It has been about 3 weeks since my craniotomy. I feel absolutely fine other than the slight head throb when I stand after sitting too long and goes after about 5 seconds. I have about 8 weeks to recover and will see my neurosurgeon on the 23rd of Nov after my diagnostic angiogram on the 21st. I have so much time on my hands that I often sit and think. I’m curious to ask about seizures. I have read so much about this on this site. From people who had this immediately after surgery to seizures occurring many months after ‘recovery’. I am not sure about what this episode has installed for me. Am I likely to get one?
I have not had much opportunity to speak to my surgeon. I have so many questions. Mostly pertaining to my job. I work as a geologist on an oil rig offshore. This requires me to fly to locations and live and work on offshore remote locations. The surgeon is probably best to answer this but I really want to hear experiences from fellow survivors. Is it worth continuing with such a job? Is it recommended to fly? Any insight with be helpful and I really appreciated it.
Also as a side question, going to the gym, will that ever be a possibility? If so after how long? Sorry about these questions. I am getting really bored at home.
Shaun, congratulations on such a great recovery thus far. I'm over 4 years post bleed and craniotomy. I've never had a seizure (knock on wood). I've had an EEG which showed no seizure activity. I don't know if there is a way to determine who is prone to seizure or who is not but I would love to hear what your surgeon says to that.
I have flown everal times since my surgery with no problems. I actually never even thought about asking my doctor about it except that I was afraid the screws and whatnot in my head would set off the metal detector (which they didn't, by the way) so I never did.
As for the gym...I was in physical therapy for several weeks after my surgery (and after I awoke from my coma). Once I was released from all therapy I started going to the gym but it was quite a while afterward. Maybe a few months, I don't really recall. It took me a long time to even feel remotely human again. My circumstance is different from yours though, in that I had a bleed and my damage was fairly severe initially.
Of course check with your doctors absolutely first, but I would think that once you're feeling up to it that the gym will be fine, even good for you. Probably start slowly, you'll definitely wear yourself out much quicker than before.
Best of luck and continued success in your recovery!!
Congrats on doing so well after your crani! As always i suggest asking your neurosurgeon any questions relating to your AVM. I will however tell you what my neuro told me and I have an active AVM at the moment.
My BF is a pilot and we own an airplane. I asked him about flying in my small plane and he said that as long as I am not going to some crazy altitutes (which would be bad for anyone AVM or Not without pressurization) I am fine to fly. Since my diagnosis I have already flown on a commercial airplane as i travel a lot for work as well. THis was also after having neurosurgery for a non related aneurysm. If the doc did get all of your AVM in surgery which I am sure he/she did I wouldn't see why flying would be a problem.
I am also a big gym rat and before my aneurysm ruptured I was training for a marathon. I asked my doc if i could continue training for said marathon with an active AVM and do weightlifting etc and he said that it should be fine. So if you don't have an AVM anymore i wouldn't see why going to the gym would be out of the question. Of course you want to give your body time to heal and get better after major surgery like a crani so check with your doc regarding how long to wait before hitting the gym.
Seizures that would be something to ask the doc as well and I would love to hear what your neuro has to say about it as well!
I have an active AVM (have had 3 Gamma Knife radiation treatments & waiting for them to do their work). I've also had a crainiotomy to clip to aneurysms. I've flown a few times since my crani in July 2011.
I've never been into working out at the gym, but I was at dance class 4 weeks after my crani--a one hour class completely exhausted me, but I did it!(I was in the studio 2-3 times per week & often went to 4-6 hour/day weekend workshops before my AVM diagnosis.)
I was back at work 6 weeks after my craniotomy. I'm a Special Education English & reading teacher at a high school.
Have never had a seizure.
The only thing my surgeon hasn't allowed me to do is return to SCUBA diving. (I hadn't had a chance to go for about 5 years prior to my diagnosis & we were in the middle of planning our next trip when my AVM was discovered.)
An online friend I've known for years had an aneurysm rupture shortly after I had my crani. Her aneurysm was coiled. She is an amateur body builder & was back in the gym a month or so after her coiling. She was allowed to do light cardio at first, but was soon lifting weights again. She's a vet tech, a mom, and in college, so the gym is her stress relief.