Just need to vent

Support
1

I’m just needing to vent a little bit, so I am sorry.

After my decompression surgery on June 19, I felt like crap. I had almost constant headache and nausea. It was discovered I had a CSF leak and my doc kept expecting it to fix itself. It didn’t so on July 23, I had a second surgery to correct the leak. What was a scheduled surgery turned into emergency surgery an hour earlier because the “bubble” I had at my incision busted and I was leaking CSF all over my neck and back.

So, since then I’ve felt pretty awesome. My doc says my recovery time has started over, so six weeks of nothing again, but okay.

I’ve felt really good…until the last week or so.

Since surgery, I’ve had achey feelings in my legs.

Today it’s from about my hips down. It aches if I sit still, it aches if I move, it just aches.

And right now on top of the achey feeling, I’m nauseous and just want to cry (I have never been an emotional person and don’t cry hardly ever until surgery, and so I hate that I cry for no reason) and I have a headache. To the point of I’m curled up in bed right now, and usually am at least in the recliner with people. But I don’t want the. To see me cry either. :frowning:

I hate this feeling. I’ve been doing so good, and now I feel crappy again.

Is this a normal part of the healing after decompression? If it is, when will it stop?

I hate this. And am just being all whiney about it.

Sorry for the whine/vent, but if anyone gets it, y’all will.

2

Thanks Abby, I appreciate it.

I would assume the three months will be from the time of the second surgery, blah…

The emotions thing I knew was brain stuff, but the aching joints really bother me and I just wasn’t sure if that was normal or not.

Thanks for the infor, it does help.

3

Cole, friend call your doc and ask for nausea meds. Im sorry you are feeling so blue, but yes it normal. I cried a lot after my decompression too. Weird things will pop up and then go away - it’s all part of the healing process. You will get past this point too, promise!

Hugs, Jenn

4

Good evening Cole! I am 4 weeks post op decompression. I have good days and bad days. I started a diary to keep up with my progress. I do the same thing on my bad days stay in bed and cry. Just know it will get better.

5

Today I'm actually feeling pretty good for the first time all week.

Last night I was in bed, in tears, because my legs ached so bad.

My sister called my doc this morning and he said to come in. I saw his PA (he got called to an emergency) and since there is no swelling, no fever, nothing else really and I was feeling so much better she decided to kind of wait and see. I was there 2 weeks ago and my legs were sort of aching then (not like the last few days) and they did blood work and all of that came back okay.

Thanks for all the replies, sorry I haven't replied back until now, I just have not felt well.

Hopefully the acheyness (not sure how that is spelled, but y'all get it) will go away and stay away, it has been miserable this week.

6

Just wanted to follow back up on this. I actually ended back up at my doc’s office on Friday. I had swelling around the incision. The swelling isn’t like it was when I had the CSF leak, it was just swollen. So, they are doing more blood work and another CT-Scan this week.

I get that a lot of this is just healing from surgery, but I am so done with this. :-/

7

This has been a long haul for you. It must feel like a setback, and how disappointing. You are a strong person, though, and you will pull through to the sunshine on the other side.

How are the achy legs?

Jenn

8

Abby, that is what they are looking for. My bp and temp was slightly elevated. Not enough to call it a fever, but above my normal.

Jcdemar, most days they are okay. They cannot figure out what is up with my legs. A pain specialist my mother knows says it could be my back causing the issues with my legs since it feels like the bone is aching not the muscle. He said it could be an issue with my L1 or L2.

9

I’m taking a medication, methylprednisolone, that can cause leg aches. I thought of you when I read this and wondered if it could be a side affect for one of your meds??

10

Beeba that analogy is hysterical!

11

Cole, I don't know if you have had a change in pain medicines or take Norco now, But, I do know that norco/hydrocodone will give achy joints - for me, it is in my hips. When your body is use to a certain amount of pain meds. In my situation - opiates (Norco) it makes a big difference.. if I am nauseous and not taking my meds even for one day. My joints will hurt, that is a side effect for opiate pain medicine. I am down to taking it in the mornings and sometimes at night... I am down to Lyrica and Valium Not anything like they were feeding me while in the hospital. Just a thought?!

12

My pain meds are actually Hydrocodone most of the time and when stuff is really bad Percocet.

I had not thought about it being a medication issue. I will need to see when I take meds and when the legs hurt and see if there is a correlation.