Hello All
I have been DX with bilat TOS for several years now and I 'm finally scheduled to have left rib & scalene resection this month. My surgeon will be Dr Braun in San Diego does anyone have any helpful hints that may give me an idea as to what I might expect post-op short and long term? Any suggestions and experiences would be appreciate. Although my surgery is near I am unsure as to so many things, I've been unsuccessful in communicating with the surgeon so at this point im not even sure where my incision will be, how long before ill be unable to drive and so forth makes planning almost impossible.
I've also noticed that my symptoms have been getting worse. I'm not sure if anyone has had any of these aside from the nagging burning pains, headaches, stiffness, cold extremities, swelling, anxiety etc.
what is starting to concern me is my increasing cardiac palpitations, vertigo and brain fogginess. Sometimes oftentimes I cant think of the correct words and say things backwards. I can describe it as almost what I would imagine a combination of ADD and dyslexia with poor speech and grammar making it difficult to communicate effectively??? I used to think it was the medications making me foggy IE Norco & soma but Ive decreased them both and nothing has changed I've actually gotten considerably worse.
I'm a student and I've been going to school for over 4 years doing well & now neadless to say Its gotten to the point that I'm failing in school due to poor memory, and no attention span. I'm also a Mom so I've always corrected my Kids' speech and being that they are now teenagers they are pretty good at returning the favor and half of the time I don't even catch myself saying things backwords or slurring my words just yesterday I was attempting to explaining arterial blood vs venous to my 13 year old and I said something like there is "air in the oxygen". Stuff I've been able to do for almost 20 years without a problem is now a challenge.
I've been told my bloodflow has been compromised due to decreased venous return and I get the correlation but will this return post-op? and how quickly?
Does anyone have similar experisences?
I expect to have some lifelong physical limitations but I'm really nervous and frustrated about adding stupid to the list.