Author Topic: Cyberknife 18 months out  (Read 2005 times)

teasely

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Cyberknife 18 months out
« on: October 16, 2007, 09:16:38 am »
Hey guys.  I've got some good and bad news to share.

I had my 18 month MRI and hearing test down at Stanford about a month ago.  My hearing is virtually the same as it was pre-CK (word recognition 100%).  Dr. Chang was pleased with the MRI and said my tumor was stable.  I was promoted to once a year checkup status.  So, yay!

HOWEVER, two days ago I woke up feeling rather woozy.  I'd taken 1/2 Ambien the night before, so I thought I was just tired and that I'd get over it.  In spite of the feeling, I went to play in a golf tournament (and, absurdly, played pretty well!).  The next day (yesterday) I was a bit more dizzy.  Went to see my regular doctor who ruled out anything too serious.  Called the folks down at Stanford who tell me at 18 months I'm still in the window of post-treatment symptoms. They said to try an anti-inflammatory dose of ibuprofin for a couple days and if that doesn't work they'll put me on a short course of Decadron.

I'm a bit down because I never had any vestibular issues before.  I did have hearing distortion that lasted a few days, and a feeling of intense head pressure for which I was eventually prescribed Decadron.  That was very shortly after CK and I've been symptom-free ever since.  So this episode is a big surprise for me.

It's classic positional vertigo.  If I hold my head still, I'm OK.  Reading is not a problem.  But if I move my head rapidly, everything starts spinning.  Yuck.

Have any of you experienced this type of thing, and if so, how long did it last?  I don't really want to do the Decadron again (kind of made me a *****), but will do so to stop the spinning!

ppearl214

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Re: Cyberknife 18 months out
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2007, 08:44:46 am »
teasely,

thank you SO much for sharing this... like you, it comes on and can be a real pain in the petunia, but, for me, I've come to the realization that these things are going to crop up every now and then and I can only do the best I can when it does.  Low dose Valium (2mg/2x day) has occassional been prescribed (myself, included) for when the vertigo hits... haven't had to take anti-inflammatories for it but the low dose valium (for short term use) did help in my case. It's also been noted on the CK Patient support forum boards (I think Dr. Medbery has commented on it).

Congrats on your CK status and like you (I'm also 18 mos out), we'll see how we do.

Hang in there... and stop spinning, dang it! ;)

Phyl
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"