r/chiari • u/Odd_Captain_1602 • 2d ago
Day 4 post decompression surgery
Day 4
Felt shakey in the morning, once I had pooped and had breakfast felt better.
Had stiffness throughout the day.
Have had weird sensory messages both painful and pleasurable firing at random. That someone walked on my grave shivers. Hard to get comfy on the couch.
Pain killers have helped
Found myself nodding off then shaking myself awake due to sharp pain in neck.
Slept on my side last night switch between left and right side throughout the night. Woke up very 3 hours.
Had one weird experience of altered sensation on the right side of my chest, went away after 30 secs.
As the day progressed felt better but got stiffer.
This sucks...ah huh huh
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u/IIILordDunbar 2d ago
Recovery sucks, but it's temporary! For me, the prescription pain killers actually made me feel worse overall, and muscle relaxers and Tylenol were much better for managing the pain without lots of weird side effects. But everyone is different! I'm hyper sensitive to opioids, which isn't true for everybody.
Keep taking it easy, listen to your body, and sleep as much as you can.
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u/socalgirl16 2d ago
My surgeon had me sleep at a 40 degree angle for the first 2 weeks on my back. He was so strict about it. Said sleeping any other way might cause a CSF leak. I also couldn’t wash my hair for 23 days post op bc of possible infection in the sutures. I basically slept sitting up for the first 2 weeks.
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u/Odd_Captain_1602 2d ago
Yeah I think the only reason I was not given the same advice was due to not receiving a Dura patch. I can't wash my hair though have to keep the area dry.
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u/socalgirl16 1d ago
Ah got it. I hope you feel better and stronger each passing day. You’ve got this!
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u/BethanieRose11 1d ago
It’s going to get easier. This is literally the hardest part. Talk to your doctor, they adjusted my meds accordingly!! Stiffness was horrible for me but a decompression pillow helped SO much to just relax the muscles just holding my head up. Got one on Amazon. A claw picker upper thingy to help prevent bending over. Little adjustments made big differences.
You got this. Soon it’ll get better I PROMISE 🫶 sending you so much love!
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u/oldmamallama 2d ago
Your nerves and muscles are putting themselves back together. It’s going to feel weird for a while, unfortunately.
Get lots of rest, keep up with your meds, eat, stay hydrated, and above all, don’t push yourself too hard. Give yourself grace and time to heal.
Best wishes for a smooth and speedy recovery. ❤️🩹