Ok so here is my big issue today. I am usually a pretty in shape person. I am a firefighter/paramedic and being in shape is VERY important obviously. Well I have slacked off the last year due to a knee injury I got from soccer. It is fine now, and I need to get back in shape. So I want to start my Insanity Workout again. My Primary Care Dr told me to ask the neurologist if that is ok for me to workout again. The major issue I am having is just the heart beat in my ear. I have my MRI and MRA. The MRA came back fine. SO WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT!?!?!? I miss the gym and my workouts. I can deal with the headaches... because I will have them either way.
I workout. Heavily on my good days and lightly on my bad days. It makes me feel better.
I’ve done one round of insanity and did pretty good. I would occasionally pass out or have drop attacks afterwards so I made sure my husband was home when I did it. Now I run 4-5 miles on my good days and 1 on my bad days. I also do hardcore weight training, plyometrics, Pilates and yoga. I seem to have the hardest time with yoga due to the inverted positions.
Like you said I have headaches…but I’m going to have them regardless. I have drop attacks…but I am going to have them regardless. I’ve toughed it out for the past 29 years so what’s the big deal now that I’m just weeks away from surgery. My Ns told me I could work out but not to do anything jarring b/c it could cause my tonsils to drop further. But working out is what keeps me from going insane. I have surgery in 4 weeks so I figure it it can’t do too much more damage than has already been done, ya know?
I guess what I’m saying is…I really don’t know what I’m saying. Lol. It’s all case by case, person by person. I just know what my ns says and what I feel inside. And in my head I feel that a physically fit person is going to recovery easier from surgery than a person who is not so physically fit…that’s how I justify doing crazy workouts against dr’s orders 
Either way…good luck! I hope this crazy nonsensical response made some sense to you!
I hear ya!
I guess do what is comfortable for you (Or in the case of the insanity workouts what’s uncomfortable for you lol!) while keeping in mind that it might be doing more damage. But you have to do what makes you happy. At the end of the day it’s your life and you need to do what you love and what you’re passionate about.
I loved the insanity, but once I got into weight lifting I fell head over heels. Not only am I a girl at the gym doing harder workouts than the big guys there, but the girl with the ‘brain problem’ doing bigger badder workouts than the guys! It makes me feel so tough and so strong especially considering people expect us to be frail and weak due to our condition!
Just adding another supporting voice to the chorus. If you like to work out, do it. If you can deal with the consequences, keep doing it. I still think the healthier the body we give to the NS, the better we'll recover.
My boy (15) had similar but not chiari surgery (they removed an enormous cyst in the same area of his brain, same incision, same bone came out and was later replaced, same muscles tweaked around, same headache and nausea symptoms prior to surgery). Darned if the guy didn't do a 1.5k swim three days before surgery, a 4k workout the night before surgery, and started running again two weeks post-op.
Make yourself as healthy and happy as you can. Get the surgery. Slow down to recover, and then get back to life. Me? I'm still in the slow-down post-op part of things, but I'll get there.
You have no idea the comfort your response gave me! I’ve been terrified that I wouldn’t be able to run after surgery!!! Running is my therapy.
So glad to hear your son had a great recovery. You’ve honestly given me an enormous gift by sharing his story!
WhatsForDinner said:
Just adding another supporting voice to the chorus. If you like to work out, do it. If you can deal with the consequences, keep doing it. I still think the healthier the body we give to the NS, the better we’ll recover.
My boy (15) had similar but not chiari surgery (they removed an enormous cyst in the same area of his brain, same incision, same bone came out and was later replaced, same muscles tweaked around, same headache and nausea symptoms prior to surgery). Darned if the guy didn’t do a 1.5k swim three days before surgery, a 4k workout the night before surgery, and started running again two weeks post-op.
Make yourself as healthy and happy as you can. Get the surgery. Slow down to recover, and then get back to life. Me? I’m still in the slow-down post-op part of things, but I’ll get there.
I'm so glad to make you feel better about this.
As a (relatively) athletic person, I'm fairly used to listening to my body, and to trying to figure out what kind of pain is something to push through and what is something which should make me stop immediately. One thing I do feel with this Chiari is that as I became more symptomatic, and now, two weeks post-op, I am re-calibrating. I don't expect to feel post-op yucky forever, but right now, I just can't do much at all.
Some people will bounce back more quickly than others. Just keep in touch with how you're feeling, don't beat yourself up if you can't do what you hoped or expected to do, and be thankful for what you can get done. Post-op goes away. We heal. Incision pain gets better. I think we all need time to do this healing, and (for me at least) way more sleep than I thought was possible for an adult. I am trying to be patient with myself now, so that soon, I can get back to doing what makes me feel best--a good, long swim--promised around the end of the month, when I'll be allowed to get wet again.
I was a swimmer in high school and college. It it the most peaceful form of exercise I’ve ever done. Cheers to you and a good long swim in the near future!
WhatsForDinner said:
I’m so glad to make you feel better about this.
As a (relatively) athletic person, I’m fairly used to listening to my body, and to trying to figure out what kind of pain is something to push through and what is something which should make me stop immediately. One thing I do feel with this Chiari is that as I became more symptomatic, and now, two weeks post-op, I am re-calibrating. I don’t expect to feel post-op yucky forever, but right now, I just can’t do much at all.
Some people will bounce back more quickly than others. Just keep in touch with how you’re feeling, don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do what you hoped or expected to do, and be thankful for what you can get done. Post-op goes away. We heal. Incision pain gets better. I think we all need time to do this healing, and (for me at least) way more sleep than I thought was possible for an adult. I am trying to be patient with myself now, so that soon, I can get back to doing what makes me feel best–a good, long swim–promised around the end of the month, when I’ll be allowed to get wet again.