Hi suzb80 ~
Here is an excerpt from a post I made in 2019:
"The Newbies Guide & General Discussion sections have a number of posts about questions to ask your doctor. You can search the forum using the magnifying glass icon above. Use “Questions to ask” as your search phrase.
Here is a basic list:
How many ES surgeries has he done?
Intraoral or external surgery? (We prefer external as we feel it’s a bit safer but both types of surgery have proven to be successful)
Outpatient or inpatient?
How much styloid is removed? (removal at skull base is best)
Is the tip of any styloid left behind smoothed off?
Is the stylohyoid ligament also removed? (removel at the lesser horn of the hyoid bone is best)
Do not walk in w/ a huge list of symptoms & give them all to the doctor. Keep it to basic, obvious ES symptoms like facial pain, sore throat, ear pain, neck pain, something poking in your throat, clicking when swallowing, dizzyness…these are common symptoms of ES. You may not have all of them, & you likely have some I haven’t mentioned. More obscure symptoms will be dismissed as being caused by something else, but you will likely see them resolve once you have your styloids/stylohyoid ligaments removed."
Good for you for getting a second opinion! Here is a link to a thread where Dr. Fernandes is mentioned:
I’m glad you’ve been able to discontinue the gabapentin & that you have other protocols in place that help receive pain & other symptoms. Having your styloid removed should make a big difference for you. You may find that some or all of the pain you thought was related to your cervical spine & disc issues subsides. We hope this is the case anyway!
Please let us know how your visit w/ Dr. Fernandes goes & what you decide regarding surgery.
