@juliezuber - Great & thorough update. Thank you so much!
I totally agree with this statement as the proof lies with those who don’t have vascular issues w/ ES but still have terrible symptoms which come from cranial nerves that are irritated on a regular basis by the styloids &/or calcified stylohyoid ligaments.
It’s unclear whether or not a secondary blockage could be related to ES. Since yours was caused by scar tissue, it’s possible your styloids had caused a shift in some soft tissues that became irritated which caused scar tissue to be laid down as a protective agent. The scar tissue in turn was in a place that caused the IJV compression. On the other hand, the cause could have been totally unrelated.
Tape removal was more likely painful because your incision was still tender from the recent surgery. I remember going through the same thing after my surgeries. My incision was also quite swollen for 3-4 weeks post op before it began settling down. The less you irritate it in early healing, the sooner it will settle down. I recall being told not to begin using Mederma Scar Cream until 4 weeks post op. I didn’t know about silicone scar strips back then. You may be interested in the following post which recommends a specific brand of silicone scar strips which several of our members have used & really liked:
It sounds like your healing is off to a good start. I expect the symptoms you still have will gradually disappear over the next 6-12 mos.