I am almost 5 weeks post op and am having some really bad pain in between my shoulder blades and around the chest area. Hurts worse on the left side of my back. I spoke with my NS office and all they did was call in more pain med. I wanted to know what they thought it was. I am trying to get off of the pain med.
To make matters worse I have a head and chest cold AGAIN! The same crap I had a week before surgery! I have been sneezing and coughing something awful. Everytime I sneeze or cough I like freak because I don't want to strain or damage anything in my brain area as I am still recovering.
Last night I noticed a lump under the skin on my neck on the left side of my incision. Does anyone or has anyone experience anything like this? I have no way of getting ahold of my NS office till Monday. I am also weaning off of the steroids. I am having headaches but they are in the right temple area and behind the right eyeball, not in the back of my head.
I posted a discussion a couple of days ago and I never received any responses. I am not trying to be a baby or attention hog, I just am scared and I need some support from my Chiari friends as no one around me here wants to listen.
1st off..I need to say that I am sorry that I have not been here on the site that much...but I feel as though I may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel...LOL...so...hopefully , I can join in here on discussions more...
Ok, ...now you must keep in mind you are still considered a 'fresh post op"..being only 5 weeks out...you are no baby.....trust me!!
I have had that pain you are talking about..shoulder blade and chest region....For me, anyway, it was due to spasms....have you done the ice and heat thing on the area? Also, I took muscule relaxers for awhile and that helped as well..
Then you have the steroid weaning going on..this is only my experience with steroids....they reeked havoc with both mind and body..and the longer i was on them the worse the weaning process was...but the goood news is that it DOES PASS!!
Then you add in the head and chest cold on top of all that....WOW...you are amazing...I don't think I would be able to do all you do...give yourself some credit here....
The bump you mentioned on the side of the incision could be a couple things..for me...it was a forgotten stitch!!! Someone else here recently shared that they had an ingrown hair near their incision.
You are not alone..I know you probably feel that way since your family doesn't quite 'get it'....I have many times shared those feelings myself, here, to you all.....I know what you mean when you say that no one around you wants to hear it..
That is why this site is so great....we are all here for each other.....Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.
I am so sorry that you’re going through all of that. I haven’t had surgery yet, so I don’t have any experience with what you’re going through in recovery. I do, however, understand how rough ot is to have a Cold with Chiari. It intensifies all the pain and symptoms. I have had MANY Colds lately and it was aweful. I can only imagine how much worse it must be while trying to recover from surgery. Lori gave you great advice! She is a pretty amazing person…isn’t she?! I wish I could do more to help you, but I at least wanted to let you know that you’re not alone and you’re definitely NOT a baby. I hope you feel better soon! You’ll be in my thoughts:)
I am almost 8 weeks post op and went to the ns for a follow up a couple of days ago. I also have a lump near my incision and he said that it will go away, it is a group of stitches that haven't yet disolved. My lump is where my drain was placed after surgery, it has gone down in size the past couple of weeks.
@ Lori, I knew the steroids would help but at the same time I knew when it came time to wean off of them that it was going to be a bad experience. It's like they help you by taking the inflammation away and giving you energy and I felt sooo good while on them and then the bad side of it is the insomnia, restlessness, irritability and hunger. I had lost 10 lbs. but I think last week and this week I gained it all back. lol I will be done with them on the 25th of Jan. and it can't come soon enough. I called my NS office on Thurs. about the h/a's in the right temple area and the pain in between the shoulder blades. Nurse Nancy said they could call in a refill on the pain med I am on but this would be the last refill, I would have to see my family doc if I needed more. She didn't say anything about what Dr. Tew thought might be causing the back pain. I was pretty upset. It was almost like they just thought I wanted the pain meds and that wasn't it at all! I am not a drug seeker and I try and not take the pain med unless it is some pretty intense pain. I know Dr. Tew is a great NS but just kinda feels like since he did the surgery (his part) that I am being dropped like a hot potato. I mean he hasn't released me from his care. I still have a 3 month post op follow up with him in March but I just didn't like how she worded it I guess. I know I am moody from the steroids so i am trying to keep that in mind.
I bought another cold pack and a "bed buddy" wrap, you can use it as heat or cold. The heat from the bed buddy helps my back and I am still taking 500mg of Robaxin muscle relaxer. I am afraid with this nasty cough and having to blow my nose all the time that I will cause another herniation. I know they said not to strain with a bowel movement and when I am coughing and sneezing and blowing my nose it causes pressure in my head. The kind when u stand up you can hear your heart pounding in your ears.
I just wish they would order a thoracic MRI to make sure there is no syrinx there. They keep saying that it is rare that they normally form in the cervical spine, but I have heard of people having a syrinx in the thoracic area. I am still having weakness in my arms, shaky hands and pain radiating from shoulder to hand in the left arm.
@mommyoftwo, thanks for the info about the lump on the neck. I don't feel as worried now that I read your post. It hasn't gotten any bigger so that is a good thing. The itchiness from the healing is driving me nuts! LOL
@Sharon, thank you for your response. I know I am only going on 5 wks post op but I guess I just got excited because the steroids had helped so much and I was having some really good days in there. I don't regret the surgery for one minute and I know as I continue to heal there will be more good days than bad. Take care and I wish you pain free days and message me anytime you wanna chat.
Hello Tara, My daughter had 2 decompression surgeries and had these little knots too. the dr said they were swollen lymph nodes and are completely normal. its actaully a good sign, your body is trying to heal. I would not be too alarmed. I was, and was reassured both times. My daughter also complains of the pains in her shoulder blades and up and down her spine. However, her dr has refused any pain meds. She is 11 and on days cannot even stand or move due to the pain she has. I hope you get better, this is a long and slow healing process. But you should get to feeling better soon. Prayers your way, Mandy
Tara Wallace said:
Hi all,
@ Lori, I knew the steroids would help but at the same time I knew when it came time to wean off of them that it was going to be a bad experience. It's like they help you by taking the inflammation away and giving you energy and I felt sooo good while on them and then the bad side of it is the insomnia, restlessness, irritability and hunger. I had lost 10 lbs. but I think last week and this week I gained it all back. lol I will be done with them on the 25th of Jan. and it can't come soon enough. I called my NS office on Thurs. about the h/a's in the right temple area and the pain in between the shoulder blades. Nurse Nancy said they could call in a refill on the pain med I am on but this would be the last refill, I would have to see my family doc if I needed more. She didn't say anything about what Dr. Tew thought might be causing the back pain. I was pretty upset. It was almost like they just thought I wanted the pain meds and that wasn't it at all! I am not a drug seeker and I try and not take the pain med unless it is some pretty intense pain. I know Dr. Tew is a great NS but just kinda feels like since he did the surgery (his part) that I am being dropped like a hot potato. I mean he hasn't released me from his care. I still have a 3 month post op follow up with him in March but I just didn't like how she worded it I guess. I know I am moody from the steroids so i am trying to keep that in mind.
I bought another cold pack and a "bed buddy" wrap, you can use it as heat or cold. The heat from the bed buddy helps my back and I am still taking 500mg of Robaxin muscle relaxer. I am afraid with this nasty cough and having to blow my nose all the time that I will cause another herniation. I know they said not to strain with a bowel movement and when I am coughing and sneezing and blowing my nose it causes pressure in my head. The kind when u stand up you can hear your heart pounding in your ears.
I just wish they would order a thoracic MRI to make sure there is no syrinx there. They keep saying that it is rare that they normally form in the cervical spine, but I have heard of people having a syrinx in the thoracic area. I am still having weakness in my arms, shaky hands and pain radiating from shoulder to hand in the left arm.
@mommyoftwo, thanks for the info about the lump on the neck. I don't feel as worried now that I read your post. It hasn't gotten any bigger so that is a good thing. The itchiness from the healing is driving me nuts! LOL
@Sharon, thank you for your response. I know I am only going on 5 wks post op but I guess I just got excited because the steroids had helped so much and I was having some really good days in there. I don't regret the surgery for one minute and I know as I continue to heal there will be more good days than bad. Take care and I wish you pain free days and message me anytime you wanna chat.
I wish I could do more to help you, but I at least wanted to let you know that you’re not alone and you’re definitely NOT a baby. I hope you feel better soon! You’ll be in my thoughts:)