# Did surgery help your brain fog?
**URL:** https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027
**Category:** General
**Created:** [August 22, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027 "2012-08-22T19:16:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bozzylozzy](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/bozzylozzy)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/1 "2012-08-22T19:16:39Z")
I saw my NS last week and I have decided not to go for surgery. (not right now at least) and have agreed to see him in a year.
The reason I've decided against surgery is purely because I couldn't cope with recovery right now.
However.. Im starting to wonder if I did enough research..
What I'd like to know is.. did the surgery cure your brain fog? make it slightly better/worse or no change? Please be as honest and blunt as you can be!
This is the worst symptom for me.. and the Val salva headaches I can cope with..
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### Author:  [@Michael\_Sa](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/Michael_Sa)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/2 "2012-08-22T19:54:49Z")
Bozzylozzy,
Like the handle, but let me give you my perspective post op for about 1 month and some odd days, never have been good with a calendar or dates.
Prior to surgery, I would have bad brain fog and be overly critical of myself for not remembering things. One time at the drug store, I gave the pharmacy the wrong date for our daughter's birthday and they would not allow my wife to pick up the prescription. Fortunately, we were in the store together and I admitted to the clerk or pharmacist that I did give the wrong date. My wife gave the correct date and when I went to the that pharmacy again they always asked me a different question cause I could not remember. Now I do most of the time, I confuse it with out anniversary date and in all fairness it is OK cause they are only 4 days apart and I am a guy after all.
Post op I am doing better but I have good and bad day, but the bad days are slowly getting farther and farther apart. So yes it did help me and that is one thing that I am very appreciative about with the outcome of surgery.
I hope this helps and sorry for a slight ramble but I guess rambling is in my nature.
Take care
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### Author:  [@bozzylozzy](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/bozzylozzy)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/3 "2012-08-22T20:21:38Z")
thanks Michael :)
I totally know how you feel about being over critical. I feel so awful that on the really bad days.. Im so not "with it" that I cant play with my daughter or give her much attention and that breaks my heart
i forget things all the time.. its scary!
i hope you continue to get better, i have been reading your posts
all the best x
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### Author:  [@dkays](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/dkays)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/4 "2012-08-22T21:11:13Z")
Absolutely surgery cured my brain fog. It was one of my biggest symptoms. It was like the lights were on and nobody was home before surgery. I am an Accounting Director so I need to be able to think and it was so very hard before surgery.
I would stop mid sentence and forget my whole thought. I had stopped driving because I would get confused and my vertigo was bad.
I was just amazed during recovery waking up and having a clear mind.
I do believe you will know when surgery is the answer for you.
Good luck!
Diana
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### Author:  [@bozzylozzy](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/bozzylozzy)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/5 "2012-08-22T21:15:58Z")
Diana.. that sounds exactly like me. and i havent driven for two months as i dont feel safe to drive!
i have told my surgeon, husband and family - that if my symptoms dont improve with the positive changes im making. then i will seriously consider having the surgery.
just i had 2 surgeries last year.. and one became badly infected. which is why im so reluctant right now
Emma, im so glad you have had a positive experience too. im feeling a bit more hopeful :)
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### Author:  [@WhatsForDinner](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/WhatsForDinner)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/6 "2012-08-22T23:23:15Z")
Surgery eliminated the dizziness and light-headedness I experienced. I am about 9 weeks post-op, and haven't felt that way since coming out of surgery. (To me, brain fog from painkillers feels utterly different, and that was only while taking them for a week or two after surgery.)
Before surgery, I didn't want to drive, and was unsure of my balance. Now I am FINE!
Mind you, I am getting better "fast" with respect to these symptoms, probably because I didn't have them for long. (I had my surgery to prevent my syrinx from causing further damage to my peripheral nerves.)
Totally, completely addressed this issue for me.
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### Author:  [@Lmnembhart](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/Lmnembhart)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/7 "2012-08-22T23:38:07Z")
It's good to hear everyone's responses! I'm so glad that a majority of you saw improvement in the fog! Looking forward to mine being gone!
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### Author:  [@Angela\_Elise\_B](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/Angela_Elise_B)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/8 "2012-08-23T03:24:31Z")
Yea!!! This is starting to make me quickly feel better about surgery....I have brain fog like no other, and then I even have my words go through my head, but I can't speak them or they get all jumbled up...so so tiring! Good Luck!!
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### Author:  [@bozzylozzy](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/u/bozzylozzy)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.chiarisupport.org/t/did-surgery-help-your-brain-fog/2027/9 "2012-08-25T18:08:20Z")
Im so glad I asked this question!
I feel a lot better about having surgery at some point in the future, because the two factors holding me back were;
1) my doctor telling me surgery is unlikely to cure the brain fog
2) not being ready for the recovery
so now, i just have to wait until i feel the time is right.
Thank you so much everybody for your responses :)