Greetings Eagle friends! On the afternoon of 8/9/13 in Columbus, OH I will undergo a complete left sided styloidectomy! I’ll also be having the tip of my hyoid repaired as it was broken in a car accident in '07.
My surgeon mainly performs the surgery via extraoral approach as he feels it is the most successful route. I am his 53rd Eagle surgery and if he doesn’t get another one, my right side will be his 54th. As he was explaining in my last appointment what he will be doing during the surgery he said, “I’ll remove the entire bone, it’s wrapped itself around your jugular vein, carotid artery and several of your cranial nerves. When your gallbladder or appendix malfunctions, you don’t hear of a surgeon removing half of an appendix or half a gallbladder? They remove the entire thing.”
I’m very fortunate to have found an experienced surgeon and a team of experts so close to home! 48 hours pre op I’m having the typical jitters and going through a little anxiety. But it’s nothing compared to the last 20 years of doubt and gut wrenching pain.
Is there anyone out there with any extraoral total removal experience? It’s foreign to think of what it’s going to be like without my “spike”! I wonder if they’ll let me keep it? Do I really want it? The ex medic in me wants it! (Is that sick?! Regardless, I’ve spent all these years, clueless, not knowing they’ve been in there. And now that one of them is getting ready to come out - I’m having a hard time letting it go! Should I call a shrink lol!!!
Congratulations AmyBlue. I agree with your doctor about removing the entire styloid. That was my main concern when I had my right styloid removed. I would have turned down the surgery if my Doctor disagreed. I can't give advice about external approach, mine was intraoral. I considered asking to take my styloid home but I wimped out! Wishing you the best of luck. Please keep us updated.
Thanks for all the encouragement and well wishes eagle friends! I still have 45 minutes before midnight to pack in all my favorite crunchy foods before I’m stuck with yogurt and pudding for the next few weeks I never thought I’d appreciate Cool Ranch Doritos this much! I’m savoring every bite!
Swallowing was uncomfortable and a bit of a chore before the accident in '07 Tee, but after the accident it became unbearable. I told my doctor and the ER technicians who treated me. They did X-rays but assured me everything was normal. What the hell? How could they not see a fractured hyoid? That was the only trauma that has happened that could have fractured my hyoid to leave it in its current condition, the eagles cannot do that much damage. Every time I swallow it feels like there are little kids in my throat at thanksgiving time tugging on the wishbone. But instead of the wishbone breaking, it twists in a knot, then unties and goes back to its original position. Yeah, ouch.
So, I’m ready for tomorrow I have to be there at 11:00 EST. Surgery is at noon and will take approx 2 hrs. I’ll post as soon as I’m feeling up to it I appreciate all the prayers and positive energy y’all
I will be praying for you and your doctor that all goes well. I had the external route 3weeks ago, the doctor removed all of the calcification but left 1 cm at the skull base. He also removed enlarge hard lymph node. It was found to be normal. He said if he found anything else calcified he would remove it as well. I requested he remove the entire thing and he said he usually removes the entire thing back to the base of the skull if it is pressing on the jugular. Mine was not pressing on the jugular. I did ask him for my styloid. I was his first patient to ask him for it. He removed 3 cm of it. I did post some pictures of it on my page. It is a pointy little bugger. I still have my left one to get removed. I will ask/beg him to remove the left entirely.
I have had a rough recovery. But I had my cervical spine fused 3 months ago prior to my right styloid being removed. I also think I have TOS, self diagnosed. My right shoulder, arm, pectoral and trapezius are still in a lot of pain and I still can't use my arm. I have an appointment with a TOS specialist at the end of this month.
My issues have issues on the right side and need to get through all of them. I was hoping the arm pain, pectoral, shoulder, etc was all related to ES. The doctor did say it is normal to have severe pain for 3-4 weeks. Not all of his patients do though. Eating is still a bit difficult but I started eating soft food last week. He did say it could take me 3-9 months to really see a difference. He never said nor disagreed that my arm pain was related to ES.
I recommend staying off the computer for a week or two and ICE. I iced all the time everyday the 1st 2 weeks not I ice often throughout the day. I still have inflammation in my neck but nothing like before. Sleep as much as you can the first week or 2. You have been through a lot you will do great. Your description of the pain from the hyoid sounds SOO painful. God bless and take care of you.
All went well with the surgery I am resting semi- comfortably, as well as can be My boyfriend, Doc, is just about the sweetest and most compassionate nursemaid ever and I don’t think I’d be able to make it through this with him And you guys here on the Eagles site too!!!
The terrible “wishbone snapping” is gone where the hyoid has been repaired! The surgeon used some tiny metal hardware and cadaver tissue to repair the fracture in the hyoid. He removed the tip of the hyoid, repaired the rest and took out 6.5 cm of the styloid. The state of Ohio considers anything from the human body a biohazard and the Eye and Ear Institute had to discard of they styloid, I wasn’t allowed to have it Bummer!!! Talk about a buzzkill!!! Oh well, maybe that’s God doing for me what I can’t do for myself! I probably didn’t need the reminder of that thing staring me in the face It’s time to move on!
I’m looking at maybe another 2 months before we can go in and have the right styloid process removed. I can tell its going to be a pretty rough next few days but it’s well worth it! I’m staying plenty hydrated. I have 3 bags of frozen peas that I’m alternating using as ice bags, so I’m trying to keep it iced, 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Thank God for iPhones! And most of all, thanks to the power of prayer and a positive attitude. I know I can’t be all positive all the time and that times get rough, but I believe that hope always exists, even during thevdarkest and bleakest of times. That in the midst of deep gut level pain and tears, my Creator is with me, right there WITHIN me, pulling for me, helping me, sustaining me, carrying me.
I am half of an eagle now!!! Half way down the path to freedom! Some changes to report already are: when I swallow the clicky noises in my eardrum on the left have STOPPED!!! Yayyyyyyyy!!! And also the crunchy noises at the base of my skull have stopped on the left when I move my head from side to side!!! Many changes will surely be gradual. As far as the severe fatigue, weakness in my legs and arms, difficultly lifting my arms over my head, shoulder neck and back pain, headache, raging tinnitus - time will tell with this surgery. And the next surgery!
We’re in this together ;)’ Goodnight for now frequent flyers! Take care and peace be with you!
I am so very happy that all went well and that you are well enough to give us a bit of a report. Bless you, I pray the rest of your recovery goes smoothly.
Wow, AmyBlue, you are a trooper, posting so soon after surgery. Get your rest, glad you are noticing some improvements in symptoms, but we all know you will take time to recover, so rest, rest, rest. We are here for you.
Amen & God Bless you. I agree with you in my darkest painful moments my Creator is with me and carrying me to the next step because I can't do it. Rest, Ice, sleep in any order as you please.
Hi Amyblue
I just read your post and congratulations on your surgery. I have/had the same symptoms as you, crunching at base of neck, roaring tinnitus, arm pain and severe fatigue, clicking in the ears.
I had my left styloid removed in January and most of the symptoms on the right have been diminished. I am scheduled for the right side in a couple of weeks.
I also had venoplasty of IJV since the styloid had created permanent fibrous bands which caused 50% stenosis of the IJV.
So glad your surgery was successful. I hope you have a speedy recovery.
Glad to hear all went well for you in part one of your surgery. I hope your recovery continues to go smoothly and you don't have any complications later. One word of advice I can give you or anyone who has surgery and is put on antibiotics after, please discuss and question the dosage with your prescriber; how long you need to be on it; is it a strong broad spectrum that can really mess up your gut big time; and your overall health and immunity status prior to surgery. I just had my right styloid surgery two weeks and three days ago. I seemed to be healing well with my surgery but I did get one big extra complication that had nothing to do with the actual surgery, CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE (C-DIFF)- the two weeks of Augmentin (500mg/day- broad spectrum) that I took for 10 days which also killed off a lot of good bacteria let the bad bacteria start to rip havoc in my intestines. The last four days have been hell for me going back and forth to my primary and gastro doctor to run tests to confirm it. Now, I have to take another anti-biotic to kill the bad bacteria for a month and a half and be super careful because it is contagious. Believe me, you do not want to be at risk for getting that infection. I'm sorry to throw that at you, but just like eagles, some people are not a ware of this condition. I should of questioned the use of that antibiotic for my recovery, but who would of thought this could happen to me because I knew all the information about it because an elderly friend of mine had to deal with it in early June of this year. Anyway, please take it easy and I hope you start to notice new results each day on your road to recovery. Take care and God speed you on your recovery.
AmyBlue said:
All went well with the surgery :) I am resting semi- comfortably, as well as can be :D My boyfriend, Doc, is just about the sweetest and most compassionate nursemaid ever and I don't think I'd be able to make it through this with him :) And you guys here on the Eagles site too!!!!!
The terrible "wishbone snapping" is gone where the hyoid has been repaired! The surgeon used some tiny metal hardware and cadaver tissue to repair the fracture in the hyoid. He removed the tip of the hyoid, repaired the rest and took out 6.5 cm of the styloid. The state of Ohio considers anything from the human body a biohazard and the Eye and Ear Institute had to discard of they styloid, I wasn't allowed to have it :( :( Bummer!!!!! Talk about a buzzkill!!!!! Oh well, maybe that's God doing for me what I can't do for myself! I probably didn't need the reminder of that thing staring me in the face :) It's time to move on!
I'm looking at maybe another 2 months before we can go in and have the right styloid process removed. I can tell its going to be a pretty rough next few days but it's well worth it! I'm staying plenty hydrated. I have 3 bags of frozen peas that I'm alternating using as ice bags, so I'm trying to keep it iced, 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Thank God for iPhones! And most of all, thanks to the power of prayer and a positive attitude. I know I can't be all positive all the time and that times get rough, but I believe that hope always exists, even during thevdarkest and bleakest of times. That in the midst of deep gut level pain and tears, my Creator is with me, right there WITHIN me, pulling for me, helping me, sustaining me, carrying me.
I am half of an eagle now!!!! Half way down the path to freedom! Some changes to report already are: when I swallow the clicky noises in my eardrum on the left have STOPPED!!!!!!!!!! Yayyyyyyyy!!!!!!! And also the crunchy noises at the base of my skull have stopped on the left when I move my head from side to side!!!!!!! Many changes will surely be gradual. As far as the severe fatigue, weakness in my legs and arms, difficultly lifting my arms over my head, shoulder neck and back pain, headache, raging tinnitus - time will tell with this surgery. And the next surgery!
We're in this together ;)' Goodnight for now frequent flyers! ;) Take care and peace be with you!
Regardless, I’ve spent all these years, clueless, not knowing they’ve been in there. And now that one of them is getting ready to come out - I’m having a hard time letting it go! Should I call a shrink lol!!!
I never thought I’d appreciate Cool Ranch Doritos this much! I’m savoring every bite!
Take care and peace be with you!