Hi All!  ;;D  
I haven't been on in a while. I'm playing catchup with all of your stories right now! My twin sister and I had our surgeries last August, October, March and May. We are happy to say that we do not have any side effects from our surgeries. NONE! Maybe it is because we never had a stroke before we were diagnosed and had our surgeries !?!  I have a couple of questions for ya'll:

[smiley=huh.gif] Does anyone out there exercise just as intensely as before their surgeries?
[smiley=huh.gif] What did your surgeon tell you about exercising after your surgeries?
[smiley=huh.gif] Did anyone's surgeon discuss life-expectancy with MM after the surgeries?

I'm just curious...Most of the time I can't really tell I 've had any kind of surgeries at all. If it gets really hot my scars tend to pound a little,but that is about it.

Hi Laura,
I excercise MORE intensely since I had my surgeries.
Mine were done 4 years ago and and I have no problems when I excercise - I do weight training (pump), step, cardio - I am about to enrol in a spinning class, I do INTENSE personal training with a trainer, yoga, pilates - you name it!!
My surgeon has said as long as I can handle it I can do it, so he has absolutley no problem with it, and I too, have been given the all clear and only need to see him if I experience any symptoms - no more 6 month MRI's and Angios.
Don't know what life expectancy is with MM after surgeries - I would imagine if everything keeps going well, it would be the same as everyone else
Moira

Yes, I agree... Life Expectancy should be the same for us as anyone else. As long as the surgeries work, there shouldn't be a reason to believe differently.

I had my surgeries when I was 9 and 10 years old. And continued playing soccer, volleyball, and basketball without any problems. I think you should listen to your body. If I remember correctly, you are a runner, right? I would suggest starting off with a small run and increase slowly until you can run as l ong as you want...

I am SO GLAD to hear you and your sister are feeling well! That is how I have always felt... Like I never even had surgery!

Take Care!

Sara

Hi!

Wow, both you and your sister had the same surgery? same time? If you don't mind me asking, how many did you both have?  Anyway, I'm glad to hear you're both doing fine.  As for exercising, I'm now 4 months post op, and all I've been "cleared" to do is walk...no lifting over 20 lbs.  My cardio wanted me to do a thallium treadmill test, but my neuro decided against it at this time.  Life-expectancy?  Oh, no. Like an estimated time limit? That has never been discussed.

Take care,
Shan

Glad to hear you and your sisiter are doing well. I had surgery last year and i am now exercising on a regular basis just like before i was diagnosed. I have not limited myself in my exercise i just make sure to drink lots of water!!! Life- expectancy ~ after two brain surgeries no MM is stopping me from long life  ;;D ;;D ;;D. As far as i know there is no time limit on life-expectancy we are clear to live somewhat normal lives (even though we are far from normal  ::) )

Christy

;;D  ;;D  ;;D  [smiley=laugh.gif]
That's funny... My doctor actually just told me last weak that my tests came back "normal, well, normally abnormal"... And that's good news!

hehe  [smiley=laugh.gif]
Sara

Hey Shan,
If your surgery was four months ago, then we had them at the same time! I had my first surgery on my right side in March 2005 and my second surgery this past May 2005. My identical twin sister, Lisa, had hers in August and October of 2004. The only reason I was diagnosed was because my sister and I are identical. The Neurosurgeon said if we were fraternal twins chances would have been very slim for both of us to have MM. I started out walking around the block in July. I gradually worked my way up to 3 miles everyday. Two weeks ago I started jogging slowly. It feels great! I'm drinking water...lots of water!

Note to Sara...yes I remember you. You actually visited my sister Lisa. I was the twin you met at Charmin's house! It's nice to hear from you. I'll pray for you and your husband!                                   Laura

Laura,

oh my...and you're up and running already?  shheesh!  I'm still at the "walking" level.  However, if there's a good sale at the mall, I can sure walk a little longer!  ;)  My doctor lifted my "lifting" restriction from 5 lbs to 20 lbs recently.  So lifting weights is definitely out of the question for me.  I'm so glad you're doing great.  By the way, do you feel any pain in your head?  Like around the incision area?  I constantly feel pressure like pain 24/7.  [smiley=huh.gif]  Have you had any follow-up test since your surgery in May?

Take care,
Shan

Hey Shan,
I feel pressure only sometimes when I'm outside and the sun is real intense.But, I don't feel any pain with it. It is basically the pounding of my pulse that i feel. I just usually go inside and it goes away. The only pain I feel anymore is the incision/scar when I first lay down on my pillow. Sometimes i have to adjust the way my head lays on the pillow because the scars are still tender. But that's about it. I have my 6 month follow-up in November.  See ya!             Laura

I had a personal trainer and we just watched my blood pressure and if I looked like I was slowing down alot we would take it easyer. Untill the pressuer setteled. but I have had extreemly intence work outs and been fine, it just depends on how well I felt that day.
Becky

no one mentioned exercise before surgery.. i've just come out of hospital after being diagnosed and my surgery is planned for a few weeks away.....
what sort of preparation would people reccomend?
nutritionist
naturopath
massage
accupuncture
exercise
yoga/meditation
etc..........?
i want to be as physically and mentally prepared as possible

has anyone here had complitactions during surgery?

Hi Emily,
Sorry to hear that you have just been diagnosed - I had my bypasses done over 4 years ago now. In answer to your questions above: I personally would not be undertaking anything new at the moment - I would steer away from excercise until your surgeon can give you advice, but just read as much as you can on this topic and on this website.
Meditation  sounds like a good idea. If you are already  fit and in good shape now, I think that would be good under the circumstances because you will already be physically prepared for the road ahead. But if you are not, I don't think now would be the best time to start a rigorous excercise routine!!
If you are eating healthily that will also put you in good stead. I know you want to be properly prepared, but  do not go and do anything that you aren't already doing as this could put added pressure on you. Also in answer to your other post on hair loss for the operation, I had my surgery done in Perth Western Australia and as Lore said hair loss is minimal. They shaved about 2 inches off - I have really long hair and you couldn't see afterwards as my existing hair covered over it. My second op they did under my hairline and they just shaved a little off  and again you couldn't see afterwards.
Hope this is of help to you.
Moira