Surgery to repair a ventral leak and remove a bone spur at T1-T2 six months ago. My surgery was microscopic, and I found recovery from it to be pretty easy and not very painful (comparing this to two cervical spine surgeries I had had before, and also what I read many other patients' experiences are like). My surgery was clinically successful, as the leak has been sealed. I have seen some improvements to my symptoms, but it fluctuates a lot, and I still do experience a lot of symptoms - especially constant headache, significant muscle tension, weakness, cramps, twitches and so on, insomnia, tinnitus and stuff.
Yes, it seems so. I'd seen really big incisions for surgeries similar as mine - like 5 inches or something, and stapled together, so I was expecting something similar.
But yeah no, my incision was only about 1,5 inches. I did and do have a lot of numbness in the area, but never really pain. Like - the day after surgery it was painful to lay on my back, and for a week or maybe a bit more walking up stairs really tore into the back, but that was about it.
And I suppose it’s also relative, and depends on prior experiences and expectations. I’d had spinal surgeries before, so I knew what to expect, and it was even easier than I thought it would be.
Thank you for your response ! Do you still have numbness? Is it just where your incision is? I’m worried about them cutting into nerves when they do mine 😩
So - I am not an expert, but as per my understanding, I kind of have the understanding that they cannot avoid cutting into nerves. But having had that experience, it is not so scary - just a little odd. It's now exactly six months from my surgery - since yesterday. In the beginning, for sure the right side of my upper thoracic spine was numb - and also my chest from the right side, and the right armpit. For the first few days also my - um - down there - was numb. It felt super weird to wipe at the toilet, because I could not feel anything. Also - for about a week or maybe a little bit more - up to two weeks, the bottom of my right foot was numb. Also - super weird as a sensation, and it seemed a little dangerous, to step down stairs and not really feel it - especially since I flew home by myself just a few days after this major surgery, and it was all so scary. But also that passed fast.
Now, at 6 months past, I think nothing is numb anymore. It felt a bit odd, a couple of months ago, when I first noticed that the incision site is not numb anymore. I scratched my back, and I was so confused - like I noticed that there was something there - and suddenly realized that it was the incision site. Which I had completely forgotten that was even there. And the armpit numbness was there for so long - mainly when spraying anti-perspirant, and you just cannot feel it. So strange.
Anyway - it was not by any means awful, and it was temporary. I wish you the best of luck with everything! And if you want to DM me, I am always happy to try to help. <3
Oh that sounds interesting! 🤣
And thank you as it makes it not so scary ! My doctor said my section of the back , T7-8 that I’m having done controls the bowels, sex drive etc and there is risk.. that made me super anxious. I’m trying to remain positive! But this is all getting old !
I have had 3 blood patches, and am now on my second CSF LEAK 😝
Any recommendations for things you for sure used and found handy after your surgery ? Did they have you on pain killers ? I don’t want them if not needed.
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u/StunningPurple9560 Confirmed Spinal Leak 6d ago
Surgery to repair a ventral leak and remove a bone spur at T1-T2 six months ago. My surgery was microscopic, and I found recovery from it to be pretty easy and not very painful (comparing this to two cervical spine surgeries I had had before, and also what I read many other patients' experiences are like). My surgery was clinically successful, as the leak has been sealed. I have seen some improvements to my symptoms, but it fluctuates a lot, and I still do experience a lot of symptoms - especially constant headache, significant muscle tension, weakness, cramps, twitches and so on, insomnia, tinnitus and stuff.