Today is the three week anniversary of my styloid removal. It was 5cm long, and was removed via intraoral process due to angle/positioning. It was also a blend of classic eagles and vascular with some compression of the carotid and chafing of the surrounding nerves.
The surgery went great, and all the physical symptoms went away immediately, but I still seem to be struggling with a number of the vascular/nerve issues, specifically some chest tightness, nerve tingling, etc.
For those of you who have experienced the vascular/nerve version of this syndrome, are these residual symptoms/issues fairly common, and how long do they typically hang around.
I’m guessing part of the issue is just how taxed my nervous system was going into surgery, but any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Nerves can take a long time to heal, up to 6 months, I had improvements still after a year, so patience is definitely needed, unfortunately. The side of my face & ear was quite numb post-surgery, but gradually improved, & is nearly back to normal now. Not only has the damage/ irritation to the nerves from the styloid got to heal, but there will have also been stretching possibly & irritation from the surgery itself to heal.
Occasionally when the blood vessels have been compressed alot they don’t always spring back properly so there could be some symptoms left. The only treatment then I think is stenting, but my doctor said that there can be downsides to that. Luckily after I had the second side done, pretty much all the vascular symptoms went.
I hope that things improve soon for you, but glad that some symptoms have improved. Patience, & don’t over do things!
I agree w/ Jules! It took 2 months post op before I really began to feel “normal” again. I was in good physical condition going into surgery & was quite surprised at the slow pace I seemed to recover. Patience is key. Continue to take it easy when you have “tired” days. Listening & responding to your body’s “requests” is vital to a quicker recovery.
Thanks for the replies. So, it sounds like it takes a while to get back any stamina or endurance… I have hours at a time where i feel great, but then fall into bouts of absolute exhaustion. I guess its to be expected with the toll this condition takes.
ES surgery is considered major surgery even though it may not seem like it. Your body is working hard to recover so when you feel good & get busy, it will be easy to wear yourself out more quickly w/o realizing it until you experience fatique. Try to pace yourself so you don’t end up exhausted & unfunctioning (which is your body’s way of saying - too much, too soon!).
