Thanks Overcomer1 !!! All the best to you too!
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Hi jwise219 - Interesting that Dr. Lentsch does both forms of ES surgery. Iām glad you found him & that the doc in FL scared you off w/ how invasive his surgical plan was. I think you were very smart to change doctors.
God is so good to give us wisdom just when we need it - even if itās via a āgut feelingā - that works for me!
Sounds like you had bilateral surgery all at once. Thatās HUGE to recover from. So glad youāve seen such significant changes already!
Hey Isaiahā¦Yes, I did have both removed at the same time. I was tough for a couple of weeks. They gave me steroid in liquid form that kept my throat from swelling shut, that was my biggest fear. Pain set in around week 2, I never used the drugs they gave me for pain, not that I didnāt need them, I just prefer not to. I used extra strength Tylenol and wrapped my neck in ice. Also slept with ice wrapped around my necked, it truly worked better than any drug. They gave me antibiotics and a throat spray when I left the hospital. I was very fortunate not to get an infection as Doc had stated that it is very normal with that kind of surgery to get infection. Overall I have had it really good. I am a strong believer in God and prayer as is my family, so there was a lot of that going on. I go up and down with feeling ok to feeling really good. I just have to remind myself to slow down and let myself heal. The part of me that is a severe type A personality wants to go and do as fast as I canā¦ha!! Making up for a lot of lost years. I always know that āgut feelingā is God, He has never failed me yet. I just have to listen. Glad I could share and hopefully give others hope. I was at the edge of giving up when I was diagnosed. Itās hard to deal with year after year as everyone on here knows. Donāt lose the faith is my best advice.
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So, when you say āthe original ligamentā, what is that? And is that the ligament that is connected to the hyoid bone? Because my hyoid bone is the reason my NP figured out I have ES. I have such severe pain if the hyoid even moves and the ENT said that the ligament is super tight. So, will that fix itself after the styloid is removed? Because that would be fantastic 
Been thinking about you! My issue was at the hyoid (got caught up with each swallow) and is gone gone gone!
Sending prayers and good thoughts on your healing!
My surgery took about 6 hours because they did both sides through my mouth. Good luck with your surgery. You are on your way to a better life. Recovery will be long and painful but, you will get through it. I did! Itās all good.
jwise219, What a great testimony! I too had to pray my way to healing. I suffered for 17 long years. I gave up so many times but, my Father, My Elohim had mercy on me and gave me the strength to keep moving forward and pursue my healing. You have to give it all to Him. ES is not for weak people, it is pain, all consuming and you cry allot. It is the hardest trial to walk in. I was finally diagnosed and I did the surgery and my life change for the better. I pray for those who are still seeking a diagnoses and are desperate for relief from 24/7 pain.
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jwise219 ~
Thank you for this wonderful post. So encouraging! Iām very thankful you have family that prays for you! What a blessing to be supported spiritually as well as physically during your healing time. I applaud your decision to use ice & Tylenol during recovery. Iām sure that was much easier on your body than narcotics. I wasnāt able to do that & took Percocet for 6 weeks post op (Iāve always given myself credit for having a high pain thresholdā¦this was a humbling experienceā¦).
As youāve noted, there will be great days, good days, & days where your body says, āGIVE ME A BREAK!ā Be a good listener & respond accordingly, & your healing will go faster & more smoothly.
HOORAY for our God Who NEVER abandons us & always hears our prayers!
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So happy to read your story. Iām moving to Charleston this June and I think Iām getting close to ready to have surgery. I came across Dr. Lentsch and wanted to see if anyone had some personal experience with him. Your account is very reassuring!
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Hi Jwise219, I was wondering how are your symptoms now? I had surgery on my right side 5 years back and last year was told the side I had surgery on has come back double in size. I had put off getting the left side done after being told by a Doctor at UCLA that he wasnāt in agreement that I needed the left side done and that it wasnāt Eagles syndrome all to say Heās a ENT that does Eagles syndrome surgery. I was very discouraged after going to him. So much more to this, but I now would like to find a Doctor to do both at the same time as you have had. I hope you are doing well.
Hi @Overcomer1 -
I am so sorry to read that your symptoms have come back & your styloid has regrown. Regarding whom to see for bilateral surgery, the āgo toā doctor for that is Dr. Hackman in Chapel Hill, NC. Heās helped many of our members including a number from your state.
Heās also the only doctor on our doctor list for the US who consistently does bilateral ES surgery.
I have to comment on your experience w/ the doctor at UCLA just to say that weāve had a number of members whoāve gotten bad advice from very seasoned ES doctors. Too many of them donāt know, or donāt acknowledge, the wide variety of symptoms ES can cause. They form an opinion that certain symptoms (for example: sore throat, feeling of something stuck in the throat) MUST BE present or a personās symptoms arenāt caused by ES. This is flat out WRONG!! I am angry on your behalf that an ES doctor denied you the proper help by dismissing symptoms that were most likely being caused by your remaining styloid.
ā¢Dr. Trevor Hackman, UNC Ear, Nose and Throat Oncology Clinic ā in the N.C. Cancer Hospital, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, (984) 974-6484 (Does external or intraoral robotic surgery - removes styloid to skull base & stylohyoid ligament. Heās also a microvascular surgeon).
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