@theFury - You’re still in very early recovery from your surgery & IJV decompression. You may not begin to notice definite improvements until 6-8 weeks after surgery when your post op inflammation is pretty well gone. This is not a surgery that is quick to provide positive results because both the compromised IJV, & the compromised nerves heal slowly. It can take a number of months for your brain to adjust to the new level of blood flow it’s experiencing. I think you shouldn’t be concerned about surgery not helping so soon in your recovery.
Adding to that, most people who have bilateral IJV compression need the second side decompressed to get the best results. I know you did a lot of research prior to your surgery, but the research usually doesn’t give a recovery timeline, or if it does, it’s an average which may not be realistic in some cases. Each of our bodies heals at a different rate, & age at the time of surgery, length of time of vascular compression & length of time ES symptoms were experienced prior to surgery all factor in to how long recovery might take. I had symptoms that took a year to reduce/disappear, & my first bite syndrome has finally 99% disappeared now at 12 years post op.
Patience is key with recovery from this surgery, & symptoms can come & go for quite a number of months as nerves heal & blood flow begins to normalize. By 6 months after surgery you should have a pretty good idea of whether or not it has made a significant difference. Taking it very easy on your body for at least the first 2-3 months, even on days you feel good, is critical to helping surgical results progress.
If you’re still in a lot of pain from the vascular aspect, you can request an Rx blood thinner from Mr. Axon or your PCP to help with that, & if the pain is more nerve related, you can request either a tapering dose of prednisone or dexamethasone to help w/ that or an Rx for a nerve pain medication to take for the next few months while your healing progresses a bit more.
Here is a quote from an update @avarj just posted that may be encouraging for you: