Hey friends., I have an upcoming appt with Dr Hernendez Jan 16. I had my left side done in Sept . Im still having earaches and face pain .My right side is calcified thick and long .will that need to be removed???
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It’s a personal decision, as obviously the surgery carries risks…do you get any symptoms from your right side specifically? I think we’ve mentioned before about how some members have experienced cross-over pain, so that’s something to consider. I opted for my second side to be done as although the pain was nothing like as bad as the first side, I did still get some pain especially after the first surgery (does the worst side mask the other side, or could everything have shifted a bit after the first surgery, who knows?!) I decided I wanted to be as good as I could be, & as I still had IJV compression, I wanted to get rid of that. Also I felt that I’d found a really good surgeon, and wanted to get the other side done while he was still doing the surgery, or in case he moved elsewhere etc. I’m glad that I did, as apart from the surgery going really well, he’s doing less styloidectomies now, so that’s something to consider too, but only you know what symptoms you’re getting & whether you feel going through the surgery will be of benefit. Plus if your right side is thick & long, as you age it could cause more symptoms…
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I completely agree with Jules regarding the possibility of crossover pain as the result of things shifting now that one styloid is gone. Because your other styloid is long & thick as you mentioned, @Michael123, there’s a good chance you won’t experience full recovery from symptoms until the second one is taken out. I hope Dr. Hernandez will give you his opinion on this subject when you have your appt. w/ him. I will pray for you to have wisdom to make the right decision. 
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Ty guys. Just wanted too get some advice and vent .In my mind I know its necessary to try and move on in my full recovery. Dr Hernandez had already told me no guarantee what symtoms will leave once surgery was done and I understand .Thank god I got alot of relief from my first surgery and will continue my fight with Eagles​:muscle:
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Ty jules Im getting discomfort mostly on the left side where the styloid was removed.but the right styloid can be felt in my throat .so maybe its pushing left.I also still have first bite . I know Dr Hernandez work and he is the best in louisiana so hands down he will be the only one to perform my surgery.I 58 and really would love to get this out the way .lol
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I was also 58 when I had my styloids removed, @Michael123! It took my nerves close to a year to recover after each surgery. I had significant pain reduction by 6 mos. after each surgery but still had little flare ups off & on for the next 6 mos. Symptoms did disappear gradually so as time passed they were less & less bothersome. The only thing that hasn’t really gone is my First Bite Syndrome, but it only happens once in awhile now & is much less intense than at first. Thankfully I only have it on one side. I’ve found that if I stay very hydrated (that’s 80 oz of fluid/day for me) the pain is vastly reduced.
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Hi, so I had my second styloid removed in Nov & it has improved levels of pain & pressure more than first side alone did. Still have issues but compared to before both ops pain, pressure etc is vastly reduced. I can feel my JVs open now when lie down if place fingers under ear/jawline. As you say no guarantees but if there is venous compression I’d expect removal of second styloid could help you. I had my ops 3 months apart. Good luck! D
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It was harder to face 2nd surgery as I knew what would follow after first time!
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I would have to say, getting the 2nd surgery was an easy choice for me. My first surgery though, I did have some first bite which didn’t last long and my TMJ ramped up for awhile after the surgery. I went for that side because I had the most pain there and it was highly inflamed. Looking back, I wish I had down the other side first as there was not so much inflammation.
My other existing styloid reminded me it was there about 6 weeks after 1st surgery in a big way. Luckily it passed after a few days but it cemented for me I would do other side. Interestingly, even though the 2nd side was longer, that surgery was a breeze. No first bite and no TMJ flair. None of this stuff is predictable.
If you have any type of TMJ, you may have to be realistic about the chance of all your symptoms going away might not happen. Im still getting ear and facial pain 2 years after ES surgery but I also have some other underlying conditions that contribute to that.
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Thank you Dee for the advice.Will keep you guys update​:heart:
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Thank you snapple . I really need to hear this .Gives me hope for more relief.
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Hey my friend! I agree with all the others have stated. I am glad to have them both out and gone. I am still healing as you know but the range of motion alone that I have with my neck that I didn’t have before is just HUGE. I wouldn’t have had that with just the one side removed. Keep us posted on how things go and what is decided. Here for you!!! 
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Awww Ty Dee,Glad you doing better. My doctor only does one at a time.Dont think I could handle both side the way my Dr does it. Will keep you guys updated.
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Lol Dee I know .
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Slowly but surely definitely not wishing my life away but wish I could fast forward a few months to “see how I’m doing” post op. We will get there my friend!! Wishing you the best at your appointment and look forward to hearing what is decided.
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Really glad to hear you’ve had some significant improvement now. How much would you say your lymph drainage device you rent has contributed to your improvement?
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I use the machine every night before I sleep (on arms & stomach areas) to clear trapped fluid before I sleep. Then when body wakes me due to fluid build up (normally about 4 hours) I use it to clear the fluid again. It’s main thing I rely on to help move fluids from head & neck. I can feel fluid moving. Sometimes use daytime too if relaxing. I am still feeling seriously unwell with head & neck issues but it provides meaningful relief and I hope it will help my body normalise itself with time. My weekly/bi-weekly Vodder lymph drainage sessions with Hivamat machine have been very helpful for surgical recovery. Greatly flattens/reduced neck scaring and swelling. No idea if my head can sort itself out or not but in meantime above is helping me cope better. D
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I’m so sorry to hear you’re still dealing with such ghastly head and neck issues. What are your most pressing issues if you don’t mind sharing?
I don’t know if this will be much help but I thought I would just pass on any of my bookmarked studies on the glymphatic system that may or may not in someway be of value…
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Oh and this paper below, perhaps taking a melatonin supplement may help increase the duration of time you’re asleep and possibly…help keep you in deep sleep for longer, which I think is the time when the glymphatic system is working optimally. For some reason the only consistently effective melatonin supplement I’ve found is Natrol fast dissolve flavoured tablets. I’ve tried Now foods, Life Extension, even Natrol’s normal unflavoured pills and they did nada. If you’d like any help sourcing the fast dissolve tablets, do let me know.
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Thank you. I will look at these with interest. D
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