After Surgery Advice

[Savage]

 
I had my original surgery on January 31st, 2007 for a benign AN tumor on my right side of the brain, 2.1cm in size. I spent four days in ICU before being released. When I returned to see my Dr's for a post check-up, I told them about all my symptoms and the fact that I had a sinal leakage from my right side of my nose. They sent me home and told me to contimue to recover and after the leakage became more prevalent and the headaches became stronger, only then when I called to ask about my condition did they say I needed a shunt in my lower lumbar to release the pressure and stop the leakage and pain.
I was readmitted into the hospital on April 10th and operated again on the 11th(they went into the same area to stop the leakage) and at the same time placed the shunt into my lower spine to release the fluid.
This time I spend six days in the hospital and I still today have a metal taste in my mouth and feel there may still be a leakage into my throat, but not through my nose. I wanting to know if anyone has also experienced this type of problem. It has been less then 30 days since my 2nd surgery AND now my Dr is telling me I should be totally cured and back to work?
I am still totally exhausted when I attempt to do much of anything. I still have balance problems when attempting anything of a physical nature and am just asking for advice and understanding from others that have had the same type of problems and how long it might have lasted. What is the typical time frame at which most people are ready and able to return to work? I work a very strenuous job in heavy duty truck parts and must stand an entire shift of 8 1/2 hrs a day and lift heavy objects. I can't even drive long distances before becoming tired and exhausted and can't even get my Dr to understand that at 60 years old, I'm just not recovering as fast as someone younger.........especially after having two surgeries in less then 60 days on the same area of my brain.

any advice would be appreciated

[Obita]

Hello there Savage:

Welcome to the forum.

I was 50 when I had surgery and was bushed after 4 hours of doing my job that is not physical.  I can't imagine doing yours so soon.  Post op fatigue is the pits and very real.  Also, I would worry about you lifting heavy truck parts.  I couldn't lift more than a half gallon of milk for a month.  Does your surgeon know what you do for a living?

I do hope you can get your doctor to listen to you.  My surgeons told me to let them know when I was ready to go back to work.

The metal taste lasted many months for me.  I have heard that the CF leak tastes like salt.

Good luck to you, Kathy 

[Joef]

If your having CSF (leak) problems , you should NOT lift anything over 10 pounds for a while (I least thats what I was told. how long was your surgery .. I find it usually takes 1 month for every hour .. so in my case I was 6 hours.. and it was right, about 6 months before I felt normal! .. now I worked at at desk after 8 weeks.. but they went right to bed when I got home formany weeks....

[Cheryl R]

A year ago I had a CSF leak surgery 2 weeks after  my translab but I never had to have the drain.    My drainage was from my nose.  I was back to work in 7 weeks but it has took me a year to feel really back to normal.    You may have the metallic taste for quite some time so that alone is not a indicator of anything wrong.      I have a salty taste alot but I had a facial neuroma with a nerve graft and this involves the whole right side of my mouth.    I never actually had the salty taste when had the leak.               If your work release is dependent on this doctor than you need to keep telling them how you feel and you are not ready.             I have found over the years with my surgeries that doctors really don't have a clue about what it feels like afterwards.         Everyone varies with their recovery and 2 surgeries do send you for a loop.
           Hang in there!         It will get better in time.                       Cheryl R

[redgrl]

Cheryl i totaly agree with you. If they haven't been through it they have no clue how long recovery takes. From every aspect people are  different. All i know is don't rush your recovery. 

[Dorothy]

Hi Savage:

The first surgeon that I talked to regarding my left-sided AN was a Doctor Johnston at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon, NH in April, 2005.  I was 58, very healthy, and had a 1.5 cm tumor with only diminished hearing as a symptom.  I was working in accounting 40 hours/week at the time.  He told me that considering what my work was, I would have to be out of work for at least two months and then only back to work part-time for a month.  He also stated that if my job was physical it would probably be six months and if I were a pilot it would be at least a year even without complications!  I did not have my surgery at Dartmouth - I had it at MGH in Boston and my surgeons left it up to me as to when I could return to work after my six week checkup - definitely could not return before then. ( I had a 10 hour sub-occipital surgery with no real complications.) When I returned to work, I was unusually very tired for at least six months.  I also have a metallic taste in my mouth, but it has gradually gotten less noticeable.  Some foods still taste strange.

I think your Doctor is being unrealistic and not very fair with you.  Has he/she done this surgery frequently?  My doctors seemed to be very knowledgeable about how I might feel afterwards: very tired, weak, depressed etc. They were very adament about any lifting, cough and straining for at least six weeks. Your job sounds very physical and you had two surgeries with complications - your doctor is not impressing me, and I feel concerned for you.  Please be persistent with your physician or possibly try for a second opinion???

Dotti

[linny]

  I am sorry for you and I certainly understand. I had AN surgery July 19th 2006 my brain swelled and had water on the brain they had to stop and I had a shunt put in my head a week later I had to go back for them to finish the job. And again I got the shunt (drain) in my spine, I was in ICU for a month. so 2 surgerys in one month plus I have been back for eye surgery. I have facial paralyzes and fatigue I am a mail carrier(it is hard work also) I still havent been back to work. Its been 7 months now, I have balance problems and vision , deaf in my left ear and some short term memory loss. I am 55yrs old and I can relate to the fact that when your older it is harder to recuperate. I am presently trying to get SSD I dont think I will ever be the same again.  If it comes back I will be at a loss and ready to give up this has been traumatic for me. I went dingy after the first surgery  I thought nurses were trying to kill me and all crazy stuff then after second surgery I got facial paralyzes. I wish you luck we will have to wait and see how our age does. 

[Diwas]

My wife just went through an AN surgery and she also had CSF leak from her nose after surgery.  She actually contracted meningitis because of the leak and had an extended stay in the hospital.

I remember her neurosurgeon saying that if she tasted CSF on the back of the throat, then the leak was not completely sealed. In my wife's case, the ENT surgeon performed a second surgery to cover any exposed air cells on the side of the tumor removal with belly fat.  She had a spinal drain put in her prior to this surgery, which had temporarily stopped the leak. 

Her CT scans clearly showed the exposed air cells filled with fluids when she had the CSF leak. 

Hope this information helps..

[Boppie]

Your doctor should be willing to sign the order and say you need more time before doing heavy work.  Your company doesn't want an on the job injury due to a problem that you may have with lifting.  Can they give you some desk work or light maintenance tasks to fill up the time you need to heal?  Your company can afford to keep you safe on the job.

I agree you need more healing time and should be getting extra sleep at night, more than you needed per night pre op. 

Maybe you weren't brought up in a time when doctors needed your opinion, but believe me you have one and you owe it to yourself to look the doc in the eye and tell him what you need from him.  I know how hard it is to give the doc orders.  I am 65 and I had to learn that. 

[Windsong]

what does csf taste like pls? how would one know that's what is sliding down one's throat and not juts mucous or sinus?
thanks.