Neck dissection stiffness

Thanks Linda 

yeah I think I under estimated how big an op it was. I’m inpatient and thought I’d have bounced back to some kind of normality by now. Yeah 51/2 weeks since op and sometimes with I hadn’t had the op as the discomfort and constant awareness of it is not great. I was completely fit and fell running 6K every other day prior to surgery and now I’m knackered, I was advised about numbness but it’s the constant stretching feeling, although numb it seems to be painful-wierd 

yeah I need patience 

thanks 

Elaine 

Hiya 

oh itching can’t be pleasant I wonder why? Just the nerves???? Hope you find something that helps. 
it takes me a good 45 mins 3 x a day to do my exercises, exercises I sourced myself from Google as not seen a physio? Don’t know how I’ll fit this in once I go back to work full time. I was hoping by the time I do get back to work I’ll be back to my old self but reading everyone’s comments, it doesn’t sound like I’ll ever be the same ? 
thanks

Elaine

You could ask for a referral to a physio.  I saw one for over a year as I had problems with arm movement too.  She showed me the correct way to do my exercises as I was being a little overenthusiastic!

I agree, it can be very uncomfortable but I think some of that feeling are the nerves repairing.

Linda x

I was advised by the physio to do shorter sessions and fit them into what I was doing rather than longer sessions.  She said just generally moving about doing housework/gardening etc helped too.

Linda x

Thanks, yes I think I will ask them. Good to know. Anything that helps. I need to chase SALT too as don’t see anyone. I think as my op was in a different hospital to where I live follow up hasn’t been brilliant. 
elaine

I would try to see an NHS physio.  Maybe your GP is best placed to get that booked.  Mine was.  In the end I consciously incorporated the exercise themes into my daily activity.  That way I did them without the struggle of "needing" to do them. The exercises will be different depending on what is actually going on in the neck - hence suggesting a real live physio!

Thanks peter

 I’m due review at hospital next week so I’ll see what they say. If no good I’ll ask go, thanks

Elaine 

Hi Elaine

Yes funny about the ear isn’t it. It looks as though most of us who have had a neck dissection get that as well as numbness/altered sensation in other parts of the neck. My surgeon said it was something to do with the nerves being cut in the neck. I also get a cramping sensation in the side of my neck from time to time if I turn my neck in a certain way. I then press on a certain part of my neck and feel a release and the cramp goes away. I have had at different times a neck dissection to both sides of my neck and the most recent one has reacted slightly differently to the first one so it can be different even on the same person.

I also had short term difficulty raising my arm up and was given exercises for that. That happened both times I had the neck dissection. It did eventually resolve both times and I don’t have any trouble now.

I chose the obturator as I had previously had a mandibelectomy which meant that I was already down all the teeth on one side of my lower jaw so was keen to not look too gappy with all the teeth then being taken from one side of my upper jaw after the maxillectomy. I wanted teeth straight away. I would have had to wait about 6 months after the op and radiotherapy to have a denture made if I had the skin graft option. A bit of vanity as well.

The obturator has worked out well for me.

Things will settle down more for you over time and you will adjust to any changes, it’s early days yet.

Best wishes in your ongoing recovery.

Lyn

Thanks Lyn

gosh you’ve been through a lot. So many people on here have had more than 1 operation. I was hoping get the op and that’s that. So sorry you’ve had to have additional ops. I keep saying to myself, I’m not ever going through anything like this again. Like you say early days and when faced with cancer you do what you’re advised at the dnd of the day. 
so glad the obturater works well for you. I saw a lady in a cancer book I looked at who had an obturator and was doing brilliantly. My surgeon didn’t sell that option to me more the option I took. Then we’re all different and one cancer diagnosis is never the same as another. 
 Thanks again

Elaine

Just a thought, you may have tried it? Have you tried Eurax cream for the itching???