Hi everyone,
I am walking everyday at this point. But, when I do exercise or just do a lot around the house, my incision area in my neck feels like it’s bulging… pushing out. And I can get sore. I am wondering if anyone else experienced this? I am honestly not sure how long that will take to stop. I also had some pulsatile tinnitus return after exercise… not sure what to think of that?
Hi Conative,
Although I’m about 4 weeks out myself, I didn’t have the the jugular part or the tinnitus. I went on several 2 miles hikes on the rare days we dont have rain all day over the holidays. I have found that the more I do, the more I feel my neck and throat feel swollen and tight. I have only felt the past 3-4 days that I have felt comfortable starting to stretch the neck. Im going to start massage in the neck this week. I seem to recall when I had left side done last spring, that it was at about 1 month I felt comfortable having the area touched. It makes sense that scar tissue forming and muscles tight from being cut on. They are in healing process. I get some ear pain once in awhile and feel the muscles so tight leading up to ear. I’m hoping that my doing so muscle release those ear symptoms will improve.
After exercise your blood volume increases and brings blood to areas in your body. Maybe that increase and blood flow to the healing parts is the bulging you feel?
Snapple made some good points about what could be causing the sensations you notice after exercise - increased blood flow (all over your body), but you feel it more in the area that is healing. Because exercise increases muscle fatigue & causes some temporary inflammation, your neck is likely responding to that. It took me about two months post op before I could exercise without feeling symptoms like you’re experiencing. Walking is good because it’s low impact & does stimulate blood circulation which will overall help w/ your healing. If your post walk symptoms are not causing pain & go away w/in a few hours after you exercise, then keep doing what you’re doing. If they’re painful & stay with you for a day or more, try walking a shorter distance &/or at a slower pace to see if that helps. You may need to modify your exercise a bit initially to find the right balance at this stage of healing.
I had bilateral jugular compression & had pulsatile tinnitus with that. I had the worse side done first but would still get some symptoms from the other side, especially after exercise. After I had the second side done I have the occasional bout, I notice it when stressed & flying, both of which will increase the head pressure. But I’d say the symptoms are 95% improved & I feel so much better!
Hopefully with the 2nd side done you’ll notice this even less.
I never felt my neck bulging but it would get tight & sore if I overdid things.
It’s still early days in the scheme of things for healing, I wouldn’t worry…
Hi Snapple,
Thanks for the response. I too get some ear pain but my ear is still numb in parts but can hurt at the same time. I try to stay off my left side to avoid the irritation. Also dealing with some ear fullness as I’m also healing from a sphenoidectomy. I am hopeful to see how I feel in two more weeks and then four 
thank you for sharing your update. Sounds like what I am experiencing with the neck tightness is normal.
Hi Isaiah,
Thanks for the response. I am thoughtfully looking forward to the two month mark. Sounds like that was a milestone for you. I think I will continue with the walks and just make sure I don’t over do it. Today I cut back some because my neck was getting uncomfortable. But sounds like this is normal so I’m thankful for that. You all have been so wonderful to answer all my questions!
Hi Jules,
I had my worst side done first too. Glad to hear I’m still in the early stages. I’m not sure what I was expecting at this point. I’m sure I had visions of running a marathon or something! LOL. I really thought I would be so healthy by now and brand new. Definitely a process. I have light pulsatile tinnitus on the right side again when laying flat or with exercise. Sometimes super faint when just sitting up. I’m upping my fluids and I take one 125 mg diamox at night before bed. Might have to break that in two and take half in the am and half in the pm. I’ve never been good at getting the IH under control. Thank you all so much again for supporting me and others in this journey 
I’m 6 weeks post op from left Styloidectomy and still feel puffy at times. ICE helps. Still pretty numb on my left cheek. I’ve been messaging with a rose quarts roller which is helping loosen up the muscle more or I other wise still feel some paralysis. It’s hard to tell what’s coming from the Styloidectomy and the right Styloid that’s still there. Still can’t turn my head hardly at all to the left and haven’t been able to since my Fusion in August! I’mseeing another Dr that’s an ENT that’s closer To me tomorrow for a second opinion. My Neurosurgeon is in New York and I’m in Utah and my husband doesn’t want to make another trip to New York to remove my right Styloid soo I hope this guy is good. Hope you heal quickly. I have soo many other things going on that I can’t even handle it. Since surgery in November I’m having worsening Mast cell attacks that are pretty scary. Looking for a new Dr for that too. Ugh if anyone knows one my way let me know. Hope you continue to heal.
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4 weeks out from my left side surgery, I was up and walking like you but not doing any exercise except stretches. Any time I tried to turn my head too far or did too much I’d feel the same symptoms of soreness. I didn’t go back to the rink until 6 weeks post op. Time will heal it.
Hi Kendra,
I’m taking your advice and icing right now. I have numbness in on my ear and left side too. My smile is improving so thankful for that but still a ways to go. I understand you are in Utah. I am in Colorado and my doctor is Edward Hepworth. He is wonderful. A fusion sounds difficult. I am sorry the mast cell attacks have been so difficult. I wondered if you could educate me on that? It seems other folks with our diagnosis have this as well? Thank you for your response and I am sending thoughtful healing and health your way 
Hi Anharris,
Sounds like you had similar experiences as me. It’s a relief to know it’s pretty normal. In the rink at 6 weeks is amazing! Something to look forward to. No rink but being more active 
thank you for connecting with me. Hope you are on the path to full recovery!
Hi Kendra,
We have 2 doctors on our list in your state:
•Dr Marshall Smith, 8th Avenue & C Street, Salt Lake City, 801-408-4972 (Successful thyroid cartilage surgery on ramblinman)
•Dr Pramrod Sharma, University of Utah & Huntsman Cancer Institute, 22 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, (801) 328-2522. Neck tumor & Skull Base surgeon, does external surgery, has done about 20.
You can try contacting either one if the doctor you see tomorrow doesn’t work out (unless the doc is one of the two I just listed ).
I’m sorry your mast cell disease symptoms have kicked up. That’s a tough one to manage. I’m in CA & could give you the name of a doctor here as I have a friend who’s also dealing w/ MCD, but I don’t think you want to come this far.
I will pray for you.
Conative,
I am back, with the exception that rinks in my area closed at the end of Nov so I’ve been off since then. I’ll be back in about six weeks after recovering from my second es surgery. Thank you and best wishes for your recovery!
Conative, Just take it one day at a time and I think that you are pushing yourself too much. You will have your good days and you will also have some bad days. Don’t grow weary. It took me at least 5 months to truly feel somewhat better. I am a diabetic so, it took a long time for me to heal. Everyday was a struggle for me because I was at home all alone and with every new sensation or feeling, I would get anxiety and I would have to re-direct my energies to not think that I had made a big mistake in having the surgery. My Styloid Process were removed through my mouth, both at the same time.
It was a painful surgery but, I got through it…Lots of prayer, though…Hang in there, pace yourself. My surgery was back in 2006 and today I am healed and I am able to function.
Thank you Hadessa! It is good for me to hear to not push too hard and that it is ok if I am not where I thought I should be. I definitely at one point wondered “now what did I do to myself?” But I am healing, that I can feel. So, thankful I can feel that. Good to hear that it is ok to have some bad days too. I can empathize how you must have felt especially being at home alone. I’m glad to hear you are now doing so much better. The support from you and others is so amazingly helpful. Thank you!!!
Kendra,
Im 4 weeks out on my 2nd. Ive just started have massage of the scar tissue this week and it has helped. Keep icing. Give yourself till 12 weeks to expect a huge amount of improvement. I still have numbness in neck from 1st surgery 7 months ago. That mast cell stuff can really be a complicating factor not to mention your pretty recent fusion. You are a trooper. 
Hang in there and I hope others info helps.