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7-weeks post op

now 7 weeks post op from decompression . herniated 11mm and have a srinx.  Weeks leading up to surgery I began experiencing extreme nausea. 7 weeks later and I am nauseous daily. I take zofran, and phenergren. does nothing to help. Spoke to the NS yesterday, and now he says that nausea is not a symptom of chiari and especially this far out post op. he thinks I should see a gastro.  Why do you think that wasn't suggested before my surgery being that it was the most debilitating symptom I had prior to the surgery? I have tried ginger ale, ginger chews, peppermint oil, smelling alcohol and wearing motion sickness bands. nothing works.  any suggestions? does anyone else believe extreme nausea is not related to chiari?  I read somewhere that because they are operating so close to the vagus nerve, that chiari decompression patients will be nauseous.  Is none of that true?  Just trying to function daily and find the true reason for my nausea.  Has anyone besides me experiencing nausea before and after?  Well will it stop?

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9432311 tn?1432825085
thank you for including the information about the vagus nerve. I had not known about that.
Helpful - 0
9432311 tn?1432825085
I am following your thread and feel very sorry for your constant nausea. It really is debilitation because it makes you reluctant to engage in anything that involves a commitment to other people. When it is really bad, I am not sure if anyone without chronic nausea can really know how it affects what you are able to do. I am a fellow nausea sufferer, but my own is more manageable than before my decompression in July. My nausea is associated with involuntary vomiting that comes without any warning. I am terrified of being in social or work environments because of it.

Do you try to sleep a lot to keep it under control. I do when it gets to be the worst. I will do anything to not feel it. You mentioned that you tried all the ginger remedies without relief. Sometimes they work for me, but not always. I always make sure that I have something sweet within reach at all times. I hope that you can get some real information that can help you with your nausea. It really does affect your whole day. I hope you feel well today.
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  I agree, it is difficult and frustrating trying to figure it all out....but glad you are now feeling better....you had quite a rough patch.....

Nausea can be due to GI issues and many of us do have GI issues...thing is what is the underlying cause....I found out mine was due in part to PND....and that also affected my sleeping....or inability to sleep....now with taking an antihistamine I no longer get that nausea and my GI issues have lessened...plus, I am sleeping so much better then I was b4....

Trial and error is one way to deal with this....unfortunately.

Helpful - 0
1667208 tn?1333107849
I really don't know if the nausea was from the POTS or not but the medication that tweaked brain chemicals helped me??? LOL  It is so hard to know why anything happens sometimes.  I did not have the never ending nausea until after head surgery number four, maybe just all the stress on my body triggered something?  I do know my heart rate was so much worse and my body just seemed to go a bit into crazy mode.  The propranolol slowed things down and for some reason the nausea finally started to go away.  Just another option, i Know how frustrating gastric stuff was and they felt the same way, everyone thought it was neurological except neurology!!!!  So hard to get answers!  -Zygy
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Thanks for adding that , I was not aware about the nausea with POTS.....I am sure you may have mentioned it b4 but I did not remember that.

Always helpful insight from you !! Thanks again.
Helpful - 0
1667208 tn?1333107849
When I had my last surgery (I had shunt surgeries and four head for Chiari) as I healed the only thing that would not go away was the nausea.  They did all kinds of gastro crap to me and the only thing it was for me was expensive and invasive.  There was nothing wrong that had to do with gastro.  The nausea was only better when I was sleeping but as fast as I woke up it went crazy again and I could not even get back to sleep.  I lost a ton of weight, could not eat, could barely sleep and it was almost worse than my three years of surgeries and complications.  After six months of this following my last head surgery I finally got in to see a neurologist to discuss my hyperadrenic POTS, I was put on propranolol and slowly my nausea got better.  I don't think propranolol is the best med for this kind of POTS but it got the nausea under control and it had nothing to do with gastro.  Just another option.  I know how miserable I was when I could not have even one day without nausea, it was a horrible six months.  When you are done with surgery you expect to heal and imporve and it does not always work out that way.  I think there are just lots of things that they still do not understand.  I am just happy I found something and by controlling the POTS which went crazy because of all the surgeries, I was able to feel better.  I hope you find your answer whatever it might be! -zygy
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  I am not sure on how they will determine if it was a surgical issue or a reflux issue..as either can affect it....I suspect certain testing may indicate if there is compression of the nerve and what is causing that compression...Just not sure exactly how they will do it....

If it is repairable it may be releasing the compression and that depends on what is compressing it....no way to know any answers to your questions...sorry.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
no it is not worse when I am upright.  I am extremely nauseous all the time.  I take zofran and phenergren with no relief.  i plan a visit to the gastro this week.  how do they determine if my vagus nerve has been affected and how is it repaired it it was?
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Hi....may I ask is your nausea worse when you are upright?

Reflux and nausea due to acid reflux  is something many of us do deal with both b4 surgery and after....I am not sure how bad your nausea is.....

Have you been to an ENDO?....

The vagus nerve can be affected and cause many issues....but that can be triggered from the reflux......

Are you on any meds?
Helpful - 0
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