Slow recovery

[dreagensmommy]

Well folks i am officially 3 weeks post op! Getting a little better every day! My first week was terrible. I had a bad reaction to the narcotics! I could not even hold down the anti nausea medication! I also have a lap band, so vomitting in any form is NOT GOOD! I had to make a midnight run to the ER, and after being released had to get a form of anti nausea medication that would absorb through the skin! After a week of suffering, we finally figured out it was the pain killers that were causing me so much agony! After changing to a muscle relaxer and regular over the counter tylenol, I have bounced back like a new woman! I am having some pain in my neck, and my ears are still ringing from time to time, but the dizziness is gone and my headaches are slowly dissipating. i feel like i could run across the state! I know i can not yet but i feel like i could!  Which is awesome because i had been so sick i stopped being active and gained weight. So i am ready to get back out there and make the most of every day! Because i never thought i could ever feel this good again! This has been the most terrifying and enlightening experience of my life. When you suffer so much for so long you forget how great life can be!  How it feels to just sit in a chair without feeling like the world spinning around you! Life is so good! I would like to recommend Dr. Todd Shanks in Louisville KY as a wonderful Chiari Surgeon! His bed side manner is a bit blunt and sometimes can come of a little brash but ultimately he was very diligent, skillful, knowledgeable, and focused on my care!  I might have been a little stand offish at first due to fear of this surgery; because lets face it, this is not an easy decision to make! However, there is no doubt in my mind that i made the right choice in surgeons and the right team! Once again that's Dr. Todd Shanks in Louisville KY with Norton Neurosciences! I am proud to be his patient! I also have two wonderful Neurologists who works in conjunction with Dr Shanks on my care Dr. Niranjan Siva and Dr. Van Woeltz  who is always as kind and courteous and attentive! Dr. Siva and Dr. Woeltz were very thorough in making sure that the Chiari was the reason for my symptoms before referring me for Chiari Surgery. Dr Woeltz performed a nerve conduction study to make sure my numbness and tingling was not due to carpal tunnel or other ailments as well as Dr. Siva performed my physical examination and performed and referred me for vestibular testing for my dizziness to make sure this was not an inner ear condition.   Big Thanks to my doctors for being so diligent in my care! I am finally getting back my life and i owe it all to the Three of you and God! God bless all of our cases and i pray everyone suffering from Chiari find relief and answers to their questions. This site has really helped me in such a great way! All the support, and answers to my questions really helped strength my decision to have this surgery! Thanks everyone!

[selmaS]

  Still just bcuz you were off the meds it may have been too soon to go back to work....what do you do at work?

The laws are similar here in PA as well.....they are really making it difficult for those with a need of the meds just to keep those that should not take them from getting them....they need to re-look at how they handle this.

Glad you feel better off the meds. but do be careful in your choice of activities.

[dreagensmommy]

They released me back to work early once i was off the pain meds but i took myself off them and just toughed it out. i couldn't take anything they tried and since i live 3 hours away from my doctor, i couldn't just go pick up the script in his office ( note Kentucky's prescription laws have become extremely strict) and they can not call in controlled substances anymore. So i just grit my teeth and bore it for the most part. But i feel so much better now that i am not on those darn narcotics.

[Lottida]

Happy to know that you are feeling better.  Sending prayers that your recovery continues to go well. <3  

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome back !! Thanks for the update....so glad you are feeling better.....did they release you even tho you were sick from the meds?

I had the same problem, got very sick from the morphine....once the meds were changed I felt so much better and able to eat and keep it down.

Do keep a slow and steady pace and do not try to do too much as you are in the early stages of recovery....doing too much too soon could cause set backs.

[dreagensmommy]

Note every Dr. Siva and Dr Woeltz are out of Paducah KY