3 (4) month follow up
Hi my friends,
meanwhile 4 months have passed since the revision surgery with Dr. Samji and I would like to give you - as promised - a small update. Please excuse that it took a little longer, because I was in a neurological-orthopedic rehab in the meantime. This was very exhausting and I was often exhausted and tired, but I was able to make further small progress. To that I also wanted to wait for the 2nd control by video call with Dr. Samji.
First of all, it should be noted that my condition has improved significantly in terms of symptoms that I attribute to IJVS. The head fullness, tinnitus, dizziness, brain fog and neck discomfort are improved.
I attribute the existing symptoms to irritation of the relevant known nerves over many years. Depending on strain and exertion, e.g. during rehabilitation sports, the nerve sensations or pain and thus also the remaining symptoms worsen for a few days in the short term. In general, a trend towards positive changes can be seen again according to my assessment. As it is always said and as I also know from multiple own experiences, the thing with the nerves is the one that requires the most patience. Even after 4 months since the surgery, my nerves are still occasionally doing “Kirmes” (“funfair” - as they say here in Germany, which actually describes it quite aptly).
Dr. Samji was very pleased with my appearance and said that I would already look better. The video filters at Zoom were also off, honestly 
. I do indeed also notice that the left side of my face is no longer swollen like it was before surgery. The wrinkles on the eye from laughing are really coming back this way.
The rehab has had more of a positive effect on the rest of my body. Years of tension and pain have also affected the rest. So, among other things, I also have discomfort in my thoracic spine, lumbar spine, sacroiliac joint and hip due to unhealthy relieving postures and also military neck. Here, the rehab has worked well and will hopefully now enable me to continue further rehab sports courses, strength and stretching exercises on my own in a health fitness club. Right now I am in the trial month. Since these programs are more challenging than in rehab, it comes in between being overwhelmed and “nerve funfair” again. (That’s why I had to postpone this post again).
In the rehab, both the speech therapists and the occupational therapists recommended me a massage device, NOVAFON, that on the one hand stimulates nerves by sound wave massage (in the audible range) and on the other hand can also calm them. This also works quite well with my nerve complaints and tensions, so that I have also ordered the device for home use. Dr. Samji has no objection to my using the device since 3 months have passed since the surgery. Mostly I use the 50Hz mode to calm the nerves and relax muscles. I also have a few intraoral attachments in use. If you haven’t had surgery yet, you should probably be more careful and not hold directly on the styloid with it as well as ask an ES expert doctor beforehand as the NOVAFON also works up to 6 cm deep into the tissue.
Here is the link to the manufacturer’s site: DAS NOVAFON incl. charging stand | NOVAFON
And here the US Webpage: NOVAFON
Also my osteopath says - and I can confirm this felt - that he can now work deeper into the muscle layers. We both notice that my muscles at the neck and shoulders have partly stored calcium salts due to the long time of extreme tension, so they are also calcified. You can tell by the sound when he works them. This is all a good sign, because now he also thinks to make progress again with me.
Next week I will have another control CT or two. After consultation I should do one without and one with contrast media. Dr Samji prefers without contrast medium. Since I also want to have the jugular veins re-evaluated, we then agreed that both make sense and should be done. I am a bit curious how it looks now after the surgery in my neck.
So far, I am glad that I had the surgery with Dr. Samji and would always have it done again with him and his team. Nevertheless, it is probably a somewhat longer way back to normal life and until all symptoms have subsided, if that should happen at all completely. In any case, there is still a lot training needed to get out of long term ES. Working on it.
Of course I will keep you up to date and wanted to give you a new update after half a year after the surgery, i.e. in 2 months. So long let’s continue to fight against the pain and stay strong!
Best regards