Mr H always put incision in neck crease, so in time it becomes less noticeable. D
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@Warrick Did you get an idea of when your surgery would be before the day? I have a pre op tomorrow and wondering if I’ll find out. My mums coming with me for the surgery (hubby has the 3 kids to look after!) and I’m wondering if to leave her at the hotel to lie in on Friday! 
Stressed and excited now… already thinking about packing my hospital bag!
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To be honest I didn’t ask at my pre op, but they may be able to check the theatre listings for the day. But I would take it with a pinch of salt. I was initially told it would be morning. Then on arrival told I was listed for 1555, then ended up being at 1400!
Be careful with what they tell you though, as when I arrived at 0630 and they checked my theatre time, they initially said “oh you can eat breakfast if you want then!” But I asked them to check again, and when the anesthetist arrived at 0800 he told them I would be in surgery before 1400. So it’s a good thing I asked them to double check otherwise I would have eaten within 6 hours!
I would say perhaps you could check in at the hospital alone in the morning and then perhaps call your mum once you’ve been given the definite time of surgery. I suspect they don’t start until at least 0800 as that’s when they expected the surgeon to arrive.
I had wife and 3 year old with me so they didn’t come in with me at 0630!
They were looked after well, and your mum could stay potentially even stay overnight in hospital with you, or at least stay in your room during the surgery. I would defo order a lunch for “yourself” and maybe even a breakfast pre surgery, that your mum could eat!
I had ordered lunch for my family pre op, and either they assumed it was for me, or just used my “credit” as I wasn’t charged for it!
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If your mum doesn’t have breakfast included at hotel, I would defo suggest you order her breakfast as soon as you get to your hospital room in the morning. You can give a specific time to be served and your mum can arrive and eat with you in your room. Even if you have to pay the £12 it’s still prob cheaper than hotel!
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@Warrick thank you for the info! She’s coming with me tomorrow too (I can’t go anywhere on my own due to vertigo and vision issues), so we’ll check it out. On the day I’ll call an Uber and get them to drop me outside! Already have caved in and booked a phone appointment with JH Weds to beg to be booked in for styloid 2. I can’t take anymore, I want them both out and my life back. I hate I can’t go anywhere on my own or do anything. Only a few more days!!! Wondering is Jacqui is OK, she went quiet!
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Nearly here, glad that you have company with your Mum to help out & are getting organised…hopefully @Jacqui will update us soon, you can send a private message by clicking on her avatar.
@Warrick , thanks for all your advice & help…hope things keep improving for you!
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@Jules Thank you. Pre op done, so almost there! Thanks for the support.
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Update from @Jacqui 
I am using my phone and can’t figure out how to start a new thread so I will post an update here; hopefully anyone interested will be able to see it!
I am doing well - better than expected actually. I had been worried that the anaesthetic would play havoc with my mcas, and certainly something flared my mcas but it was either ibuprofen or the blood thinner injection we think. Will avoid both from now on!
Painkiller wise I am staying dosed up on paracetamol and dihydrocideine. I can feel it when my next dose is due so I am choosing to stay as pain free as possible, rather than trying to be brave! I am quite sleepy, probably due to the codeine I guess, so am sleeping as much as possible.
There is a fair amount of swelling, shame I can’t take the ibuprofen. But it is going down gradually, including my lip which has been very sore and swollen, and bothering me just as much as the incision site actually. I seem to have bitten my lip badly during the op but also I think I am allergic to whatever coating is on the intubation tube and the thermometer covers. It tasted like dry cleaning fluid to me. So that may have been the cause of the initial swelling, which then meant that my lip kept getting bitten.
I am managing to open my mouth enough to brush (but not floss) my teeth. And am coping well with eating, just eating things that can be cut up very small and don’t need much chewing. My lovely daughter has come to stay and is supplying me with tasty, soft meals 
I am getting more tinnitus than was normal for me, and a fair amount of head pressure. But I know that’s just the post surgical inflammation and it will go soon hopefully.
The right side of my face, and bottom of my right ear, is numb. Dr Hughes said to expect numbness for a while and it’s not so bad that I’m dribbling or looking wonky-faced.
We have our annual home ed camp next Friday. So that gives me another 10 days to recover. Fingers crossed I will manage to go!
Thank you to those who checked in on me and good luck for anyone having their surgery soon. I am now only 4 days post op, so I suppose it is still early days, but so far I am relieved at how well it went and how well my body is coping.
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So pleased to hear from you @Jacqui and glad it seems to have gone well.
I had exactly the same with both sides of my bottom lip swollen. And like you was probably worse than the Incision itself!
I also had an uptick In tinnitus in the days after surgery as well as head pressure, but it started to fade again after a week or so.
The numbness sounds similar to mine at that stage but pleased to say I have none now at 2 weeks post.
My incision has swollen a little since removing the steri strips and a little bit tender to touch but nothing too bad at all.
The codeine made me very drowsy too but as soon as I stopped taking it I started feeling more energetic. Did have good days and bad tho over the weeks. Like you I had increased pain before my next dose, but that went away after maybe 5 days and then when there was no pain in-between doses I stopped taking and just used paracetamol. And celecoxib.
I think around day 5 my jaw was at it’s stiffest and most painful, and then It quite quickly went away after that.
All the best with the next few days of recovering and hope you find some improvement very soon!
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Thanks for the update @Jacqui . I’m so glad you are doing well and sending good thoughts for a speedy recovery!
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I’m so glad for your good report, @Jacqui! I hope your recovery continues smoothly & your MCAS symptoms settle quickly & for the duration of your surgical recovery so your body can focus on healing.
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@Jacqui Thank you for the update and good to know it’s all going ok!
I’m in surgery tomorrow, and having been super cool and excited, suddenly today I am a nervous wreck! My kids are being super clingy and 1 refused to go to school. I think that’s set me off!
I’m expecting to feel worse before better and I already feel about as bad as I can handle, so I’m trying to keep busy. I think days 3-5 are meant to be the worst… ??
I hate codeine, as I’ve had bad derealization and anything that makes me feel out of it even more is bad. I’m hoping I can somehow avoid it. I also get ocular migraines when anyone messes with my neck. I’d say don’t expect an update from me for a good few days!
Glad you’re improving @Warrick! Gives me strength to fight through the first bit.
Eyes on the long term fix! I’ve already tried to book in my second side… lol
Happy healing… 
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I reckon it’s completely normal to be so nervous. I know I was!
My kids were too. My daughter got really upset at work the day of my op, even just having a general anaesthetic is pretty scary!
My symptoms haven’t really been any worse since the op, other than tinnitus being worse than recently (but not as bad as it has been previously iyswim).
I have just developed first bite syndrome yesterday, which is not fun, but hopefully not permanent.
I stopped taking painkillers a couple of days ago so didn’t need them for as long as I expected.
You can probably avoid codeine. I had been coping perfectly well on paracetamol and ibuprofen but then had a big mast cell reaction in the hospital. They decided it was likely to be the ibuprofen so I swapped to codeine.
From now until tomorrow it’s about trying to keep yourself calm. Have a long bath, go for a walk, sniff some flowers, meditate.
You will be fine. Sending calming vibes and healing thoughts x
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@Jacqui Thank you for the positive vibes. My youngest 2 (6 & 8) are particularly upset, but I’ll be heading to the hotel this eve and I’ll just have to ignore the tears and go.
I didn’t take any pain meds after my C-sections so I’m hoping I can be brave enough. I fear this might be a bit different though.
So glad you’re healing well! Hopefully you’ll see good results soon!
Do you have a second elongated styloid left? I’m having my first one out, both biggies.
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No need to be brave, just take the meds if you need them! That was my policy anyway.
Yes, I will likely need the other side removing as that ligament was also fully calcified. The right side (that was just removed) was worse though, and the right side is where I have the spinal nerve damage, so I guess we will see what happens and whether I am still symptomatic in a few weeks/months.
Hope you can relax a bit in the hotel x
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Praying all goes well @BabzieAM , and that your children settle okay, hard when they’re that little…I never took the codeine I was prescribed, didn’t need it, so hopefully you won’t either, but don’t let the pain build up too much or you’ll struggle to get it under control again. Yes, days 3-5 seem to be the worst for swelling.
Hugs and prayers 
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@BabzieAM - Your day is finally here!! I expect you won’t see this until you get back to reading messages on your computer. I will be praying for you tomorrow! I’m very excited that the first half of this awful journey is nearing its end!
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@Isaiah_40_31 Thank you! I woke up 4.45am with head pain and loud tinnitus, then realised it’s surgery day… so can’t sleep anymore! Thank you for your kind wishes. I’ll report back of the flip side. 
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Thinking of you today!
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Hope all went really well today x
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