We are patients living with Trigeminal Neuralgia, here for your support.

How long to recover from MVD

I have finally bitten the bullet and am booked in for MVD on 20th February...Now apart from the usual things affecting any surgery you have...Is there any guide lines as to how quick you recover from this surgery.... I am hearing between 2/3 weeks and 1 year...I run my own business and if I dont work..I dont get paid....So this is quite a big thing for me....I have heard that my surgeon is the best in the area ( I am in SW France) but still no one has actually sat me down and explained anything to me....well he tried...but he dosnt speak English....and my translater got a bit lost in the technical aspects....so we left it alone...Of course I am scared something is going to go wrong...who wouldnt....and I have tried to explain to him I am alergic to metal...well nickel in facr..so really need more information on the metal plate they put in your head...To be cured of ATN then get alergic reaction to the plate would be more than I could cope with....But what I really want to know is this...when can you actually lead a normal life after the surgery...Do I have to be careful about swimming...excersise etc...and for how long....because if the effects of the MVD are worse than the actual complaint its supposed to be curing...then I will have to again re-think....

Questions...questions...like when can I travel back to Spain in a car...when can I start work again....my profession is quite stressful..I am an FX traders and Stock Market trader and I write reports to worldwide organisations....I have coped doing this job with ATN and taking a cocktail of 900mg Gabapantin and 150mgs of Amiltriptaline....and also various strong intravenous pain killers that I put in water and drink when then pain has become too much...BUT...I cope....I dont want this operation to debiliate me more....I have an extremely high tolerance for pain..so its not that thats is bothering me...It is more like feeling back to normal...even with pain...but able to lead my normal every day life....any help at this point would be great....as I change my mind about the operation at least 50 times a day....which is not helping my concentration at my job or in my personal life.....thank you for any feedback

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by DMC on February 19, 2012 at 12:28pm

Hi Carol. I had MVD on 9/30/2011. I spent one night in the neuro ICU, then 2 days on the regular neuro unit. Nausea (probably due to inadvertent withdrawal from gabapentin and carbamazepine as well as from anesthesia) was the worst part, but only lasted for a few days. I experienced a lot of pain in my chest which was far worse than my head. No one knew what caused it, but it was probably musculoskeletal. I only took the pain medication for the first 2 nights home, then just used Tylenol.

Two weeks after surgery, I went on an hour-long hike in the woods with my husband and our dogs. I agree with Jessica, that being physically fit really helps recovery. I felt really fine. I went back to work at 4 weeks. I finally weaned off all the anticonvulsants about a week ago, and I feel great. I never had facial pain after surgery. My head still itches and feels sore at times, but my surgeon said it might. Maybe the titanium patch will let me predict changes in the weather!

Anyway, I'm so grateful that it seems to have worked, and glad that it's over. Best of luck to you!

Permalink Reply by Eileen on February 20, 2012 at 12:10am

Thank you so much for your reply, my pain is far less now that I am back on Tegritol but I am very down at times. I am not considering another operation. It was far too invasive, it took years in energy away from me, I now feel like an old woman. I must just get used to tegritol and the condition again. I also cant take Lyrica - I have not heard of the others but have drawers full of stuff they have tried.

Thank you again and I will keep logged in.