I just had my surgery on Monday--it's Saturday now--and I signed up for membership, but had some questions that couldn't wait. :huh: I haven't had surgery since my teens, so some of these questions pertain more to general surgery than to VNS specifically.

On the side of the incision, from above the incision to my jawline, my neck is numb. The nurse at the surgeons office said not to worry about it. That the numbness will gradually go away. I just wondered if anyone else had had this problem, and how long before it went away. Granted a numb neck is a small price to pay for alleviating my depression, but it makes it very hard to shave. I can feel the pressure of the razor, but I can't feel the skin. I nicked myself a couple of times as a result.

I can't move my neck from side to side very well, and can't raise my arm very high. Will the scars gradually loosen up and become more stretchy? Also how bad do they look over time? I'm still single, and don't want to look too much like a medical experiment.

And lastly, during certain activities, I get a sharp, splitting headache :Violent: behind my left eye and extending over the top of my head. Will this go away? Am I just doing too much too soon?

I still have a week before they turn it on, and I already have loads of questions. I'm not sorry I took this step, but I'd just like to know if my symptoms are normal.

Thanks a lot.

Tonnelier

:Welcome: Tonnelier

Most of the things you are experiancing are quite common. Like the numbness of the skin, Many nerve ending are severed even in the smallest incisions. They often create new pathways as they heal so most of the old feelings return. The larger and deeper the incision, the more loss of sensation.

Your loss of range of motion is most likely because of the tenderness and trauma in the area. Any surgery is traumatizing to tissue, not to also mention, tissue damage, so it reacts by swelling. That swelling can limit range of motion. it should losen up in time but checking with your physician during your follow-up will also be wise.

Most scars fades. Try massaging vitamin E oil on the incisions as soon as they are healed, several times a day. Get the highest consentration you can find. Walgreens' brand is excellent and it's found in the cosmetic aisle next to the eye wrinkle creams. My son has had 15 surgeries on his face and using that had added in reducing the scaring. I have used it with ever surgery of mine and no one notices my scars.

That eye pain and left side headache may be one thing to watch and bring to your doctor's attention, the facial nerve my just be irratated and still reacting to the surgery. Only your doctor can make that determination.

Please keep us posted on your progress. We are here to help! :)

Thanks a lot. I really didn't have a chance to meet or talk to anyone else who had or was having this surgery. I think I'm only the second or third VNS patient in my little college town.

I'll probably have lots more questions in the upcoming months, and hopefully, in a year or so, I might be able to answer some for someone else. I think that one of the greatest things about the internet is the ability to share information and support with people from anywhere. Forgive me if I sound like an ad for an ISP. :D Thanks again.

As Birdbomb said, alot of the things you are experiencing are totally normal and time will take care of them.

I would talk to your doctor about the headaches. I had a few before being turned on; they were due to tension.

I received my VNS for TRD 20 months ago and have done great. The first year of having it was a gradual process of getting better. After 20 months, I feel like I've made it and then everything seems even better. Hang in there.


Labrat :im_033:

Ditto.

Ditto for me also!

Best Wishes! Everything gets better with time.

Hello to All:
I had my VNS put in on Oct. 12 of this year. I also had numbness in my neck above the incision, up to my jaw. I still have some, but it is getting less. It takes about six weeks for nerves to regrow back that have been severed. And manipulating the vagus nerve probably doesn't help either. The one thing I experienced right away was voice hoarseness, which occurs in like 32% of patients post-op. The surgeon tried telling me that this was from intubation. Not at this stage I told him. This also gets better with time. Now, my voice is about back to normal. I did delay getting activated, as I did not want to ad insult to injury as getting activated causes hoarseness also. So, I am getting activated one month post-op. This was my choice, and was advice from another VNS board. Now, I am glad I waited. As there was healing to be done from the surgery from the VNS surgery. I told the surgeon that this was a post op symptom from the surgery NOT intubation. I read all the information that it is given; it obvious he does not. Anyway, I am supposed to see him again, after my activation is going on. Then, he will see how my voice is then. Which I think is a good idea. I may cancel the appointment if I don't think I need to see him. He wanted to send me to a ENT; which I don't think is needed. The jerk. He is a good doctor, but I don't think he reads the information!
Sincerely,
Bonnie

Well, Bonnie

Some people experiance vocal fold paralysis, An ENT would be able to tell if that is the case. But if you are doing much better and no more symptoms, then that may not be a problem for you.

You would be surprised at the number of people who have this issue and their doctors are the one hesitant to refer them to an ENT. There are several treatment options.

Hello to All:
I got activated on Nov. 13. My husband went with me. My voice is about normal. I hardly feel anything at all. Thanks Birdbomb for the note about vocal paralysis. I read about that as well. That's a really low percentage of patients that get that. That was in the back of my mind. I'm going back again Nov. 27 to get an increase in the VNS. I won't be so fearful this next time, as I know what to expect. My doctor is really good. Right now I'm on 30 sec. and off for five min. which is the lowest setting to start with. This is a hard time of year for me as far as my depression. I wish the VNS would kick in sooner. My doctor said probably I will notice something in March of next year. GROAN. But who knows. I read that family often notices things sooner than than the person who has the VNS. Right now, I wish I could sleep through Christmas, or skip it. It's going to take awhile for black bars of this disease to open after 25+ years of being in one position for so long. I know this VNS is for the long term treatment. Right now, I wish I could go into hibernation. :mellow:
But that isn't an option. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Bonnie

Go ahead and log in Bonnie! Welcome! :D

Hello and welcome Bonnie. Like Birdbomb said, go ahead and post in the other sections of the board if you want or simply take your time and read everything first. We're all here, we're all nice, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
I hope that the VNS helps you and that you notice it soon too. Hugs, Fay