recovery

[colin64]

dose annybody know anny trearment/s, for carotid artory dissection that apparently is ,innoperable

[kbuchanan]

I suffered a stroke after dissecting my carotid.  My carotid was not operated on and closed 100%.  My doc says it is safer for me to leave it alone.  A partially opened artery is a great risk for strokes.  You want 100% open or 100% closed.  He explained to me that the other arteries in the brain can supply the brain with enough blood.  I think the operation risk outweighs the gain.  I know that it can be a little hard to accept.  Hope this helps.

[jharrah]

I also have an inoperable carotid dissection.  Unfortunately, the only thing that the drs. can do for me is pain management.  I have also heard that botox works but I haven't found anyone that I feel confident performing the procedure.  It has been over 5 months and mine is only down to 20% blockage with the clot still remaining (as of last week on the CTA).  Find a great pain management doctor, one that understands the depth of your pain.  I know how excruciating the pain can be!  I am on oxycontin and fentora (for breakthrough pain), after many trial and errors on other medications.  The drug therapy will at least let you function as an individual.

Things that work:
1.  Massage your head.  Sounds wierd but it helps.
2.  Pain meds.  Take them when you are in pain.
3.  Rest, rest, and more rest.  The more excercise, the worse the headache.
4.  Limit your stress
5.  Limit caffeine intake.  I don't recommend cutting it out completely, especially if you are used to the effects.  I tried to completely cut it out and it just gave me a different kind of headache.  I have recognized that the more caffeine I drink the worse the headache can become.

I truly feel your pain, and I hope yours doesn't last as long as mine has.  My pain management dr. described it best when he said, your arteries have many, many nerves, so a dissected carotid is like having your muscle torn away from your bone, or your skin torn away from your muscle.  It is very painful and takes a long time to heal.

I hope this helps.  God Bless

[Rowena Santos, MD]

Hi colin64,

How are you? Arterial dissection of the carotid arteries occurs when a small tear forms in the innermost lining of the arterial wall. The goal of long-term treatment is to recover as much function as possible and prevent future strokes. Depending on the symptoms, rehabilitation includes speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. The recovery time differs from person to person. Certain therapies, such as repositioning and range-of-motion exercises, are intended to prevent complications related to stroke, like infections and bed sores. People should stay active within their physical limitations. Medicine may be needed to control high blood pressure. Blood thinning drugs, such as aspirin, may be needed for 3 to 6 months.
You can learn more about this through this link: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000732.htm

I hope this helps. Tale care and regards.