Hi all
Thursday, Friday and Saturday were really productive hard working days ,Friday the hardest, it involved lying under a truck using heavy tools and lots of arm movements whilst holding my head up for long periods of time ,this has pulled the styloid process out of the styloid and relieved pain but since I have been like a car that has run out of petrol
I have been trying to move the styloid process again to see if it can resolve the situation, feels hard to breathe, electric shocks flash through the brain, tinnitus is worse and stomach has gone on holidays.
Fatigue is terrible although I power cycled 4 km last night to gain confidence in my lungs
I have the brain fog back.
I have a diagnosis now but still have not really discussed medication .
Pain is tolerable depending where the bone is
Fatigue and the breathing issue which results in insomnia isn’t
Is there anything out there similar to a legal amphetamine that can help me work at a steady pace without losing productivity.
How can I be so strong last week and be so weak this week???
Is this unique to me ?
Could something else be causing it?
And back comes the anxiety with it
If I could find a middle position between the two extremes I could cope
Could it be serious anxiety???
We have seen on here that symptoms can vary a lot between days, often for no reason…so it’s not unusual. It sounds like your job is hard work, & the positions that you’re having to get into sound like they’re altering the position of the styloid, so that will affect symptoms…
It does sound as if you’re doing a huge amount, appreciate that you’re trying to take your mind off the pain, but it’s not really surprising!
It could be that the styloid in pressing on the carotid artery, which could affect energy, or otherwise if the vagus nerve is compressed, that can cause many effects, including insomnia, anxiety, stomach problems/ constipation (did you mention that before?). Here’s a link:
https://atlantomed.eu/en/disorders/vagus-nerve-disorders
Not quite sure why this article is aimed at women, but it mentions the link with the vagus nerve & chronic fatigue:
I hope this helps with understanding what could be going on…
Hey Jules thanks 
I have IBS issues, is all over stomach aches pain can’t feel the exact location, same for muscles along the base of the spine, is this what anxiety feels like? A tense stomach
For a few minutes today I am sure I went back to feeling fine , then “ remembered” and went back to a zombie
Do I need a muscle relaxing drug to take away tension?
Signals my brain receive are wrong because the vagus nerve is being compressed so maybe nothing wrong
Acid production is reduced by nexium but sometimes still make acid
Dr says lungs are fine and I had mri
Perfect, so last night I cycled hard to convince myself my lungs are fine, they were
But tonight I have trouble breathing
Anxiety or vagus nerve issue?
This has been hard to explain and was going to keep it to myself, I hate feeling weak and admitting I have issues.
I have Barrett’s esophagus under control, biopsy every two years and all good
Dr says doesn’t know why stomach goes to sleep
I said a nerve injury after a motorcycle accident with a car, in 1990 ,I was the pillions air bag , got mangled, lost a year of my life, job and flat,I asked if I had nerve damage after the accident causing stomach issues
He said not possible
I don’t how much is linked to these styloid process bones
I don’t know how much is linked to anxiety
And as I write this the tinnitus screaming in my ears 
Sorry to waffle on.
I going to look into anxiety treatment that I can do such a yoga.
Try to relax
Can any one describe how their anxiety feels??
Great read and video
And why they prescribe amitriptyline
It’s difficult to determine which could be anxiety- not surprising with something causing such big health issues, & financial pressures, & what’s caused by the vagus nerve. I know some members have had good results with anti-anxiety meds, like Cymbalta, & also with muscle relaxants like Baclofen. I’ve not tried either, so can’t speak from personal experience.
I was pretty anxious before I had my surgery, because I was getting some scary vascular symptoms, I did try yoga nidra which was recommended by a physio, & faith helped hugely!
I will look into it thanks
Got to try some breathing exercises too and relaxation techniques without pharmaceuticals first
Hey optimistic -
I’m so sorry to read about your extreme symptoms ups & downs. I would vote for the extreme downs to come & stay (that’ll happen after you have surgery, we hope & pray!!). The vagus nerve runs from inside the skull down into your groin area w/ a larger bundle of it in the area of your heart (I’ll try to attach a picture). It is very intimately connected to many vital body functions as you likely read in the article Jules posted. Anxiety levels is one big thing & breathing is another. It also controls heart rate & blood pressure, gastrointestinal function & that of the bowels & bladder. It affects our ability to speak & swallow, too, so when it’s out of whack, we can have have broad reaching symptoms that “don’t add up” & as a result, many doctors can’t figure out what’s going on so people w/ vagal issues get tagged as hypochondriacs. Jules also noted that there are other things in your life which can ramp up anxiety, stress being a major player, & you have plenty of that.
It is my humble, non-medical opinion that when you have days where you’re working as you described in your first post, & your neck is supporting your head as you lift it up & down under a truck you’re repairing, that causes not only potential styloid movement but also muscle strain which means the muscles get inflamed & put additional pressure on your nerves (beyond what the styloids are already doing). This in turn causes your symptoms to increase. I had a very similar reaction before my ES surgeries when I was seeing a personal trainer who had me doing “rope slamming” as an upper body, core & anaerobic workout. My ES symptoms went crazy. I couldn’t catch my breath, my blood pressure dropped really low, felt like I was going to pass out & other ES symptoms increased. I learned pretty quickly that I couldn’t do that level of exercise w/ elongated styloids in place.
I have two suggestions for you: 1) When you have a work day similar to the one above, ice your neck whenever you have a break, even for 5 min. & for sure once you get home, wear an ice pack around your neck for 15-20 min. a couple of times before bed. Icing your shoulder might also be of benefit. 2) If there’s any way you can contrive to support your head when under a vehicle so you don’t have to use solely use your neck to lift & lower your head, that will also help you not to have a repeat of the above situation.
Relaxation breathing, yoga, stretching, whatever feels most beneficial will also be a nice addition. There are many free YouTube videos that offer classes in these things.
I hope your symptoms settle back down soon!
Vagus Nerve Image.docx (81.7 KB)
Thanks again ladies for a response 
I watched a girl rope slam in the local gym, I was in there for physio so I tried the rope slam and it was I that got slammed, thought I was strong enough.
Respect for trying!
Such an agglomeration of horrid stuff going on I at a loss of what to do
Can’t feel the bone pocking into the styloid as it’s moved back up to where it was pocking through the mouth
Urination is not right today and IBS issues
Need to move the bone again preferably with my chain saw
Optimistic,
You never cease to leave me smiling or laughing by the end of your posts. I am so sorry for the hard things & variety of symptoms you’re dealing with. Keep politely pushing the doctor’s office for a surgery date if that feels like the right thing to do. They shouldn’t have left you hanging even this long, in my opinion.
You definitely have my respect for trying rope slamming. It was at the bottom of the list of things I liked to do at the gym. I’m no longer a gym rat. Have thrown myself full time into putting in big miles on our local hiking trails. Much prefer being outside. 
Oh, I can just imagine you with a chain saw 
No place like being outside, and it free!
Trees up root and run when they see me coming!
Speaking of such things, optimistic, I did a long hike yesterday & had to climb over a giant tree that had recently fallen & taken out a lot of smaller trees. Made the hike a bit more of an adventure! That tree must have heard of you from afar. 
I wear a neck brace when having symptoms. It usually helps. Not sure if it practical at work, but give it a try.
they up rooted and ran for nothing as the chain saw is broken and I wait for parts
Nice one 
Get the lungs working and blood pumping and
Legs burning
optimistic,
You are hilarious!!
We climbed 3552 feet in 21 miles. Got the heart pumping for sure! I wear compression socks which keep my lower legs happy & pain free when I do these long, harder hikes but struggle w/ a little hamstring trouble from all the climbing. It would help if I stretched afterward. I’m trying to get to doing that.
I continue to feel blessed & thankful that my ES surgeries gave back my ability to do these things.
That’s some hike!
Gain per mile is 169 foot ?, 21 mile is some distance and I’d be hard pushed because of the busted femur, on a dirt bike no problem
( a hikers worst enemy, I know…but I’m always respectful of others who share our mountains)
To hike that distance shows strength of character, I was in the army at a young age an it was common for us back then to do that distance, and as a long distance runner no problem, but now?
No chance.
After surgery possibly
Hats off to you!