3 months post-liberation of skincoll!
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:37 pm
Hi guys.
I had the op done in Katowice on 9th June and decided not to post anything, or even visit this site for 3 months, so I could get on with my healing and give a more meaningful account of any changes, after I could be sure of them.
I'll try not to make this post too long and boring too!
I had a blocked left jugular that I got balooned open by the Euromedic (Simka) team. I was diagnosed with RRMS in 2008 and had experienced constant numbness/tingling of the hands, manual dexterity problems, lower arms and feet, other temporary random tingling, vision and speech impairment (in 2000), fatigue, muscle weakness, balance issues and foot-drop etc. etc.
After the procedure I felt some cognitive improvements over the next two days, and some return of energy, although I didn't feel it was a roaring success. However, my sensation then started to improve over the next couple of weeks, along with most of my other symptoms - I was on the mend! This was all great until about a month after the procedure, at which point I felt symptoms returning, eventually to the point of returning to the way they were prior to the operation. I was at this stage pretty disappointed, and was beginning to think the procedure was a bit of a gimmick, and that I'd been conned. Fatigue and the MS feeling had got me in its grips once again.
But... and this is the weird part... I was helping my girlfriend out in the garden a few days later (this is about 5 weeks post-op) and began digging our vegetable patch angrily even though I was tired (partly because of how frustrated I was with how rubbish I was feeling). After a few seconds I felt a release of pressure and a warm feeling in the left side of my neck and down into my shoulder/chest - it was immediately clear to me that I had 'done something' to the vein. Over the next few days I felt clearer in the head, could concentrate much better on conversations, and my hands were sweating for the first time in ages. My other symptoms were again nowhere to be seen. Now this I felt was a breakthrough for me. I began to start thinking that if I could manage to keep the blood flowing though the affected area, this would 'force' the vein to stay open, which seemed to be the solution to my problems.
Now I haven't had any follow up scans to confirm what's going on, but I have been exercising the left shoulder a lot, and have been able to do a lot of cycling and press ups to keep things going. As I type this I am happy to report that I'm doing really well, with only very mild pins and needles in my fingers (much less than before) as noticeable symptoms. I regularly feel the affected area of my neck/shoulder give off a not unpleasant warm feeling and have noticed the odd crackling sensation in my left ear, similar to what I experienced when I was on the table having the balooning done. What's also strange is I have started to feel similar sensations on the right side too, I hope because pressures etc. are balancing out.
Anyway, for anyone waiting for this operation, my personal opinion is that the it is DEFINITELY worth getting done, but as you've read, an odd series of improvements, set-backs, then odd sensations and then more improvements has made it a bit of a drama. I can also say that in my experience things have actually reversed, not just stopped progressing - for example I can easily do things with my hands that I struggled with before, and I'm much physically fitter. Now I feel like I won't go backwards again, even though I still feel the dying embers of MS in my fingers as a reminder.
I said this post wasn't going to be too long. Oh well, I tried!
Love and best wishes to you all!
I had the op done in Katowice on 9th June and decided not to post anything, or even visit this site for 3 months, so I could get on with my healing and give a more meaningful account of any changes, after I could be sure of them.
I'll try not to make this post too long and boring too!
I had a blocked left jugular that I got balooned open by the Euromedic (Simka) team. I was diagnosed with RRMS in 2008 and had experienced constant numbness/tingling of the hands, manual dexterity problems, lower arms and feet, other temporary random tingling, vision and speech impairment (in 2000), fatigue, muscle weakness, balance issues and foot-drop etc. etc.
After the procedure I felt some cognitive improvements over the next two days, and some return of energy, although I didn't feel it was a roaring success. However, my sensation then started to improve over the next couple of weeks, along with most of my other symptoms - I was on the mend! This was all great until about a month after the procedure, at which point I felt symptoms returning, eventually to the point of returning to the way they were prior to the operation. I was at this stage pretty disappointed, and was beginning to think the procedure was a bit of a gimmick, and that I'd been conned. Fatigue and the MS feeling had got me in its grips once again.
But... and this is the weird part... I was helping my girlfriend out in the garden a few days later (this is about 5 weeks post-op) and began digging our vegetable patch angrily even though I was tired (partly because of how frustrated I was with how rubbish I was feeling). After a few seconds I felt a release of pressure and a warm feeling in the left side of my neck and down into my shoulder/chest - it was immediately clear to me that I had 'done something' to the vein. Over the next few days I felt clearer in the head, could concentrate much better on conversations, and my hands were sweating for the first time in ages. My other symptoms were again nowhere to be seen. Now this I felt was a breakthrough for me. I began to start thinking that if I could manage to keep the blood flowing though the affected area, this would 'force' the vein to stay open, which seemed to be the solution to my problems.
Now I haven't had any follow up scans to confirm what's going on, but I have been exercising the left shoulder a lot, and have been able to do a lot of cycling and press ups to keep things going. As I type this I am happy to report that I'm doing really well, with only very mild pins and needles in my fingers (much less than before) as noticeable symptoms. I regularly feel the affected area of my neck/shoulder give off a not unpleasant warm feeling and have noticed the odd crackling sensation in my left ear, similar to what I experienced when I was on the table having the balooning done. What's also strange is I have started to feel similar sensations on the right side too, I hope because pressures etc. are balancing out.
Anyway, for anyone waiting for this operation, my personal opinion is that the it is DEFINITELY worth getting done, but as you've read, an odd series of improvements, set-backs, then odd sensations and then more improvements has made it a bit of a drama. I can also say that in my experience things have actually reversed, not just stopped progressing - for example I can easily do things with my hands that I struggled with before, and I'm much physically fitter. Now I feel like I won't go backwards again, even though I still feel the dying embers of MS in my fingers as a reminder.
I said this post wasn't going to be too long. Oh well, I tried!
Love and best wishes to you all!