Hello everyone, I am almost 4 weeks post op and for the most part I am doing pretty good. Recovery was rough that 1st week and a half after coming home but then as I rested it begin to really get better. My incision is healing just great and my landing strip hair cut has even begin to grow back. Everything having to deal with having the surgery is well on the road to a great recovery however, I’m now for the past week have had soooo much agonizing pain and burning in my lower back extending down the backs of my thighs into my right leg so bad my mom had to take me to the ER because I could not move my right leg. After a good dose of morphine a MRI of my lower back middle back neck and head nothing was found and so I was sent home with some steroids and oxycodone. My post op appt isn’t until the 15th of August but even now it’s really painful to walk I’m having to use crutches because the pain will knock me off my feet upon 1st standing, I will have to stand completely still for at least 2-3 minutes before moving because the pain is almost paralyzing. I can’t sit any longer than 5 minutes so most of the time I’m laying flat. Sometimes the pain will shoot up my spine and its like its pulsating within my neck at the base of my skull, horrible, debilitating unable to move pain for about 2-3 minutes then as fast as it came it goes. I just can’t walk pain free or without the fear of falling without assistance. The pain is also in my buttocks so I’m walking like a cowboy about to draw at any second, lol. I can’t walk very far at all, not that I should but my bedroom is only about 10 steps from my rest room and I can’t make it there unassisted. After I was checked at the ER I was told everything as far as the surgery looks great, there are no post surgery changes so does anyone have any idea what could be going on? All pre surgery symptoms are gone no more dizziness unless I’m up for too long no more numbness in my hands or feet my headaches are gone, everything pre surgery is completely gone thank god, this is something new that just started a week ago, I didn’t mention that I have to be careful as to how I turn or pivot because I get the feeling like my hips are popping out the sockets. Thanks for any suggestions or questions that I can bring up at my post op. I am happy with the surgery my NS was awesome he and his staff and I rock my zipper head with pride, it’s my symbol that I battled Chiari and I am a survivor.
I would definitely check in with your NS and see if he has any ideas. I personally didn't have any issues like you describe post-op but I've heard of people having some really strange things happen as the spinal fluid flow adjusts to normal. I'm glad all your scans looked good. Hopefully this is just something your body is going through as it adjusts!
Thank you so much for responding Anglyn, I am definitely going to mention my issues to my NS at my post op visit, I’m hoping its really nothing to worry about I keep telling myself its nerve pain, the nerves are trying to repair and readjust to the changes my body is going through. I have had several suggestions to mention to my NS as questions or to have him to look at or test for at my post op such as EDS and occult tethered cord. I feel as though my surgery was successful its just this is all new to me and everything from dx to surgery happened very quickly so I really didnt know what to expect or what the illness was or anything but since then I have been doing alot of research and everyone here have been very helpful so I’m truly thankful to everyone. For me not knowing much at all I think I’m doing very well compared to how I was pre surgery. I know I still have more to learn and a long way to go in my recovery but I plan to take it one day at a time, very slow, restful and easy.