Better, than backtracking post surgery-Normal?

Question

Hello,

I am new here, and hope you are all having a good chiari day. I was diagnosed  8/2011 after severe dizzy spells, numb/tingling in hands & nose, "brain fog", and fatigue. Symptoms progressed, eventually began using a cane, developed a strangling sensation and labored breathing. Bending over was the worse thing I could do. I had decompression surgery on 11/17/2011. Everything seemed to have gone swimmingly, no complications. I was home 3 days later. I immediately noticed improvement in my balance... no more cane. Over the next month my thoughts became clearer and numbness/tingling eventually subsided and all other symptoms seemed to be improving on some level. However, the strangling never really went away.

Around the one month mark, I began having balance/dizzy issues again. I resumed using my cane. All symptoms have been getting progressively worse since then (with the exception, so far, of  "brain fog"). I am especially having an increase in labored breathing and strangling/swallowing issues. I have upcoming appts. with both my NL and NS (including 3 month follow up MRI). 

So, I am wanting to know how common it is to start to get better, than go backwards. Also, is it an indication of an additional problem/surgical complication or simply the path to recovery? Anyone else experience this? I thank you in advance for your input and insight.

-Knicoley

knicoley · Answer

Thank you both, sincerely. It makes me feel MUCH better to hear these things and to have patience reiterated from people who understand.

linnielou232 · Answer

For some of us recovery can be 2 step's forward 3 step's back. It was for me and have to say Thank goodness for Selma who kept me reasurred that having patience is #1 in recovery. As my nurses also stated we have to take baby step's. I had to deal with the same issues as you. I think we get ourselves discouraged because we start feeling better than the next day we feel we just had the surgery. It's a long road for some of us. Just remember to rest, rest, rest, when this happen's and now that future down the road it will get better. In recovery. Patience should be put on our list of thing's we need for recovery. Tomorrow will be a better day :) Linda.

selmaS · Answer

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

 I am sorry u r back sliding a bit, but at the 3 month point it is typical for some to start to get symptoms again, but they should not last as long or be as severe or strong as b4 surgery...they say this is the part of the healing process as pinched nerves begin to work again, at this point they can be over stimulated and work too much....

 The other possibility is a related issue not uncovered b4 surgery...were u checked for tethered cord?...ehlers-danlos?

    "selma"