One year post decompression surgery I began having nerve pain kind of like a stinging tingling and burning on all four of my extremities. I also began have been low-grade fever’s. My neurosurgeon did an MRI and I was informed that I lost my cervical spine curvature and the lower disc in my cervical spine are beginning to bold but not enough to do anything with it.Three months ago I began choking on my food. I was diagnosed with dysphasia and evidently I have lost my gag reflex and my muscles in my esophagus are not functioning well. As of today I have had four days now of numbness and tingling sensations from my eyes down to my chin and new numbness up to my knee on my left leg. I have an appointment to see the neurologist on the 25th they are doing a flexion extension x-ray to determine if I have craniocervical instability. I just wanted to see if anyone else out there has any suggestions and things for me to pursue before I actually go into see The Nuerologist .
Hi retiredat38. I am experiencing very similiar symptoms to you, 3 years post surgery. I feel for you and hope you get some answers. My next appt isn’t until later in the year. Please let me know how you get on.
I know how frustrating it is to discover new symptoms when I was told that I would not have any “new” symptoms because the surgery was to prevent this from going further. I will keep you posted.
I have been experiencing some issues similar, but not to that extreme. I have been told since my decompression I also have the onset of scoliosis to go with the syringomyelia and chiari I already had. All of the tingling I believe is from the syringomyelia. When I read up on it, sometimes the internet will say it's from the Chiari, sometimes it will say it's from the Syringomyelia.
The best advice I could personally give you it take as much weight off as possible (maybe this is not an issue for you). Also, I try to use alternatives to narcotics, although I'm sure I could have a closet full with all of my conditions. My experience with narcotic pain killers is dysphagia, harder time breathing, weight gain and increased depression.
My doctor always tells me not to take so much excederin, but surely the side affects of that are less than what I listed above. As for the tingling again, possibly some myelopathy might be going on, of which I have also.
Also, despite what you feel, try and go for walks with a dog, friend, mall ext. This will have a great impact on you mentally and physically. Also, try not to have your physical health become your identity. I know this is hard. When every word that comes from our mouths has to do with pain, our condition, or how no one can relate, it makes the world tone deaf around us.
Also, I am confident neurology isn't an exact science. Just my opinion. I know how my body has felt only to be told my readings were "normal" :).