Hi -
I'm new here and this is my first post, although I have read a lot of helpful posts. Thank you!
Just had suboccipital surgery two weeks ago to take out my 3cm tumor. Mass General here in Boston w/ Barker and McKenna.
Feeling pretty good and everything is to be as expected, I guess. I am back working from home and no more vertigo or dizziness and the headaches are slowly subsiding. The surgery was tougher than I expected to be, as were the first 3-4 days, but I am rapidly becoming myself again, maybe 85% now? The paralysis is slowing subsiding and really the biggest thing to get used to is the SSD.
However, one thing that is still bothering me - that I can't find any guidance on - is swelling under my scalp near the incision. I went to get my sutures out this week and the NP said she wanted to keep them in one more week out of caution. On the back of my head under my scalp is a palm size area that feels like a puffy water balloon. No pain or anything, but it's just weird and bothersome. The nurse said it was CSF and that she wasn't worried about it at all and that it would resolve on its own, but that hasn't stopped me from worrying about. No fever, no nasal or ear drip, just this weird puffy spot.
Is this common? How long will it take to resolve? Can it be "drained" without having to go back into surgery?
Thanks very much for all the helpful posts in the past few months. It has all been very educational and useful.
Best -
jmg
