Hi
Just wondering if anyone experienced severe headaches after undergoing MVD surgery? My husband has his surgery on Monday and us really struggling with sever headaches. Thanks for any advice.
Sorry about the spelling mistakes, stupid phone!
I didn't have headaches, but I had a lot of pain in my neck. I also had so bad balance problem that I couldn't stand up. It took 14 days to go away. I think your husband headache might settle down also. But check with the surgeon to be sure. First 14 days after the surgery I felt like I have been hit by a bus, it was horrible.
Hi Michelle
I believe it to be normal, I had headaches and felt like I bit hit by a bus for about two weeks after, the headaches did subside, he needs to relax not worry and rest.
Drugs, drugs, and more drugs. I was on Percoset and morphine Dilaudid in the hospital, followed by more Percoset and a muscle relaxer at home. There was little to no head pain for me...or any pain at all for that matter. Lol
My balance was poor for a couple of weeks, as was my hearing on the side of the MVD, which was expected. Everything is normal 4 weeks after except partial numbness on that side of my head, which isn't a problem.
That shoud've just said "Dilaudid", which is a form of morphine.
Hi Michelle,
I am just sharing my experience as i did have VERY severe headaches post my MVD surgery which was 5 months ago. Before i go into a description, i would strongly suggest that you stay on your surgeons about this and do not let them ingnore you as mine did. My headaces lasted 4-6 weeks post surgery, They were usually bad enough to where i couldn't sleep more than 2-3 hours at night even with meds. Then about 5 weeks post surgery came the most severe headache of all and i had to be taken to the ER. They gave me morphine and it did not help at all, then they waited an hour and gave me Delaudid. Delaudid helped reduce the pain by 50 percent. Next was another MRI , the MRI report showed that i had a minor pontine infarct ( brain stroke ). My surgeons kept brushing away the severity of the pain, saying that it's just post surgery inflamation and fluid accumulation and that the MRI report was read incorrectly. They then put me on a steroid prescription for 1 week and after that i was ok. No more headaches. My physical health since then has been fine and no more TN pain, I had my MRI report shown to 2 more radiologists and they both confirmed that it was a minor pontine infarct that i suffered due to surgery because the pre surgery MRI didn't show any of that. The theory is that ( and we are not sure at this point), during surgery they accidently damaged one of the smaller blood vessels that supply blood from the Basilar artery to the Pontine area ( base of the brain). In my case they were trying to wedge teflon between the offending tortuous Basilar artery and the Tregeminal nerve. Please stay on your surgeons about any symptoms of pain post surgery. I hope everything works out well for your husband.
Hi saaz79347
Thanks so much for your reply, brought my husband home from hospital today, he's had the same procedure as you had by the sound of it. I'll monitor him closely with these headaches and will be sure to contact his Consultant if they don't subside. He does have to go back to the hospital ward next week for the stitches out of the wound so if they're no better at least I can bring it up whilst we're there. He also says he feels like he's been hit by a bus, we honestly weren't prepared for this at all. Think we may have underestimated just how invasive this surgery is. He's still having some twinges of pain from the TG but I think he just needs to be patient with this and wait until the nerve and the surrounding area settles. Once again thanks for replying.
Michelle.
Thanks Jill your reply is very much appreciated.
Michelle
Thanks dona40912, just sharing experiences with other people is a great help. He's saying he feels like he's been hit by a bus too and has awful nausea.
Michelle
Hi, I had my MVD in March, I'll never forget thinking I'd never recover the first few weeks post surgery. The headaches, deafness, in my left ear, the nausea and vomiting and dizziness was horrific in the first 7-10 days post surgery. My potassium levels dropped too to a dangerous level which made me feel unwell on top of everything else. It's not an easy recovery, but you will get there, I went back to work after 8 weeks (part time) and gently built my hours up. I still have some pain in my head near my wound and I have occasional TN pain but nothing to what I suffered before. I've come down from 1600mg MRTegratol to 200mg per day. Stay positive, and good luck with your recovery.
Thank you so much for your input, it is all proving to be of great comfort to my husband and I. So glad I joined this forum. Take care.
I had so bad nausea that I had to take some pills for that. Doctor said that it will go over but I was suffering so bad that I asked for pills. It did go over so your husband should not worry.
Thanks clint71. He just needs to be patient I suppose.
I was painfree ulmost immediately after the surgery .