2 weeks post op questions

[Manders]

Oh dear, I'm having translab and I'm definitely a side sleeper. What exactly makes it uncomfortable to sleep on once the incision has healed?

[Cheryl R]

Just general tenderness in the area since nerves and muscles  are affected with the incision.      The pressure of laying on it can hurt and can be different for each person.  Can be some swelling for a time or for some isn't.     There can be numbness.       I've had surgery on both sides and it varied in time for each side.  I've had both mid fossa and translab.     Now can't remember which was longer before could be comfortable sleeping on that side.    I know sometime it was weeks.      It was March 23rd 2006 when had the translab so 6 yrs ago and then the darn CSF leak and back in again.     That was the facial neuroma surgery.    Hard to believe it's been 6 yrs.           Tried  more than one position with different pillows so could even lay for a short time on the surgery side as got tired of laying on the other side and my back.                                      Cheryl R 

[mindyandy]

Thanks guys. I had retro & I feel a small squishy lump behind my ear on the top part of incision. Not painful and there is no leaking. Could have been there right after surgery?  Im just now getting nerves to touch it. Its not big  I just don't know whats normal.

[mk]

Mindy, my neurosurgeon explained to me that as the occipital nerves rewire I will be feeling a lot of strange sensations. You are only 2 weeks out, so I think that what you are feeling is entirely normal. It took me much longer than that to get sensation on the back of my head, and when I did it felt really funny. For example I touched my head on one spot and it felt like I was touching another spot. Remember that the muscle and the nerves have been cut, and nerves need a lot of time to regenerate. Also, as swelling subsides your head will feel differently.
I must say that I still cannot sleep comfortably on my AN side (and I am a side sleeper). It doesn't hurt, but it still feels weird.

Marianna

[jaylogs]

Manders, in answer to your question on why it's hard to sleep on my AN side, It hink a lot of it has to do with the fact I had all the surgeries for my BAHA.  I had the original surgery, then it didn't heal right, so I had the abutment taken out and then another surgery to cover it all up to heal my scalp. That right there was a lot of stitches.  Then another surgery to put the abutment back in.  So that's probably why my scalp just feels werid on that side, even now.  Plus I like sleeping on the good side cuz my mostly deaf ear is up and I can't hear anything which would wake me up, so its my own little ear muff, so to speak!!
Jay

[Manders]

So, Jay, it sounds like for you it was more of the BAHA surgeries than the translab making sleeping on your AN side uncomfortable. I'm hoping and praying mine doesn't bother me after surgery. I'm already a restless sleeper and that would just be one more thing to keep me up at night.
I'll have to be sure to ask the surgeons about that at my pre-op sesh next week.

[stephSF]

Manders, I had Translab 9 weeks ago tomorrow.  I am a side sleeper and started trying it within a week post op.  I think after 2-3 weeks it didn't bother me much and now not at all ( sleeping) subject.  I have no head aches, no facial problems.  My left taste buds are still funky, but no big deal.  Just tell yourself it's just a couple of weeks for some of the tough stuff.  And really, what is a couple of weeks in the big picture.  who are you having operate on you? 
Stephanie

[Manders]

Stephanie,

I'm already psyching myself up to be prepared for the first few weeks following surgery. I know they'll be the biggest hump to get over and it'll just get better from there. I guess I got a little concerned when I heard others say that they never really got comfortable with sleeping on their AN side again. I can go a couple weeks without doing that but not forever. lol I'm glad to hear you were able to go back to sleeping regularly on your side.
I'm having surgery at the Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Woodson and Dr. Gonzalez-Martinez.

[tx-anp]

I'm at 4 weeks post Translab surgery.  I still have a few bumps around the incision area and some numbness as well.  Besides that I feel pretty much back to normal.

[mindyandy]

Tx-anp
I had surgery March 7th so im 1 week behind you. Im back at work & doing good. Where did you have surgery? I had mine at House. Dr. Friedman & Dr Schwartz both are.very good.

[tx-anp]

It took me about 3 weeks before I could sleep on my side where I had the surgery.  It's pretty much back to normal for me now at 4 weeks.  I always liked to sleep on either my side or my stomach.  It was uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach as well because of where they took the fat out.  The only problem I found now is that when I sleep on my stomach and my good ear is on the pillow I can't hear my alarm clock to get up for work.  That's not good... 

[CHD63]

Re: not hearing an alarm .....

I found the ring tone called "Digital" on my iPhone will wake the dead so I use that ..... but I also have a Shake Awake alarm that I can clip right to my pillow, for those occasions where I dare not oversleep (air flights, etc.).

Clarice