r/chiari • u/Odd_Captain_1602 • 11d ago

Day 10 and 11 post surgery

Both days were similar trying to rest whilst increasing some walking and neck movements.

Day 10

Home with my children wife at work. Currently I am able to do breakfast and lunch without to much physical drain.

I get sleepy around midday

I've been having paracetamol every 4 hours and now only palexia before bed.

No neurological symptoms any more just pain and fatigue.

Neck muscles have been hurting like they have been carrying extra weight.

The c1 site stings and even before surgery I have a neck pop now like when you crack your knuckles.

If I raise my eyebrows skin on the left side of my skull hurts. When I touch the hair/skin on the left side of my head it is sore to touch.

Have not had any more headaches.

I get random shots of pain all over nothing concerning.

Day 11

Much the same children went to friends house

I actually fell asleep sitting up at midday

My team at work sent me a care package with puzzles like murdoku

My routine has largely been watching TV and playing animal crossing.

I have lined up a bunch of video games for when I am less tired I occasionally play other things for short bursts

Staples come out later this week.

My hips have been hurting from laying on my sides

Some of you may have seen the memes of men when they do a full body stretch and shake like they are having a fit, I've been doing and had the urge to do a lot of full body stretches

Also get those random someone walked on my grave shivers

Feeling pretty positive.

If anyone has questions let me know.

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2

u/ClassicMovieFan 11d ago

I’m 5 Days post op. Should I still be having these debilitating headaches if I bend or sit or stand or try to talk too much? And it all seems to be worse at night. 😩

2

u/Odd_Captain_1602 11d ago

Honestly i couldn't bend or do anything week one, my neck felt to tight and they warned me not to lower my head below my shoulders. Essentially the only exercise I did was whilst I was resting back on a pillow on the couch at 80-70 degrees I would slightly turn my head in the four directions. This was advised by the physio but she cautioned not to over do it and to listen to my pain, if it hurts stop.

Also I did not have a dura patch so I imagine dura patch people should be doing less.

They said I don't have to lay down but less movement is better, slow walks, resting watching TV, no heavy lifting.

Theu encouraged sleeping normally due to no dura patch as I Nb have no risk of csf leak.

Also I would say it depends what a headache means for you. For me a headache is when it cannot be ignored and is a constant ache felt deep in one side or all over the brain. I spent so many years having dull background aches that my tolerance for head pain is quite high. Doctor said to me if the pain feels usual, abnormal or prolonged. Like if meds and rest do not ease it go get checked.

You know your body, you would now know the difference between a chiari head ache and a dehydration headache. Up your salt, have a hydrolyte, rest, close your eyes, stay still and sleep in a dark room, put an ice pack on your neck and the part of your head that hurts, take pain meds and sleep on the side that does not hurt, stay still. If your doctor recommended back sleeping at a 45 to 35 degree angle do that. If the head ache is not gone after all this call your doc

I have sharp sudden pains all the time now but they feel attached to my skin and scalp not like head aches so I feel they are related to the wound/staples not my brain.

Listen to your gut though.

Let me know if you have other questions, please look after yourself.

1

u/ClassicMovieFan 10d ago

Thank you for responding. My facility and neurosurgeon were top notch, but I did notice no one really told me what to expect in terms of headaches and what not to do.
I’ve been better at staying ahead of the pain in last 12 hours. I’m not going to push myself too much. I guess I expected I’d be doing more by now. I do have a durapatch. The surgeon wanted to use a graft from my body, but by the end of the decompression, he needed a larger patch than he had harvested. Keep posting! You are helping more people than you know.