So, I had my decompression operation back in November of 2012, just about 8 months ago. I had a 21mm herniation by looking at MRI’s and when they wen in, the surgeon found it was worse. They did the craniotomy, laminectomy, duroplasty and tonsil cauterization.
I took three months off of work, and drive about 30 miles in Denver traffic to and from so, driving has been a bit iffy for me - my neck still isn’t quite as flexible and I still experience some resistance/spasming/pain. I do not take any pain medication over than ibuprofen, etc. I take flexeril when my spasms get bad, but that’s it. I kicked all the meds from surgery out of my system pretty early on, which I was proud of.
However, I am now in physical therapy due to the pain I have in my neck and upper back once more. This symptom has not so much gone away as come back, and i’m finding that keeping moving and doing my PT actually helps me, but I was wondering where those of you who are post-op are at, and if my current situation is to be expected, better or worse…
I know that this surgery was not a cure, and didn’t expect it to be. I have minor nausea in the mornings every great once in a while, sometimes some small headaches randmly throughout the day (they don’t last long so I don’t call them headaches in comparison to before surgery), and I find myself getting exhausted still after doing something phsyically demanding… or even after a quick jog up the stairs. Other than that, I have to say that the majority of my sympotms are either better or gone, and I had a LOT of sypmtoms before. I don’t complain much as I still feel much better than I did before the surgery, but I wonder if my progress is halted, or if I should just expect a really long recover process or whatever… I figure a year or so, but based on my stagnation in the last month or so, I feel like i’m backtracking or just stuck.
Any advice for what to do to keep yourself ahead of things and in good health post op?
I should also add that I am playing drums about 30 minutes to an hour a day, and twice a week with a band (just practice for now) for about two hours each session. PT and NS don’t think this is problematic and applaud it… i play some pretty fast stuff. I couldn’t keep a beat very well before surgery due to leg/hand weakness and tremors.
I’m doing GREAT - but want to make sure i KEEP that way, or that I am not falling off the wagon so to speak.
Did you seek someone who specifically knew how to handle Chiari patients?
I went to a physiotherapist but for me unfortunately it did not do a great deal as they weren’t completely aware of how to handle me. I still suffer from neck stiffness and pain, but five years on from the operation and with regular exercise I’m not finding it a struggle at all. Not all of my symptoms have gone, I still struggle with my left arm, and the nerve damage that is done cannot be undone, but there is a significant improvement.
Wow! Sparky it is amazing when I read a post from someone that looks like I could have written it verbatim myself!
I had my surgery on Nov. 1, 2012 and doing really well with the symptoms I had before surgery being almost completely gone but what I have been left with has been a slow go. Just depends on the day and what I do. My job is strenuous at times and I have to keep constantly evaluating how I am feeling and what I should back off of. I have given myself a year to heal without expecting too much from myself physically. I have to drive 40 miles to get to the parking lot I park at to take a bus to work to walk to where I need to be on that day. Driving has been fine now that I am further out from surgery.
I have some pinches and lack of range of motion in my neck to the left but again, so much better than I expected. I also lucked out and had only the decompression and partial laminectomy.
I am hoping to get to PT after I deal with the bicep tendonitis that I am battling right now. :) If it isn't one thing it's another.
Strength and good luck to you!
Wendy