This will be my second time recovering from the Chiari Decompression surgery, I don’t have a shunt, but i do have a small cathader sewn in up there to prevent CSF blockage…Does anyone know the long time recovery of post surgery? Or are there still good days and bad days? Will there still be pain and fetigue? Will the surgeries fix the problem or only make it better…this is what I don’t know…any insight?
Hi.....
Everyone recovers at a different rate of speed...sorry , that I know is of no help to you right now!!!!
In my experience it took mths before I felt somewhat myself....I did not drive for 5-6 mths...but things did improve. I did not have a shunt or drain so I cannot comment there.
When was your surgery..this last one???
Keep us updated!!
Lori
I had it May 27, so i’m about a month into my recovery. I remember last time I felt pretty good until I went tubing behind a boat at my camp, that is apparently something you can not do 3 months after having major surgery, no matter how good you think you feel lol
TUBING...OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Take it easier this time around!!!!!
haha It's hard to take it easy when you feel good!
It is so good that you are feeling okay after your surgery! I hope that continues. I had some complications after mine so I didn't drive for almost a year. I had to have a shunt put in 6 months after my decompression so I had several surgeries in a year's time. Give yourself at least another couple of months before you start any real physical activity. What was the reason for the second decompression? Did they put a shunt in this time? Why did they put the catheter in? You will find that I am the one that asks lots of questions! Sorry!
Carla
It took me about five months to feel "normal". I didn't drive for almost a year either. I still only do limited driving because I had cervical fusion and it's difficult to turn my head very far. I don't have any trouble driving; just trouble backing up! It works fine as long as I'm going forward. Can't always count on that though. I'm working it out though by learning to turn my body too......so I will eventually be driving further.....I know it!
Shirley
That's alright lol Questions I can handle, though hopefully my answer makes sense, let me know if it doesn't! Basically when my first NS went in for surgery he didn't give me enough room in the back of my head so the CSF was still getting all clogged up. Then between surgery number 1 and (almost non existent) surgery number 2, my new NS found some scar tissue which was adding to the blocking of the CSF. When he went in it turned out that the little bit of scar tissue on the MRI was a lot of scar tissue and that almost completely shut off the flow to my 4th ventricle... That's the cliff notes version of what I was told went down while I was out. So far I haven't needed a shunt put in, but it has been discussed with the doctors, and they opted out of it. My doctor put he catheter in to prevent any future blockage of CFS due to scar tissue. The catheter allows the fluid to enter around the back of my head (where my cerebral tonsils used to be...but up some..I think..) I hope this makes sense, I don't usually have people ask me about anything Chiari!
Yeah you will be!