!----Not sure. I hate massages and don't want one. I know I'm crazy! lol
5. Concentrate, work on the computer, not need to sleep all day long?!-----Starting at 8 weeks but kept seeing improvement over the next year.
Mizfeldy, it is normal for you to still need this much sleep and feel weak. Just rest as much as you can and know it’s the right thing. Return to work could be 4 weeks, but honestly I think that is rare. I returned at 2.5 months and looking back it was a little soon. This recovery takes a long time… It wasn’t until I reached the 7 month mark I started to feel like a whole person again. Be patient with yourself 
Jenn
Thank you so much, Abby, Beeba, jcdemar, Anglyn, and Emmaline. This is all good information. I know everyone is different but at least now I have some idea of a timeframe for recovery. I'm trying not to push myself and to follow your advice.
Emmaline, when you mention healing the herniation, do you mean the herniated tissue retracts back into the skull? Or did your surgeon remove the herniated tissue? And how can a person tell if the herniation has healed?
I asked the NS if they would be doing a follow-up MRI and he said they usually don't, unless it's clinically indicated. He said I won't need one. I guess I'd need MRI tests to check and see if the herniation has shrunk in size, if my CSF flow is back within normal range, and if I'd formed a syrinx, but my NS said it's unnecessary. Do people usually get a follow-up MRI?
Best wishes,
Paula