3 months post op

[mtgirl41]

Good morning!  I had my Chiari surgery 3 months ago tomorrow.  I am still quite sore in my neck, and just have an overall feeling of sensory overload for a lack of a better term.  If I am home, or not doing much I am fine.  I am a teacher with 34 kids, and 2 10 year olds at home also.  I went back to work a month ago.  I was feeling a bit better until this week.  I did some very low impact/no jumping around excersizes one day, then a short walk the next day after work, and have been just overall pretty tired.  I am taking this week off of work, because I just feel the need to have no stress/stimulus around me.  Has anyone else felt this way after 3 months?  Just wondering.  Thank you for reading. :)  I am just wanting this to be over!!

[mtgirl41]

So sorry for the delayed response!  Mr.8teacher, happy your 2nd surgery was successful!  frankie_rush, glad to hear your zip came back!   I needed to hear that!

[frankie_rush]

I am 6 months post op and feel fine.  Yes it does take a little while for you stiop feeling overwhelmed.  It did me too.  But like they have said it takes patience, grasshopper.  the zip will come back soo as you start feeling like you again, mine did.

[mr8teacher]

I had surgery at UC Davis in Sacramento, CA in October of 2011.  I had a pseudomeningocele because of the surgery and the surgeon wasn't able to untether my spinal cord at C1and tethering at C1 and still felt symptoms.  I sent my records, scans, and list of symptoms to Dr. Oro in Colorado.  He thought he could help me out and in October of 2012 Dr. Oro was able to release the tethering, fix the pseudomeningocele, release of dorsal cervical medullary on both the left and the right, and removal of dense adhesions.

I am feeling much better.  After my first surgery, the pain was gone, but I never felt like getting out of bed.  It was one of the darkest moments in my life.  Today, I still have some problems with sensory issues and fatigue, but overall I am very thankful to Dr. Oro and his staff.  For me, a 2nd surgery was so worth it!

[mtgirl41]

Thank you, Linda.  Yes, I am finding patience is the key.  Thanks for the encouragement, as I am finding I am needing it right now!  May I ask why you had to have this surgery 4 times???  Yikes!  Hope you are better!

[linnielou232]

I feel the 3 month mark is the down side because our minds feel better, but our bodies are not caught up with it all yet.  Patience is the key.  I am 2 1/2 years post op after 4 surgeries and it does take it's toll on our bodies. Just remember to notice your body and see what triggers episodes.  I find lighting, sound, floursent lighting is a bigger for me.  I'm happy to hear your took a week off to get yourself feeling better.  It will get better, but take this time to relax.
Linda :)

[mtgirl41]

I will keep this in mind for sure, thank you!

[selmaS]

  Well knowing if u have related conditions can help with an idea as to how u will heal...I am going on 4 yrs post op this May and it does get better even with additional conditions....so, I am sure u will feel better....but if u have other related conditions they can delay or slow down the time frame.

[mtgirl41]

Thank you for your comments.  While my husband and family have been very supportive, it is nice to hear from others who have been through this surgery.  The sensory thing is definitely my biggest problem.  Do we know when this gets better?! :)  I have stayed off the internet for various reasons on this topic, but I guess now I am feeling the need to get the low down.

Jeff, I can't even imagine having this surgery twice.  Do I dare ask why you had to do it again?  I definitely know what you mean about not having the same zip you used to have, I am hoping that comes back for me as well.  I can't imagine it not!  Feel better!

SelmaS, thank you for your comments, they definitely make sense.  I have tried to stay off of the internet about this, for various reasons, but what you said makes sense.  I guess I had been feeling good, so I was hopeful that my recovery was moving forward.  I didn't really suffer very long before I had my surgery.  The only painful symptom I was having was bad headaches for a few months, and then had my MRI which showed the Chiari Malformation.  Now that I have had surgery that has gone away, but no other conditions were rules out.  I did see two dr. about this and both agreed.  So, I am not really sure about that part.  I hope not!

Acressmouse, I am learning right now, I guess to listen to your body cues!  I am taking off next week and hopefully that will help.  I like your idea of 1/2 days, I may have to do that.  My school is very low income and the students are very needy, which is totally ok, but since my surgery I am just really struggling with everything.  So many kids in a small room isn't helping anything either.  Thanks for your story. :)

Thank you!

[actressmouse]

Right there with ya on the sensory overload....I'm 7 1/2 months post op decompression and fusion skull to c2.  I was out shopping yesterday in a very busy Walmart....got thoroughly overwhelmed by it all...lights, people, movement, sound....had to get outta there!!  Hang in there...I started back to work at around 3 months also (I work at a Alternative High School), but I initially had 1/2 days for the first 2 weeks, then full days thereafter.  There are still some days that I come home "wiped out".  Take your body's cues....I've been doing that and it makes a big difference.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

AS Jeff mentioned above the sensory overload feelings r pretty typical, Chiari Drs r aware that we will have it....

It could be u went back to full time work too soon..approx 3 months post op it is possible to have some symptoms return as part of the healing, as the nerves come back to life as it were and thus the over load sensation.


Many times we feel great till about this time, and we tend to over do things, expect  that we can do more...but it can cause set backs and I suggest moving forward slowly and listen to ur body....

Did ur Drs rule out related conditions b4 ur surgery? As many times it is the related condition that can also affect recovery.

[mr8teacher]

I am a 41 year old high school teacher and I know what you mean by "sensory overload."  I am almost 4 months post op for my second chiari surgery (I am almost 16 months post op for my first surgery) and I am still struggling with wide open spaces with lots of movement, light, sounds (such as malls, Target, gyms), etc.  Dr. Oro did my 2nd surgery and I am much better this time around than I was the first time (done at UC Davis in Sacramento, CA).  When I explained my situation to Dr. Oro (at my post op appointment) he even used the term sensory overload.  I am having another appointment with him in April and I hope that it gets better.

I have found that walking on a treadmill and lifting 5-10 pound dumbbells has actually helped me out, but I am still lacking some energy and I just don't have the "zest" for life that I had presurgery.  At the same time, I am not feeling hardly any pain and I don't wake up tired.  Weird.  I just to be tired and wired with a lot of pain.  Now, I am almost pain free, not very tired, but I just don't have the zip I used to have.

Do you feel this at all?

Thanks!  Wishing it was all "over" for all Chiarians!

Jeff