Consistent Foggy, Fuzzy & Heavy Head

[mch]

Hi,

I am just over 10 weeks post-op for AN on left side -12mm x 15mm x 17mm rectosigmoid surgery, 60 degree Sugita Head Frame, 5 hours.
I did lose the hearing on that side, tinnitus before and remains. I am fortunate to have no facial paralysis. My balance is adjusting, have
been challenging it with plenty of walks and vestibular exercises. My frustration and struggle is with the constant heaviness in the
head, the fuzzy feeling and disorientation sense. I find myself very 'spacey" , especially in the grocery store or mall.
It is worse in the first half of the day, sometimes more so after the morining coffee (I love my Starbucks) I didn't seem to notice too
much difference with or without the java. The Neurosurgeon suggested Motrin/Aspirin  & time. The last few mornings have started with
a nasty headache which is new, this lifts and the fog/heaviness sets in. Would appreciate any suggestions, insight and similar expieriences
shared as to this, seems different than most I have read here. I am going to start some massage therapy as the neck does get sore and
tired late in the day ( kinda like the newborn who can't hold their head up yet )
This forum is an amazing asset for us all and I so value the sharing & kindness and comrade of all AN'rs !!

Enjoy the Sun !!

Marcia

[linnilue]

Hi Marcia,  You certainly are not alone in this feeling.  Many of us have had this.  What you ned now is vestibular rehab. and it takes time, it's frustrating but it just does.  This will help you to deal with the mall and the grocery store.  You see, it takes the brain time to reorder the input and for the other side to take over all the input.  That is what is going on here.  It took me a long time to tolerate all these issues and now they are much better but I can still have a day or two when the mall or a store is too much.  and caffeine does make the situation worse for sure.  I had to give up my coffee for awhile and drink tea which killed me but it worked, now I have my Starbucks everyday.  I too went for neck massage and that helped my neck muscles to relax and it helped me to regain my balance.  Also, many docs will use ativan or valium to help with these symptoms for awhile because they work on the limbic system of the brain.  I still have days of heavieness especially when the weather is hot and humid or it's raining.  Changes in atmospheric pressure definitely make my head feel full and heavy.  Mornings are always worse because we start moving around and activating our brains and we begin moving around alot so our balance can really be tested then.  also, I am very sensitive to light much more than before and right after my raiosurgery it was terrible, I had to change the shades in my bedroom to make it darker.  and I even had to wear a hat and sunglasses on really sunny days in the house.  Good luck, email anytime.  Holly 

[leapyrtwins]

I'm 5+ weeks post-op and while I don't have a fuzzy or heavy head, I do feel spacey when I walk around too much.  My head is still numb on the AN side, so I hope I don't encounter fuzziness or heaviness when the feeling finally returns. 

I haven't had any therapy, nor do I plan to, but I have been doing vestibular exercises at home.  Do you think the spaciness will improve over time?

Pre-op my doctor claimed that there will come a time when I can return to running, but at this point I can't imagine it since at times I have trouble walking a straight line - especially when I'm tired.  Can anyone out there, who has had surgery, actually run? or ride a bike?  Does your balance really improve that much over time?

[Gennysmom]

The other thing that's probably going on here is that you need time to get over the anesthesia.  I was under 7 hours and my doctor said it would take a year to get over just the anesthesia issues.  I still have the spacey weird head stuff now, a year later, especially when I'm overtired.  At 5-10 weeks, forget about it, I could forget my own name!  It does get better, it's just with head trauma of any kind, and this surgery is considered that, it takes seemingly forever to "heal".  The trick is to push yourself very slowly, remember the tortoise won the race, and just keep trying.  One day you'll all of a sudden notice that you don't have as much trouble anymore. 

[Battyp]

Unforunately, time is what it takes to get rid of that feeling. I got so tired of hearing, "just give it time". It is true though. When you go to the store are you being overwhelmed by the extra input into your good ear? I know that was an issue for me. I found if I plugged my good ear and muffled the store noises I did better. Holding onto the cart for dear life helped too 

[leapyrtwins]

Guess I'm quick to forget that this was a major surgery and included head trauma.  Thankfully, my side effects are fairly minimal, which probably adds to my "denial".  I was under anesthesia for 7 1/2 hours and just figured that by now the effects should be gone.  Yet, the simpliest things make me exhausted.  I've only driven my car a few times and it seems to just wipe me out.  Am back to work full-time (started part-time at 2 1/2 weeks post-op) but am still tired.  It sounds like I just need to step back, slow down, and patiently wait for my body to heal.  It's just that I'm not good at "patient".  I'm used to doing everything for everybody and then some.  Will have to try to squelch my "Super Woman" tendencies.

When at the store, I'm not overwhelmed by sound, but I did figure out the whole "holding onto to the cart for dear life" thing.  It definitely helps!   

[er]

hello mch
10 weeks is still pretty new. It will get better. I don't know 100% but a little at a time. I am 2 years 3 months po , if I over do I get  pretty fuzzy . A friend that is a behavioral specialist says it's the executive part of the brain that is doing that. She explained that the brain is fine but when you over do it is telling you, you need to rest or you will tend to get fuzzy like you explain  . Key word don't exhaust yourself.
good luck
eve

[mch]

Thanks for the info - all seem to say "time". That's the big struggle as anxious to do. I am heading to
Vegas for a getaway next week, should be quite interesting as to how I manage with all the
stimulation, noise etc., Had a GP visit today and she has prescribed SERC to see if this lifts
the heaviness, has anybody tried this??

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcmed.nsf/pages/smcserct/$File/smcserct.pdf

Had a focused massage yesterday on the neck/head area to release tense muscles & stiffness- will
continue with this too.
Summer is here ( finally for the Westcoast, Canada) YEAH !

Marcia
 _____________________________

1.5 cm AN removed rectosigmoid surgery April 24, 2007
Dr Akagami/Dr. Westerberg - VGH, Vancouver BC Canada
Hearing lost left ear