@deenadani - I’m excited that you have a surgery date coming up pretty soon! That’s GREAT NEWS!!
Many of our members (including me) have come back to say that they didn’t have nearly as much pain as expected after surgery & some had immediate relief of some nerve symptoms. For a few who had IJV decompression, there was reduction in brain fog & head pressure early in recovery (w/in the first 3-4 weeks) which is HUGE so that’s an outcome you could experience, too.
Realistically, the first couple of weeks post op are uncomfortable though usually not miserable IF you ice your neck every couple of hours w/ a thin cloth between skin & ice to prevent ice burns (getting a couple of gel packs that can be frozen or heated is ideal), keep your head elevate to ~30º when resting or sleeping (usually for the first week post op), & take your pain meds on schedule (even if you don’t feel like you need to) to stay ahead of the pain. If you take Rx pain medication, taking a daily stool softener & laxative is mandatory as well since opioids are notorious for clogging us up.
Planning on eating a soft diet for the first week or two post op is also very helpful in case your throat & jaw are sore (these can be the result of the breathing tube used during surgery & the position your mouth/jaw are in).
In case you haven’t read this post @Jules wrote, it will be helpful -
In my experience, having ES surgeries was the best thing I could have done for myself, & I’ve had 3. Those surgeries have been life changing for me in a very positive way.
Who is your surgeon (I’m sorry if you’ve mentioned it & I’ve forgotten) & what is your surgery date? I’ll put it on my calendar so I can pray for you & your surgeon especially on that day.