worsening balance 8 weeks out from surgery?

[anissa]

For the last couple days I am off balance a lot more, tired more, and my driving is getting worse.  Anybody have good balance post surgery then have it go downhill? 

Could it be the weather?  Its been sunny and very warm here so I wouldn't think that would affect it but what do I know!

[stoneaxe]

Frustrating no doubt. Could be the being tired more is causing all the rest. Are you getting enough sleep?

[leapyrtwins]

Anissa -

stress and fatigue will add to balance issues.  Also, your surgery wasn't that long ago.

Even though docs say recovery typically takes 6 weeks, that doesn't apply to everyone.  We are all unique.  And, even if you fall under the 6 week "rule", your symptoms won't just magically disappear when you get there    I remember being very tired for months after my surgery.

I'll be 2 years post op on 5/31, and just the past few weeks I've been stressed out more than usual and getting much less sleep.  I've been noticing that my left eye (AN side) has started being dry and irritated again.  I'm back to using eye drops several times a day.  I also have found my balance is a little "off".

So my best advice is, get plenty of rest and try to relax.  If you still find you're having problems, you might want to talk to your doctor.  Maybe PT or something else will be in order.

I hope things improve.

Best,

Jan

[CHD63]

Anissa ....

Just curious ..... did anyone have you doing specific balance or vestibular exercises post-surgery?  I am 15 months post-op and I still have days when my balance goes off.  Sometimes I can attribute it to being tired or more stressed and sometimes I have no idea.  There does seem to be a direct connection between doing my exercises on a regular basis and slacking off, thinking I am all "normal" again!

Clarice

[Kaybo]

Anissa~
I could be way off here, but I bet that you are feeling a bit better and trying to do more and consequently, you are getting MUCH more tired and not realizing it as much because you are "8 weeks out" and think you should be doing everything!!  LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  You will probably still need EXTRA rest for a while.  I am 13 years out & still have to take a good rest every once in while or I am exhausted and my balance is HORRIBLE!
Good Luck!
K

[ppearl214]

hey anissa! Great to see you and congrats for being a postie! As you know, I cannot totally help with answers for post-surgical treatment, but please keep in mind that your Chiari 1 may also be coming into play with enhanced balance issues..... as it did with me, post radation. I'm not saying it is the cause of the enhanced balance issues, but could be contributing.....

listen to your body if the fatigue is setting in.... get that much needed rest. You may feel good and energetic one day, so don't overpush on that particular day as the fatigue can really hit and crash/burn in on you.  Rest as needed

continued wellness... hang in there... and I'm cheering you on!

Phyl

[anissa]

I think it is the weather because its so nice outside I do way too much.  What?  I'm not 100%???  ha ha  I forget that sometimes.  Chris has been working long hours and we just got back from a 4-day camping trip so there hasn't been a day of rest in a long time.  And now that you mention it, boy could I use one. 

I guess in the back of my mind I keep thinking of that little bit of tumor, that tiny little bit thats left in there.  It might haunt me forever!

CHD63 - I did not have any kind of vestibular exercises or PT but I was doing Wii Fit (if that counts) pretty regularly for a while.  It actually was starting to show my worsening balance too now that you mention it. 

Darn this nice weather   I thought my balance would be getting better BECAUSE I'm doing so much, and challenging my balance like taking clothes of the clothesline on a windy day.  That will really mess with a person's head in the depth perception dept.  I'll take it easy the next couple of days and see if things get better. 

Phyl - I haven't thought too much about the chiari but I bet you're right.  Kind of one-thing-leads-to-another. 

[Cheryl R]

Sounds like you are doing good but the brain compensating hasn't caught up with it yet.            I always felt like with my first surgery that it took almost a year to really feel real good.       I had went back to work at 2 mos so was getting my share of activity.
Take it easy and how you feel now isn't going to be what it will be in the future.           Just plan for maybe a little slower summer this year.                                                       Cheryl R

[sgerrard]

Spring time allergies? I find the nice weather always brings some nice sinus inflammation along with it, and that my head is 10 times more sensitive to this stuff now. Ears feel plugged, nose feels plugged, head feels stuffed...

Hi Anissa, and Hi to Chris as well. As we tend to say on the forum: other than that, everything is fine...

Steve

[Vivian B.]

Hi Anissa,

I am replying late but only because I really didn't have any answers for until I went for a Vestibular test myself this morning. The technician said that the balance nerve after treatment gets more affected to the point that it may be lost altogether, and it takes a liittle while for the balance nerve on your good ear to compensate for the bad ear. The way she explained it was that the brain needs to get used to the idea that it can no longer rely on the affected ear and learns to rely on the good ear. You should start feeling a llittle better at a time as you progress through your recovery. I have 49% lost balance in my AN ear but it's been gradual loss and the brain had a chance to adjust to the good ear, and that's why I have not felt prominent dizzy spells. After treatment the technician said I may or may not feel more dizzy depending on how the brain quickly adjusts to the remainder loss of balance.
Hopes this helps.


Vivian

[moe]

Hi Anissa,
Could the fact that you are going in 6 different directions have some effect on your balance??
4 kids + 1 husband +yourself =6 different directions.
To this day, 3 years later, I find my balance/dizziness/tinnitus gets worse with the premenstrual stuff. Happens like clock work and I have yet to understand this.
For you,a 4 day camping trip is a huge feat. Congratulations on that!
I'm into those simple easy pleasures like "going for a walk."

Enjoy your summer, girl
Maureen

[Seal]

Hi Anissa,

I am about the same in terms of recouperation period as you.   Although my wife takes care of the kids, I still was pretty active already after two weeks out from surgery.   Each week has been getting better and better, and the only thing I find is to be sure to get your rest.   I find that even a 20 minute nap when you can get it makes all the difference in the world.  Yesterday was a bad day, but in retrospect, I had gone two full days of work without a nap or even a let up at work or at home.   So like others have said, listen to your body and get the rest when you can.    Sure, I would like to be normal and perfect again, but "all in due time my pretty!" as the witch said in Wizard of Oz!    Hang in there!

Steve

[anissa]

You guys are right!  I'm learning balance but not in the vestibular sense   Its hard not to get back to life the way it was before because, well, everything else is still the same!  I guess its time to learn to literally stop and smell the flowers. 

[moe]

Now THAT'S a good attitude, Anissa!
Good luck with the "new you."
Maureen

[Debbi]

Hi Anissa -

Sorry, I'm a little late on this.  I second what's already been said - stress, lack of sleep, sensory overload, allergies - they all seem to contribute to changes in balance.  At 13 months post op, I still do weird little two-steps sometimes; and the other day I bent down too fast in the garden and fell right over (probably looked like a beetle laying there on my back with my legs in the air - ha!)  Just take it slow and do remember that you brain needs time to compensate.

Debbi