3 weeks post op and ?'s (includes tmi for men!)

[Laken256]

So I'll preface by saying that males may wanna stop reading now for tmi alert! But I do have a couple of questions.

I'm 3 weeks post op today and had a chemical meningitis set back 12 days after surgery and was just re released from the hospital this past Thursday. The infectious disease drs have me on decadron steroids for the meningitis and have insisted I rest, rest, rest. I go back on Monday for a follow up with them. The neuro team, on the other hand, have asked that I get up and move as much as I can. I get incredibly dizzy and weak if I'm up for long. But my mother is staying with me and helping with my two and three year old sons during healing while hubby is gone to work through the week, and she's insisting that I need to listen to the neuro's and move more, despite being dizzy, saying it will help me more. She's very adamant that by next week (1 month post op), I should be able to stay by myself and care for the kids alone, so I feel like she's pushing me and I'm nervous to try to overdo it. But I don't know who to listen to when one team says rest and the other says move. So, any ideas or your dr recommendations on that? I'm not completely immobile and do walk around the house and such. Just not for long periods or I get dizzy.

Second question (and the tmi one!). I was on my period and luckily stopped the day before surgery (on schedule). Then, while in the hospital with meningitis (less than 2 weeks later), started again for about 4 days. I stopped on Saturday and now this morning am having more bleeding with extreme mucous discharge that I've never had before. Is this hormone related of perhaps from the steroids or meds or something? I've never had this issue and it's starting to concern me that in 3 weeks, I've had 3 periods, especially with the mucous. I don't go back to my neuro for post op again for another 4 weeks. Idk if it's something I should call about or if it's something normal with the whole mess of the ordeal. I know emotionally I've been really off, happy one second and crying the next. I've had issues with BM's although I've been on probiotics, stool softeners and even taken laxatives and ate tons of fiber. It just feels like I'm a total wreck in every sense of my body. Any thoughts of help would be appreciated and I'm sorry it's been such a gross post, but I'm truly getting a little worried about it, and wondering if it's more of a question for my gyno or the neuro team?

Thanks again for sticking through the nastiness and any answers! Lol

[selmaS]

  Hi...sure, I have Ehlers-Danlos which is a related condition to Chiari and can have a big impact on this surgery and how we do.....I must admit, when I looked into EDS, I said this is not me, except for the easy to bruise and slow to heal but the rest did not seem to fit me....I was wrong....and my Chiari specialist did DX me with it.....and  far too many times those that have surgery and develop post op issues have had EDS but were not DX'd b4 surgery....I really feel if they had it may have help prevent some of the issues they had to deal with post op.

[AKC_75]

Selma,
I am a slow healer too but have no idea why. Do you mind me asking what yor condition is that causes it?

[selmaS]

  So glad for the update and to hear u r doing better !!

And that ur mom is still there and helping u.....I know if I had small children and this surgery in close proximity I would have needed the help much longer then what even the Drs say,....I am a slow healer....and every time I tried to do a little more I had a set back, and I feel much of mine were due in part to the slower healing which is part of a related condition....

Do keep us posted and u may want to post these updates in a journal on ur profile page so u can see how u improve...and a place to refer to when u feel u r at a standstill...

[Laken256]

Thanks everyone! I've been up and moving more lately and do feel better. I go this afternoon to the infectious disease dr for a check up on my meningitis so we will see what they say then. My tmi issues have pretty much straightened themselves out by now so I'm relieved for that! Thankfully, mom has been a bit more understanding and is still here to help with the kiddos ;) thanks again for all of the help. I'm off the pain meds besides occasional Tylenol if I've over done it and then the steroids for the meningitis and Valium for my muscles.

[TinyRN]

I would suggest that you take it as your body suggests. every person is different. I know myself I was able to go back to work after two weeks but I still needed help with child care because of lifting and house work. With the meningitis it is a set back (unfortunately) your body is still healing from that and your body is recovering you need to take it easy. I would suggest sitting down and discussing your feelings with her and telling her that you know your body and that you will progress it when you feel ready. As far as the blood thing goes your hormones may be off due to the surgery and your body healing but the mucous response may be from all the antibiotics you were on with the meningitis I would schedule an appt with your Gyno just to follow up to r/o anything else. As far as the bowel issues mine werent regular and still really arent :)~. Eating healthy, moving around more and with time should help. just take it day by day. and let us know how you are doing.

[desertstorm2009]

Also take a close look at the meds you are on. Much of what you describe can be caused by side effects of certain narcotics, sedatives, muscle relaxers, etc. Often times there may be other options. Lisa

[selmaS]

  Hi...this is confusing as yes, u need to move, but with a set back, u have to defer to the more recent issue...so rest, rest and rest some more. No lifting , bending, pushing or pulling....so u will continue to need help with ur little ones, regardless of how mobile u are...as u can not lift them for a long time yet.

As for how to determine how much to move and how much u should rest....listen to ur body, but walk around a little a few times a day, and move ur neck, do the exercises so the muscles do not get tight.....

Now regarding ur TMI issue I can not speak from experience as I no longer get a monthly and did not when I had surgery so I ca not speak from experience, but I know this surgery is a trauma to the body and can affect us in many ways, regardless I would mention this to ur NS and see what they think regarding it.

Keep on ur stool softeners, as we all need them post op....but ask ur neuro about ur GYN issues and see if they feel u need to see ur GYN....but let ur NS  help guide u since they did the surgery.