MORNING TIME STIFFNESS

[BB]

WHEN I FIRST WAKE UP IN THE MORNING'S IS THE HARDEST FOR ME TO GET GOING.  ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS PROBLEM?  SEEMS LIKE IT TAKES A GOOD COUPLE OF HOURS TO GET EVERYTHING WORKING.  I HAVE A LOT OF BACK STIFFNESS.  JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE CAN RELATE? BB

[Sam Rush]

Everybody on this planet over age 35 can relate.  What does this have to do with acoustic neuromas??

[BB]

I GUESS BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER MY AN SURGERY.  SORRY,  I DIDN'T KNOW EVERYONE  ON THIS PLANET HAD THIS PROBLEM.   THOUGHT IT WAS A PLACE YOU COULD ASK ANY QUESTION NO MATTER HOW DUMB IT MAY APPEAR TO SOME PEOPLE.  BB

[BB]

THANK YOU BRUCE FOR YOUR RESPONCSE.  I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE WORDED MY QUESTION BETTER.  MY STIFFNESS STARTS AT THE BASE OF MY NECK, AND THEN GOES DOWN MY BACK, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR KIND RESPONSE.  IT'S A BIG STEP FOR ME TO JUST GET ON THE COMPUTER AND ASK QUESTIONS, WHICH I AGREE SOME MAY BE DUMB.  I HAVE SO MUCH TROUBLE SPELLING NOW, AND MY EYE'S ARE NOT THE GREATEST, SO I DO LOOK FOR SUPPORT ABOUT MINOR THINGS.  I KNOW EVERYONE HERE HAS BEEN A BIG SUPPORT TO ME.  JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THANKS FOR MAKING ME NOT FEEL OUT OF PLACE.  THIS WEB SITE HAS REALLY HELPED ME DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS.  BB

[Raydean]

Hi BB

I think after any major health issue we're more aware of problems AN related or not.  I was wondering if you have had a C Spine (neck area) and L spine  (Lumbar) MRI's to see what may be going on?  Your Doctor should be able to set these up for you. it's certainly something to talk to him or her about since it's taking a toll on your quality of life.  After my husband's AN surgery he found it extremely difficult to lay flat,  after 2 hours or so he'd have to get up due to pain.  Found it more comfortable to sleep in a chair.  never did find out why, must of ask a dozen Doctors. 

BB remember there are no stupid questions, if there were I think I might be in first place!!!  You are in our thoughts.

Hugs
Raydean

[Windsong]

HI BB,

I saw your post and was going to suggest an mri for your back etc...... i had some neck problems (stiffness and pain and so on) which really bothered me after treatment and it would come and go.... I asked about whether or not it was due to An... in any case, i didn't know if it was due to whiplash which i also had prior to my An diagnosis or what was going on, so I asked for an mri of my spine from one of my docs ..... well it came back with all sorts of things on it... it was done from my neck down to the end of the thoracic area.... during the next year, when i got new stuff going on in my back lower down I went and asked about that and had another mri which viewed the entire spine top to bottom and sure enough more stuff showed up in the lumbar region.... I won't list them all  (but they include herniations, disc probs, (ordinary stuff) along with spinal cord compression in various places, and a number of other things some of which are almost unpronounceable  and, like an An, kind of rare ......) so if i were you,  I would say that since you know your body and how you feel and what is different from before, that you ask your doc for further investigation and get some answers.... stiffness in the morning could be all sorts of things, really...... some a normal part of getting beyond 35 yr (ahem) such as a touch of arthritis, and other not  serious things, or something else for that matter, who knows .... in any case it would be a good idea to find out since if you have posted a question about this, i am thinking it bothers you enough to have even bothered to ask here.... so I'm glad that you did..... please do follow up and please do get some sort of answer....

It's true that we notice things happening in our bodies after An in a way that we might not have before.... call it being hypervigilant if any one wishes.....and quite often they turn out to be not a big deal.....then again, many of us know when something is not right and, at the least, need an answer of some sort.... if a diganostic test can help in finding that answer, then go for it....

wishing you all the best,
windsong

Please do follow up on this and ask your gp (or any doc you see post An ) for a further evaluation....it could be nothing it might be something, but at least you'd know.....

stay well,
windsong

[Sheryl]

However, there was one other thing that I personally experienced. Once I had my annual MRI and I learned that my AN had not grown, it seemed as if overnight that some of my symptoms went away or were not as pronounced as the were before.

Bruce - your quote above is exactly how us "wait and watchers" will feel.  We dwell on what may be symptoms of our AN or, in my case, 9th cranial nerve schwannoma and then are reassured and feel better.  I can also experience an exacerbation in my "so-called" symptoms when I am tired.  This is one reason why when told I could go to MRIs every two years, I asked to stay on a yearly basis - luckily my insurance will cover it.
Sheryl

[matti]

BB - I am not sure where you are in your recovery or journey, but shortly after my surgery I had neck pain/stiffness that would radiate down my back. It lasted for a few months and was always worse in the morning. Once I started moving around it got better.  My doctors came to the conclusion that it was the way I was placed on the surgery table. I also could not fully extend both arms without having pain and I would say that lasted about the same amount of time. Don't ever hesitate to ask what's on your mind, we all learn from each other.

By the way, I felt pretty darn good at age 35, it's turning 50 that's not so much fun 

Cheryl

[linnilue]

I can relate.  I have a very difficult time getting up and about.  It usually takes me a good 2 hours to get started.  I never take any appointment before 11:00. Period.  I just can't do it.  I was not like this before radiation but for 2 1/2 years mornings have always been the same, very slow. 

[Zanybrainy]

BB,  Your post definitely made me think back to when I first had surgery.  Morning was a tiime of being stiff and unsteady.  I had brainstem involvement, so it may have been due to that.  I think it had to due with the balance nerve not functioning.  You have to use your core muscles so much more and if you haven't been very active for awhile (i.e. recovering from surgery) I think it takes a while for everything to get working together.  I am 55 and I was not stiff before surgery and two years later I am usually not stiff.  Sounds to me like it must be related but I am not sure how. I just went to my surgeon and he that you won't have a complete recovery where you don't have to work on your balance anymore.  You have to stay active.  If you are sick or inactive for a while, you definitely have to work your way back. I can honestly say I have reached a point where my life actually seems normal. Don't be discouraged and just keep pushing forward.  Blessings, Cath

[Brendalu]

In my opinion, some of us have problems that others don't.  It seems some who don't have the problems downplay the problems other have.  I did not have stiffness at thirty five or actually other than my hands until after my AN was removed. I'm gaining on 57!  I attributed it to the length of my surgery and the position.  I also didn't expect to have this dent in my forehead either.  It's there and now I guess my bangs have a purpose!  I exercise and walk daily and take all kinds of meds.  I still have the stiffness and my doctors do not attribute it to age over 35!  I have problems I never had before the surgery.  I also have problems that have become greatly aggravated by the surgery.  Each of us is different and I don't think it is fair to downplay the problems because you may not have them.  Support is needed..... and appreciated.
Brendalu

[BB]

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVICE AND OPINIONS.  I'VE MADE A DOCOR'S APPOINTMENT AND GOING TO SCHEDULLE THAT MRI.  IT'S BEEN 13 MO SINCE SURGERY, AND WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE, I TRY TO TAKE CARE AS MANY THINGS ON MY OWN AS I CAN, OR CALL AND TALK TO MY DOCTOR'S NURSE, WHO IS MOST HELPFUL.  WITHOUT GOING TO THE DOCTOR,  IT IS JUST A GUESSING GAME, SO I KNOW THE SMART THING TO DO IS GO IN AND SEE WHAT IS GOING ON.  I GUESS THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS ARE THERE, TO LET US KNOW AND GIVE US A LITTLE PUSH TO DO THE RIGHT THING.  IT'S JUST AFTER GOING THROUGH SO MUCH, THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO FIND OUT SOMETHING NEW IS GONG ON.  I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY NOTHING  MAJOR, BUT I AM GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH.  THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING THERE TO HELP ALONG THIS LONG AND WINDING JOURNERY.  BB

[Michael R.]

Hey BB,

I have major neck pain and stiffness in the morning. In my case it had a lot do with how they position me on the OR table and that my 6th & 7th vertebre are fused.

Try alternating cold and heat. Heat alone will just draw more blood into the neck muscles and cause it to stiffen more. If this post siurgery ask you doctor if you can have mild a message of the neck and shoulder area.  I have also found that sleeping more proped up helps.  Good luck!!

                                                                                                                     michael

 

[Jim Scott]

Hi, BB:

While I've not experienced the kind of problem you do with stiffness in the morning, other AN patients obviously do, so you certainly are not alone.  My wife, who does not now and never has had an acoustic neuroma tumor, has numerous spine-related problems (6 major surgeries over 10 years, lots of hardware) and has near-debilitating morning stiffness, so,  by association, I can relate to what you're experiencing.  I realize that it isn't very pleasant and can certainly be life-altering. 

I concur with the many suggestions to have the spinal MRI scan, as you indicated you will.  There may be a problem with your spine or related areas that can be repaired to help relieve your discomfort.  Perhaps medication can help.  My wife has a continuing prescription for Flexeril that has helped her immensely, although it doesn't really alleviate the core problem. You need to consult a physician at this point, 13 months post-op, to address this problem, whether it's AN related, or not.

I wish you better, more flexible mornings. 

Jim

[Betsy]

Hi BB,

Do you find that you're holding your head still a lot?  When I turn my head suddenly (or sometimes slowly), it seems to make my dizziness worse.  So I tend to hold my head very still, and my neck is getting very tight and sore.  And it is worse in the morning as well.  I'm trying some very, VERY slow exercises and helps a little.  When I feel the "snap", it gets better right away.  Jim's right about the flexeril...its good stuff but it doesn't fix the problem.

Betsy