ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: EJTampa on February 07, 2009, 03:07:51 pm
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I have read here that most people feel it is important to take a couple of weeks and just rest...allow the body to heal. Most of you know I am now scheduled for March 5th surgery, but my physician told me that my recovery time is up to me. He said the sooner I push myself to walk and stay active, the sooner I will be back to "normal". He said regardless of what I do in the weeks following surgery, my outcome will be the same at the one year point. He just suggested that I would recover more quickly if I didn't give in to the urge to rest :).
So which is it? For those of you who have already had the tumor removed, did you rest for the first few weeks, then push yourself when you had recovered from the post-op sysmptoms (not AN related), or did you get right up and push yourself to recover from the AN symptoms (balance mainly) sooner?
I would think the answer would be different for everyone, since nobody knows initially how much surgical pain and discomfort there will be in the first couple of weeks. But here's what I would like to hear from you all.
1) Did you push yourself or let yourself heal first
2) How soon did you feel ready to drive again
Thanks. You guys are great :).
Ernie
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as usual, these surgeons can make you feel like a loser if you give in to your symptoms. i'm all for not pushing too much, but doing a little each day. patti
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I vote for rest. I did push myself, but really felt sick until about 7 weeks. At that point, I definitely turned a corner and felt more like doing things. Then I wondered why I felt so guilty at first for not being able to achieve more. For me it was definitely a lesson of "listen to your body". Now at about 3 months, I find it actually helpful to push myself to get up and move when my neck and head hurts. The change of position seems to help relieve the pain.
I was able to drive at about 8 weeks, but was in the great-great-grandmother category until just recently, at 3 months, when I have regained mobility in my neck for turning.
Samantha
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Here's what I would like to hear from you all.
1) Did you push yourself or let yourself heal first?
I combined healing (resting) and as much activity as I could manage, immediately post-op (at home). The first week, I wasn't up to much but as the days rolled on, I was able to do more and more - and I did. Walking (2 miles at a time), doing household chores (cleaning, taking out the trash, things like that), accompanying my wife to the mall to shop and generally trying to remain as active as possible. As you noted, Ernie, we're all a bit different and what I did post-op you might find impossible - or far too easy.
2) How soon did you feel ready to drive again?
Within a week. I 'sneaked' some local driving (for sheer convenience) within a week of my release from the hospital and at 2 weeks post-op, my neurosurgeon gave me 'official' permission to drive. I never looked back. I drove wherever I pleased on an almost daily basis from that point on. Turning my head to 'head check' when changing lanes on the interstate was a tad difficult at first but I persevered and soon it was no longer a problem.
Again, other people's post-op experiences might not be a template for anyone else but I offer my experience in the hope that it will be of some help to you as you prepare for your March 5th surgery.
Jim
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Hi,
I'm 12 days post op and I'm at the state where I'm feeling better but afraid to push it. For instance today I was going to go to the store and decided to lay down instead and I slept for 3 hours! I couldn't believe it, but I guess my body needs the rest. My mind feels good and my body is right behind it so I'm kind of stuck between two worlds of wanting to do things and knowing I should kind of take it easy.
Jen
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i vote for rest, i know people who have pushed them selves and ending up back at square one.
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1) Did you push yourself or let yourself heal first
> for the first month, i let myself heal first - so i was serious about sleeping, eating the right foods, taking doctor's orders to heart, and vegetate. basically doing whatever possible to give my body a chance to recover and recharge. When i felt my body was a little stronger and i was able to do things better with no help, i started to push myself on vestibular exercises and forcing myself to different environments which helped retrained my brain.
2) How soon did you feel ready to drive again
> end of 2nd mth
hope this helps!
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Ernie, looks like you'll get a mixed bag here. I vote for pushing yourself if able. I realize that I was lucky not to have major problems with my surgery. I was walking in the hospital(albeit pretty wobbly) as soon as a day after surgery. When I got home, I started out by walking around the block a couple of times and I'll admit that my wonky head was given me some trouble, but I kept walking every day and I think that played a big part in me getting back to some resemblance of normal. After building up to walking 3 or 4 miles daily, at about 3 weeks, I started running and have never looked back. I started driving about 2 weeks post op. I say do what the doctors say, but if they don't place limitations on you, do what you can. Obviously if you have some post op problems, you'll have to take it slower.
Patrick
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Based purely on reading posts in this forum, not my own experience, I think the most common scenario is:
1. Feel like a truck hit you for a few days;
2. Start getting around tentatively for a few days;
3. Start being more active and going for real walks;
4. Start feeling confident and go for something more adventurous;
5. Get slammed to the mat by a Hulk Hogan atomic drop;
6. Lick your wounds for a few days;
7. Venture forth again, a little wiser and more careful;
8. Gently but firmly push on to a full recovery.
I'm sure you'll be no different. ;)
Steve
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Hi there Ernie: I pushed myself, walking, driving @ 3 weeks, had an eye surgery 1 month after the AN surgery,
back to work (3 days/week for 2 weeks, then full time) 2 months after AN surgery.
This is no 'walk in the park' surgery, give your body the time it needs to heal.
I needed 2 months post op to re-coup.
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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Steve summed it up pretty good, I thought.
I tended to push myself as soon as the nausea got better. I walked several times a day and slept in between. Would push myself to go to malls, shopping, as time progressed. And, I of course pushed it too hard several times, paid the price and took a few steps back, but kept going.
I was walking outside on my own by 2 weeks (slow, but I was doing it). Shorter walks more often worked better for me, and my doc agreed that was better. I was driving at 6 weeks.
I was told that the more I walked the faster I would get better.
Cathy
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Steve said it very good!! That was funny!
As you can see at the bottom of my post, shows that I had the AN surgery, then went home after 7 days. I was home for 3 days, and spinal fluid starting leaking out of my nose! YUCK. So, had to go back, and have the same surgery all over again....including going in the tummy for the fat. Then I was in IC for 5 days....lying with a spinal tube out of my back. I also had to stay on my back....couldn't move for 5 days. Thank goodness he gave me some stronger meds to kinda keep me relaxed.
Anyway, it made it allittle harder in recuperation. He did tell me at my first appt. to him, about a week, to start walking for 30 minutes, but not fast.
So, I did rest for acouple of weeks, then was made to walk. I found it got me stronger alot faster. My hubby always went with me at first. I was slow, and he just walked along. The next week was alittle faster speed....and so on. But, I think I got stronger faster by walking for 30 minutes. I was thankful he told me that.....or I would have layed in bed and not tried anything for a few weeks....and that wouldn't have been good.
I didn't feel like going shopping, mind you, or a restaurant,....just walk slow. Then, the rest will come.
Lacey
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Wow, it's amazing how different recovery can be for each person :). I will plan to go easy the first week anyway, since I was told I will have significant balance issues early on due to my balance nerve being largely intact right now.
Even with the differences...it looks like I can plan to be driving again in the 3 to 6 week time frame. Some of you were 2 weeks, others 8, so that gives me a window to shoot for. I am off the work schedule for 8 weeks, so I think I can go easy in the beginning :).
Thanks for sharing your wonderful (and in some cases, scary) stories. Now to find a way to make the next 4 weeks prior to surgery go by faster so I can get this behind me. For starters, We, as a family, are heading to Universal Studios for the weekend, February 13th through 15th. My 13 year old daughter will be confirmed (in our catholic faith) this Thursday, so this will be a treat for her as well as a way to pass the time for me :).
Anyone gonna be in Orlando that weekend?
Ernie
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Weighing in late on this one, but as someone already said, you need to listen to your body. It will tell you what you can and can't reasonably do.
I found fatigue was the longest lasting factor in what I did and how soon. And to this day I'm still surprised how all-encompassing the fatigue was - just taking a shower in the early days post op required a nap. But if you can get past that, then walking, etc., IMO will definitely speed your recovery.
Steve is very astute about post op stuff for someone who had radiation (how did he do that?) but in my case I followed points 1-4 of his list and then just skipped the part from the body slam forward :D
I definitely experienced the "feeling like you've been run over by a very large truck" and it took a while to get my bearings, but I eventually did. Towards the end of my hospital stay I started to make progress - although sometimes it was extremely slow - every day. I had a few "one step foward, two steps back" experiences, but nothing major.
As for driving, it depends on you and how you feel. It also depends on whether you have a necessity to drive - or if you have someone around to drive you. I had the latter scenario, so I didn't drive until six weeks post op, even though the doc said I could drive sooner if I felt up to it. The biggest thing with the driving is to take it slow in the beginning - short trips, uncrowded local streets - and build up to the highways, the traffic, and the faster speed limits.
Jan
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Hi Ernie,
I think I balanced pushing it with resting. Another words, I really wanted to be up and moving as soon as possible, so I walked every day, a little at a time, until I was walking confidently. I think that took about 2 weeks. At 3 weeks I felt much stronger and started to run a bit. By 5 weeks, I was running again. When I wasn't walking or running I was sleeping or resting. And eating very healthy foods. So, move, rest, eat, and listen to your body. Oh, and I think I was driving by 3 weeks but very short distances. That also improved incrementally until I was back to my old driving self. So much of this is dependent on balance issues and other post-op things.
Marci
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Myself the first couple of weeks I didn't want to do anything... It was nice to move around from bed to sofa, to other sofa, to bathroom. That was my workout routine and I remember saying "I don't care about exercises" or how much I move.
Then Car Rides was the next challenge and finally the dreaded physical therapy, which I did not like. But all the goofy things they had me doing really helped and I even beat the PT's on the Wii (balance rope) game.
It is great how you are getting all this info ready. Sounds like you are going to do great with this journey... Thanks,
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It is great how you are getting all this info ready. Sounds like you are going to do great with this journey... Thanks,
It should be me thanking all of you :). I'm being proactive because it's important to me to have a point of reference for post-surgical life BEFORE I have my surgery. There is more planning that goes into post surgery than the surgery itself. The surgery seems planned enough. Go the day before surgery for all the pre-surgery stuff. Go have the surgery. Recover for a day or two in ICU. Get your own room, get up, walk, eat, get off the IV meds, and go home in 3 to 5 days. While I'm sure there can be complications that will change all that, it's the most likely surgical outcome.
It's the at home recovery that seems so disorganized, or at least, unpredictable. I need to make sure I have someone at the house with me for X number of days, or X number of weeks if things go more slowly. I have work related concerns, and family concerns. I do feel good about my situation, even the post surgery recovery, since all of you have given me so much wonderful insight! I'm not going to factor in the low percentage complication possibilities. If one or more of those happens to inflict me, then I will deal with that at the time. I am staying positive that I will have a "normal" recovery, which I have set aside 8 weeks to accomplish.
Thank you all for chiming in and providing me with your personal experiences. I give that more weight than a guestimate from any surgeon, since you have all "walked the walk".
Ernie
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Ernie
You sound very prepared for all of this. I needed someone with me for the first week for sure, could have done it on my own for the second week, but was glad I didn't have to do it. I was back at work at 7 weeks, but could have used a bit more time off. It worked however, so your plan sounds perfectly reasonable.
Marci
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Everyone has a different level of dizzy post-op depending on how badly the AN has damaged the vestibular nerve and the level of compensation the opposite side has already accomplished. Those with small tumors often have a rougher time with balance issues immediately post-op and the quicker they get out and about and get that brain compensating, the quicker the dizzy goes away. It sure goes away slowere all by itself!! You need to help! I got outside as much as possible which ment spending 2 months away from home in CA and FL because it was winter and I wanted to be where it was warm so I could get outside and walk and not worry about slipping on ice! Laying around and resting up was not for me--I had my cousin out walking me around the block twice a day, sometimes three times, very early on. I wanted that dizzy GONE!
Capt Deb 8)
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I am adding a late reply, I am 12 weeks post op and I am still having mild complications.
I have done little by little but basically I have rested for 12 weeks, I go back to work in 2 weeks.
Walked 2 weeks by myself, drove 4 weeks, but probably shouldn't have.
I took naps for about 2 months.
Still take Tylenol once a day to help the mild pain and discomfort.
This has been long journey but we all get through it with flying colors.
The best of luck to you and plan to rest. Bell
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Ernie, I learned after surgery that for every HOUR of anesthesia the body needs a WEEK to recover. For me that was 16 hours, so yes, for 4 months I was tired and napped almost daily. I agree with all here, you'll know what you can do. Even though I napped daily my family will tell you that I was becoming more active everyday. I wanted to do more, I was tired to laying around, and I got frustrated but my own limitations. You will learn great patience from this surgery. Stay strong........
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I got frustrated but my own limitations. You will learn great patience from this surgery. Stay strong........
Great advice from Pembo. Limitations post op can be very frustrating and in my case tended to put me in a bad mood >:( Patience is not a virtue I normally possess, but I found when I tried it, that it worked wonders. Patience is key; try to make that a goal.
Jan