# Update - pain and brain fog **URL:** \ **Category:** Symptoms and Treatments\ **Created:** [September 6, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250 "2026-09-06T00:51:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Emmaann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/emmaann/32/13812_2.png) [@Emmaann](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Emmaann)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/1 "2026-09-06T00:51:04Z")
Hi guys, I really need some help. I had my second surgery almost a month ago now. I’ve been very depressed. My brain fog has not lifted and I’m still in so much pain on my most current side I can barely eat. Is this normal? Do I still have a chance of my brain fog lifting and is the pain normal? I did see the NP at my surgeon’s this Monday and she said everything looked good. I’m sorry I haven’t written - I tend to shut down completely when I get depressed. Please let me know. 🙏🙏🙏 ---
**Author:** ![Isaiah\_40\_31](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/isaiah_40_31/32/3054_2.png) [@Isaiah\_40\_31](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Isaiah_40_31)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 2:19am UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/2 "2026-09-06T02:19:00Z")
@Emmaann - It’s not uncommon for it to take 3-4 months after IJV decompression surgery for symptoms to begin to disappear. It can take 2 months for post op swelling to fully go away & as long as there’s inflammation left, the IJV symptoms & nerve pain can continue to be present. Are you still sleeping with head elevation at night? Are you icing or applying heat to your neck to help with healing? Are you taking it easy during the days i.e. not pushing yourself to accomplish things when you just feel like resting? Taking life at a very slow pace for at least a couple of months post op is a critical aid to healing. Some of our members who’ve had persistent head pressure post op have gotten an Rx for a blood thinner to take for several months while healing progresses more substantially, & that’s helped w/ headaches/head pressure. Others have had very tight neck muscles which seemed to be contributing to continued IJV compression, & taking an Rx muscle relaxant was helpful. Others have found a tapering dose of dexamethasone or prednisone has helped. Would you be willing to try one of those to see if you could get some relief? It’s good news that the NP says everything looks good, but she can only look from the outside & can’t see what’s going on, on the inside as far as swelling/healing. Take heart that externally you’re healing well, & the internal surgical area is still working hard toward recovery. ES surgery especially w/ IJV decompression isn’t a quick recovery. It’s also not linear so symptoms can come & go for a number of months before gradually going away or significantly reducing. A positive mindset & trusting that your body is working hard to get better will help you feel better & will also help with healing. Look for small gains since surgery & dwell on those. 💝 ---
**Author:** ![lsheep](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/lsheep/32/14121_2.png) [@lsheep](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/lsheep)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/3 "2026-09-06T03:04:25Z")
I am so sorry you are still feeling those symptoms so intensely! I hope and pray it’s just apart of the healing process and that it will get significantly better for you asap. 💛 ---
**Author:** ![Emmaann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/emmaann/32/13812_2.png) [@Emmaann](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Emmaann)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 3:25am UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/4 "2026-09-06T03:25:55Z")
Thank you! 🙏 @Isaiah_40_31 I have been using ice and have slowed down a lot. I am on Eliquis twice a day and a baby aspirin at night. I also did a round of steroids last week. I think I may have been doing too much and I also only had my first surgery about 2 months ago. I’ve just never been in this amount of pain and have had so much done to me medically - I am so used to pain and have a high tolerance to it. I’m taking Advil and Tylenol with caffeine and small dose of muscle relaxer in it also. ---
**Author:** ![Emmaann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/emmaann/32/13812_2.png) [@Emmaann](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Emmaann)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 3:26am UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/5 "2026-09-06T03:26:14Z")
@isheep thank you! 🤍 ---
**Author:** ![Jules](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/jules/32/404_2.png) [@Jules](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Jules)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 2:15pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/6 "2026-09-06T14:15:48Z")
I’m sorry that you’re not doing great after surgery, it must be really upsetting and frustrating for you… A link to this surgery time line was posted recently, I don’t know if it’s helpful: [Styloidectomy Recovery: Timeline & Healing Arc](https://www.eaglesyndrome.net/styloidectomy-recovery) But I would’ve thought being in so much pain you can’t eat is something which should’ve resolved, a month out & the brain fog not lifting yet is not surprising as it can take the brain a while to adjust… Did the steroids not help at all? Sending you hugs and prayers 🤗 🙏 ---
**Author:** ![Isaiah\_40\_31](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/isaiah_40_31/32/3054_2.png) [@Isaiah\_40\_31](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Isaiah_40_31)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 8:52pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/7 "2026-09-06T20:52:44Z")
@Emmaann - Well you’re certainly doing all the right things to help yourself. I’ll pray for you to begin to see forward progress toward healing. I totally understand how hard it is to feel optimistic in the midst of constant, debilitating pain. Here’s a healing 🤗 from me, too. 💝 ---
**Author:** ![Emmaann](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/emmaann/32/13812_2.png) [@Emmaann](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Emmaann)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 9:43pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/8 "2026-09-06T21:43:10Z")
@Jules im going to call my surgeon’s office Tuesday or possibly even go to the ER if the pain doesn’t let up to make sure nothing is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Jules](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitheagle.org/jules/32/404_2.png) [@Jules](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/Jules)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/9 "2026-09-07T12:06:57Z")
I hope that you don’t need to go and it resolves 🤗 🙏 ---
**Author:** ![MGORNEAU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@MGORNEAU](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/u/MGORNEAU)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitheagle.org/t/update-pain-and-brain-fog/24250/10 "2026-09-07T19:25:25Z")
@Emmaann I’ve been wondering how you’re doing and really wish it were more positive news we were hearing. My experience with styloidectomy and brain fog it didn’t lift until I was into month four, and I have a feeling your surgery was more involved than mine with Dr. Osborne, so healing time may vary quite a bit. I’m really sorry this has you so down, but I do get it. Just a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself, your body needs time to heal. And definitely call them and ask for something more to help with the pain, especially since it’s making it hard to eat. If they haven’t prescribed Toradol yet, that might be worth asking about. I’m allergic to steroids, and after my surgery with Dr. Liu my head felt like it was going to explode, so he prescribed Toradol and it helped me a lot. It’s a strong prescription NSAID, not an opioid or narcotic. It’s generally only used short-term because of risks, but for me it worked really well to take the edge off short term.