Author Topic: Tired?  (Read 3805 times)

Trackman

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Tired?
« on: May 10, 2008, 09:11:55 am »
I am 10 weeeks post op. I have been back to work for 3 weeks. I have no energy, after work take 2 hours naps. Everything else is fine.

Kaybo

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2008, 12:09:02 pm »
Trackman~
I would say that this is fairly normal - especially depending on how taxing (either physically or mentally) your job is.  Everyone heals at different rates - you may need more rest.  Even my girlies are that way with naps -- my last one is a sleeper like me -- she is 5 & stills could take a nap almost every day if it fit her schedule!!  I remember the days I would come home from teaching and go to bed until the next morning!!  Give it more time!

K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

Debbi

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2008, 12:32:00 pm »
Hi Trackman  -

Thanks for the heads up - I'm only 10 days out, so daily naps are part of my life right now.  I will probably need to plan on continued naps for awhile.  I am starting back to work part time next week, but I work from home, so napping isn't a problem. 

Deb (yawn...)
Debbi - diagnosed March 4, 2008 
2.4 cm Right Side AN
Translab April 30, 2008 at NYU with Drs. Golfinos and Roland
SSD Right ear, Mild synkinesis and facial nerve damage
BAHA "installed" Feb 2011 by Dr. Cosetti @ NYU

http://debsanadventure.blogspot.com

Jim Scott

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2008, 01:43:42 pm »
Trackman:

Fatigue and/or a need for daily naps is not at all uncommon for recovering AN patients. 

Between the effects of the growing AN that forced your body to try and compensate for the loss of hearing (and collateral balance input) and the trauma of a long surgery - under anesthesia - your system is simply drained.  Add to that, your body is furiously trying to heal itself.  All that makes for little excess energy to spare and so, as you try to function normally, you simply lack the reserves to do so without fatigue and a concomitant need for rest.  This is usually not the sign of a problem but an indication of a body that has been highly taxed and is simply regenerating, which saps strength you would normally have.  It will pass.  We're not physicians so if you're really worried, you could always ask your doctor about this.  I expect he or she would assure you that its relatively normal after a serious surgery.     

As Kmentioned, we all heal differently.  You may just need a bit longer.  Don't fight it or be overly concerned but do get the rest your body tells you it needs.  Eventually, you'll be back to normal because 'Time Heals'.  :)

Jim
4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

Pembo

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2008, 03:15:52 pm »
How many hours were you under anesthesia? It takes approximately 1 week to recover from 1 hour of anesthesia. I was under for 16 hours, and it was almost 4 months before I didn't need my daily nap.
Surgery June 3, 2004, University Hospitals Cleveland, BAHA received in 2005, Facial Therapy at UPMC 2006

leapyrtwins

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2008, 08:27:02 pm »
Trackman -

I'm with the others.  This is normal for 10 weeks post op - and you can most likely expect it to last for a while.  Major surgery, anesthesia for many hours, healing brain and body, all this leads to fatigue.  It will pass in time.

Hang in there,

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

4cm in Pacific Northwest

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2008, 09:17:51 pm »
Trackman,

Fatigue at your stage and time frame of recovery is NORMAL!

I think I needed naps for 4 months after surgery...

Now I don't nap nor need to. So know there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. :)

I am optimistic that what you are experiencing is normal and with time you will improve. The key is to not become dormant and to make sure, for vestibular reasons, that you walk for 20 minutes per day (even if you fatigue from doing it and have to instantly lay down after a walk.) It is very important at this stage of your recovery to keep the circulation going as this keeps blood flowing which in turn will keep the flow of CSF and dura fluid circulating also.



CSF (Cerebrospinal fluid)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebrospinal_fluid

Cerebral blood flow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_blood_flow

blood circulatory system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulatory_system


Keep moving forward and also get plenty of rest.

Cheers,

Daisy Head Mazy
4cm Left, 08/22/07 R/S 11+ hr surgery Stanford U, Dr. Robert Jackler, Dr. Griffith Harsh, Canadian fellow Assist. Dr. Sumit Agrawal. SSD, 3/6 on HB facial scale, stick-on-eyeweight worked, 95% eye function@ 6 months. In neuromuscular facial retraining. Balance regained! Recent MRI -tumor receded!

cherrypiper

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2008, 02:27:38 pm »
wel its coming up on 5 1/2  months for me and i am still tired. as my PCP and Surgeon keep telling me this tumor removal, via the surgery, was MAJOR surgery. And it may take a good while for it to get back to normal , but signs are improving.

As is my facial paralysis kinda.
10 mm x 2.4mm surgery date 12/03/07

glad to be here

zeek

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2008, 09:10:44 pm »
I needed 2 hour naps for 2 months after surgery. My surgery lasted 13 hours! Very very long, so I must have really been full of dope. Your body will let you know when your energy level is back to normal. Until then, rest! Good luck.

leapyrtwins

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2008, 10:28:40 pm »
A 13 hour surgery, Zeek  :o

Mind if I ask how large your AN was?

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Trackman

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2008, 07:17:00 am »
Jan

I didn’t get the exact size, but Dr.Chen at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh didn’t seem concerned with the size. The Translab surgery, 3/4/08, lasted 5.5 hours but I was in recovery for 7 hours. A few rough days but all went as expected. My balance is off a little but coming around. Been back teaching for 4 weeks now. Gratefully for some wonderful doctors.

Trackman

4cm in Pacific Northwest

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2008, 10:23:03 am »
Trackman,

Wow  :o I would say you are recovering amazingly well. 10 weeks post translab and you are back at teaching in the classroom already- no wonder you are tired. :-\

I would say to keep doing what you are doing- as you appear to be right on track.

There has been a teacher dialogue, in the past, about how to deal with the new ssd in the classroom titles “classroom noise� – if you are interested.

http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=5313.0

Here you come to us for advice for fatigue and you sound like you are bouncing back better than many of us. What is your secret?

Daisy Head Mazy
4cm Left, 08/22/07 R/S 11+ hr surgery Stanford U, Dr. Robert Jackler, Dr. Griffith Harsh, Canadian fellow Assist. Dr. Sumit Agrawal. SSD, 3/6 on HB facial scale, stick-on-eyeweight worked, 95% eye function@ 6 months. In neuromuscular facial retraining. Balance regained! Recent MRI -tumor receded!

leapyrtwins

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2008, 10:45:40 am »
Trackman -

we both had surgery on the same day - although mine was much less invasive (BAHA implant).  I'm glad your surgery was only 5 hours; from your post I thought the entire procedure took 13 and I was imagining a very large AN.  My AN was 2.5+ cm and my surgery was 7 1/2 hours.

You sound like you are doing great!  The balance will probably get better with time.

Jan

Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Debbi

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2008, 05:10:17 pm »
Hi Trackman-

I, too, am impressed that you are already back to teaching - very encouraging!  Hope you'll continue to post with your progress - selfishly, I really like hearing about how others are doing as I muddle my way through my own recovery.  You rock!

Debbi (muddling along in NJ...)
Debbi - diagnosed March 4, 2008 
2.4 cm Right Side AN
Translab April 30, 2008 at NYU with Drs. Golfinos and Roland
SSD Right ear, Mild synkinesis and facial nerve damage
BAHA "installed" Feb 2011 by Dr. Cosetti @ NYU

http://debsanadventure.blogspot.com

Mama R

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Re: Tired?
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2008, 06:27:38 pm »
WOW - What an eye opener... My surgery was 7 weeks ago. I maybe have taken 5 naps and all but one was taken the first week after surgery. I am back to work a couple hours here and there at home (no biggy) but fulltime at it come June, which will be 10 weeks. I almost committed to going back fulltime to the office sooner but now that I have read these comments I am defintely not.It sounds as if once you go back at it fulltime there is not much else you are able to do because of the fatigue (which I was wondering  ??? if that was the case). THANK YOU all for sharing as I was feeling a little guilty for not going back sooner.   
Translab U of Cinnci - 03/21/08
Dr Theodosopolous & Dr Pensak :)
1 cm