Headache daily post op from decompression surgery

[Nippa1988]

Hi everyone, I had decompression surgery on the 22nd August 2017. Post op I had complications in the form of chemical meningitis, I was treated with dexamethasone for a period of one week and discharged, I spent one week at home then I was rushed back to hospital with the worst headaches I have ever experienced, I was told that I still had chemical meningitis and it needed immediate treatment with dexamethasone, I was monitored closely in hospital for a period of 3 weeks. I had regular lumbar punctures over this period where my pressure was observed, it went from an opening pressure of 32 down to 25 when I was on the dexamethasone but when I was weened off the medication it started to rise again, my last LP was in October and my pressure was 32 again, although I didn't have many symptoms of high pressure. Five months on from the operation and I'm still having a daily headache, mainly at the front of my head and feeling like a tension headache. I also have a feeling that my ears are full, this occurs daily also. I had an MRI in December and my results show that the syrinx which was 4cm in length has completely gone and my brain is where it should be, there is also no sign of hydrocephalus.

So I'm on here to see if anyone reading this has gone through a similar experience after surgery? And in general to see what everyone else's experience has been like.

Thanks in advance guys.

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

You are still early in the mending stages and it does take time for many of us to start to see benefits....plus you had set backs with the chemical meningitis...
What you do during this time can also affect you so take it slow and listen to your body...it will let you know if you are over doing it.

[Nippa1988]

Thank you so much for your reassurance, it really does help just to hear from someone else who has been through this, it can feel at times that I am going mad because of what this recovery entails. Thank you again.

[selmaS]

No worries and you can always post here just to chat....I do not want you to feel alone. And I do understand how you feel...been there and done that .