ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Post-Treatment => Topic started by: Lizard on March 09, 2010, 12:33:03 pm
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Hello
I had AN surgery 11/2008, by suboccipital approach, but unfortunately I had a CSF leak (through Eustachian tube and down my throat) and was required to have a mastoid obliteration to patch the mastoid bone and stop the leak. So basically I had a translabrynth surgery as well, where they entered right behind my ear and patched the mastoid bone. I was in the hospital for a total of two weeks. 16 months later am still suffering with terrible headaches and some balance problems, but they were able to save most of my hearing. I do however have tinnitus, sounds are tin-like and I do not pick up higher pitched sounds., but those are the least of my problems. Has anyone had a similar problem and can you offer insight into your symptoms after the CSF leak was fixed as well as recovery?
Thanks,
Liz
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I had a CSF leak after retro surgery and ended up getting meningitis, requiring another hospital stay. My leak was at the incision site and never leaked out--just ballooned out as a bulge. It healed after I had a couple of spinal taps and took medication to lower the pressure in my head. I am so sorry you had to have addtional surgery, but am happy to hear that your hearing survived to some degree, Quite a process, isn't it? The headache issues did improve slowly but surely, and now I rarely get any. Hope you continue to heal and get stronger! It sometimes takes awhile to get things back to some semblance of normal. Hang in there. ;)
Priscilla
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Hi, Liz. I had a CSF leak through my ear post suboccipital surgery. I had a fat graft to repair the leak. I have headaches, but I attribute those to the first surgery, not the second, although having a second surgery in the space of a couple of days probably didn't help things along. I have very, very occasional tinnitus. Have you seen a doctor about your headaches?
staypoz
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Seen quite a few dr's about the headaches, but none were really able to tell me what was going on. I'm having trouble staying positive...can you tell?
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I know it's hard sometimes. The head pain can be debilitating. Like a lot of other folks with headaches, I have seen a variety of doctors and had a variety of treatments. It was very hard the first couple of years, but the frequency and severity of my head pain slowly began to change and continues to change, even 6 years out. Hang in there. There are a lot of us headache sufferers on the forum who know what you are going through and are pulling for you.
staypoz
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Thanks I know, that's why I'm here!