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Weight lifting and sports after surgery?
Im a 21 year old male athelte in college, who was diagnosed with pots and dysautonomia along with pretty intense headaches, i weight lift and play soccer and other sports. I was found to have a 7 mm chiari malformation during an mri because of my dizzines and my changes in vision. As ive seen cardiologist, endocrinologists, internists ect they ruled out any of these symptoms beign another organic problem. I currently dropped out this semester since my symptoms are a little worst( im on beta blockers, but dont seem to help much). I know that surgery is tough and is prob going to be inevitable, i feel worst every day and tired of all these symptoms. I wanted to ask, have any of you know of someone that recovered from this surgery as was able to play sports and weight lift again? I know everyone is different but i just want to find a little bit of light these days as i want to be my normal self again. Than you very much.
Im also trying to research reviews on dr green decomoression surgeries, but i cant find that many, obnly like two or three reviews that tbh are not so good :/
Hey thanks everyone fir your posts, well i have a fast heart rate, and symptoms of pots and dysautonomia and some serious problems with my vision. I also have a swollen lymph node in my neck, but i have done so many exams and blood work with hematologists, cardiologist etc and they cant find anything wrong. My vision problems and heart rate are constant, im currently taking beta blockers which somewhat work a little. Elisa did you see doctor Green? If you did how was your experience with him?... Well i surf play soccer and go to the gym. Ive been having these problems since november, feel somewhat "down" not because of my symptoms, im pretty confident surgery is gonna go well but i feel sad that i had to throw my semester away and move away from my friends, the days go by so slow tbh and i miss being myself and doing my regular activities i guess.
Hello. I read your post above about training for the marathon. Running a whole marathon is an amazing accomplishment. Wow! You can hold tight to that precious memory for a lifetime. And, who cares about time?! I would wear that medal everyday. You should feel a great deal of pride.
I never got to the full marathon training. I completed 2 half marathons, completing the second one in 10 minutes less time. I still do 5K races locally, alternatively walking fast and running. I do it to feel good about myself and to prove to myself that I am still strong. What level of activity are you capable of doing presently?
I never got to the full marathon training. I completed 2 half marathons, completing the second one in 10 minutes less time. I still do 5K races locally, alternatively walking fast and running. I do it to feel good about myself and to prove to myself that I am still strong. What level of activity are you capable of doing presently?
Following your updates on this thread and I see you have an appointment on the 23rd. Good luck with having the patience to wait. I know it would seem like forever to me, but maybe you have more patience. During the time that you are waiting for the appointment, what kinds of physical activities are you doing? I also see you are taking off this semester, which is good so you can concentrate on your appointments and any testing that may be ordered. What types of pain symptoms are you having? During this time, keep a journal in which you record your symptoms and noting any particular event of activity that may have triggered them. You will find this helpful when you see Dr. Green. Sometimes it is difficult to remember all the important things you want to tell the doctor. And, if you are anything like me, the day you see him, you will feel great and you may forget to report some important points. In the meantime, let yourself rest as that always seems to add to the quality of any level of your health. Keep in touch.
I think if all doctors agree that's it's ok and it doesn't hurt then you can.
I got the ok. .I ran a few half marathons. Then began training for full marathon. Pain started. I pushed. I wasn't ready to let go of all that training.
I ignored exactly what the dr said. Don't push thru pain. I pushed. I cried in pain thru the finish line.
I've not ran since. I'm sure I've done some damage.
I'll run again. But I'll never push myself like that again.
I got the ok. .I ran a few half marathons. Then began training for full marathon. Pain started. I pushed. I wasn't ready to let go of all that training.
I ignored exactly what the dr said. Don't push thru pain. I pushed. I cried in pain thru the finish line.
I've not ran since. I'm sure I've done some damage.
I'll run again. But I'll never push myself like that again.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi...well since I had surgery I would go back to my surgeon....but everyone should research Drs to find the best one for them...distance, INS coverage etc....
Knowing your Dr is well informed and you like them is very important too.....
I went to TCI in NY and saw Dr Salvatore Insinga.
Hey Selma, well its been a couple of days already, i have an appoinment with dr Green on the 23rd. Meanwhile i have a prescription to see another surgeon and my family doesnt care if i have to go to china to get the best doctor, so i wanted to ask. In your oppinion which doctor n the US would you recommend seeing, i know its a pretty hard question but i know you are very informed about the outcomes of a lot of chiarians. Thank you so much for your time.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Happy to hear you called for an appointment....and I hope you get in soon, be sure to ask to be added to the cancellation list to help get in sooner....
Yes, that makes sense as our depth perception can be off, I know mine is, so I do not drive as a result as it gets worse at night....
I called today for dr green, i sent over my mri and the note of my cardiologist saying my cardiovascular system is in normal condition, hopefully they give me a ap and the doctor can explain what is going on with my body, its like since my vision started to get weird my 3d perspective of everything is so bad, if i want to throw a paper and make it into the basket is pretty tough, i dont know if it makes sense. I honestly feel super old haha
I sure hope you are right, Selma, that patience comes to those who wait! I have become quite a professional, with all of my son's doctors! Good luck to you, Serg. Keep pushing on.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Dr Green is the Dr in your area....and all Drs have a long wait list, so get on a list and wait....that is one thing having Chiari may help us develop is patience from all the hurry up and wait lines we are put into....
Look at our list of Drs if you want to see if you travel if the wait time could be less.....
Hey selma thank you for answering, ive actually not gone to a chiari speciallist, because i live in miami and i think the only one around here is dr green and its pretty hard to find an appoinment, if you know of any recomended doctors that treat this chiari issue around miami or close by would be awesome.
COMMUNITY LEADER
A true Chiari specialist should be able to help you with your POTS and Dysautonomia issues....
AS I mentioned I also would get periods where my heart would race, I called them heart palps....and since I have had surgery I have not had them....so, it is possible that it is Chiari related ....I too went and had my heart checked out to make sure all was ok there....better safe then sorry.
Have you been to any Chiari specialists? I know there is one in the Jacksonville area and one in Miami.....
Thank you very much on your response, i know many people are different but hopefully we will recover enough to resume a normal life. Im currently in mayo clinic with a cardiologist appoinment, traveled to jacksonville last night. But ive already seen cardiologist before and told me everything was okay after an echo and stress test, that my fast heart rate and symptoms of pots were caused by something else. I wanted to ask if you know of someone who experienced fast heart rate and dysautonomia like pots. Im pretty sure its chiari related, since ive done all the possible tests. Also it is very hard for me to gain weight, ive lost a couple of punds and they dont seem to come back any time soon. Thankyou for everything and for welcoming me, honestly i dont feel as alone as i felt before knowing theres people who has gone through things way worse or similar. I hope with time eveything ends up perfect and symptom free for you guys, wish you the best and ill kep you guys posted if anything, and again thank you have a great day.
Hello. I read your post and have felt very similar feelings. I was a figure skater when I was younger and I played soccer and ran cross country in college, so I have been athletic my whole life. Four years ago, I started training for a half marathon. I ran two and thought I would continue. I have always had symptoms of chiari, but largely pushed through them. However, about two years ago, the pain in my head and neck greatly increased, along with lots of nausea. This led me to start searching for answers. In short, I had a decompression surgery in July and I am having a craniocervical fusion soon.
Running is something I had to stop, which makes me very sad. It was something I did with my best friend and really made me feel wonderful. Over the past month, after getting the chiari diagnosis and having the surgery, I started walking and I am slowly going to build up to some time doing long distance walk racing. It is not running, but, as Selma says above, but has brought its own rewards. Chiari is life-changing and it also forces you to sort through your priorities. I struggle with this, but keeping current with this community really does help me put things into perspective. Being an athlete has always been my life; now, I just change my focus and concentrate on a different sport. I hope you can sort through your feelings about this and come to feel a little better. You are young enough to have a very real chance at resuming your life - after giving your body the necessary time to heal from surgery if you should choose to have it. Keep us posted so that we can help you.
Running is something I had to stop, which makes me very sad. It was something I did with my best friend and really made me feel wonderful. Over the past month, after getting the chiari diagnosis and having the surgery, I started walking and I am slowly going to build up to some time doing long distance walk racing. It is not running, but, as Selma says above, but has brought its own rewards. Chiari is life-changing and it also forces you to sort through your priorities. I struggle with this, but keeping current with this community really does help me put things into perspective. Being an athlete has always been my life; now, I just change my focus and concentrate on a different sport. I hope you can sort through your feelings about this and come to feel a little better. You are young enough to have a very real chance at resuming your life - after giving your body the necessary time to heal from surgery if you should choose to have it. Keep us posted so that we can help you.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.
As you already mentioned, we are all different.....and yes, some that have had surgery did go back to sports and some have had a recurrence of symptoms. as a result....some have not....
It is possible post op that you will feel up to doing the things you love, but it is best to give your body time to heal and it will take longer then most allow or want to wait until....''
I had surgery in May of '09 and each yr since I found new changes to me and my symptoms....I know had I tried to do more yrs ago after surgery I may have had set backs....and I have seen others try to get back to their "normal" suffer set backs as well....
I am lucky as to date I have only required one surgery.....but some others have not been as lucky....and I can only say, that you can decide for yourself what you will or will not do if you have surgery....only we can live our life with our own rules...I suggest you listen to your body....and enjoy feeling better.....you could do the sports you enjoy and it could lead to having continued symptoms....no one can know for sure....
My life has changes drastically ...I am on a different path but on this path I am doing things I never thought I could.....or might have tried ....so, there are positives even if we can no longer so some of the things we did b4....Chiari is life altering....that I know for certain.
I also wanted to add that ive heard of people coming back to sports and their cerebellum going down even further, this makes me want to stay with pots and dysautonomia, surfing, soccer, and the gym are my life, well not recently as i had to cut those down because of my unexplained fast heart rate, which a couple of months ago before symptoms was 54 at rest since i did a lot of cardio
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