ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Post-Treatment => Topic started by: Lotty mac on March 15, 2012, 11:53:48 pm
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Hi from New South Wales Australia- I've never been on a forum before so this is new too me !!! I am 36 years old and Within the past two month I have been diagnosed with a medium AN and next Thursday I will have Translyb surgery to remove ... My main concern is post operative recovery as I'm an independant person with two young boys !! What to expect??? It makes me so nervous to think I will be so dizzy etc - does this always happen ??? Think I will cope with r/s deafness as I have lost a bit of hearing already ... Also wasn't warned of eye issues???
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Hi Lotty mac and welcome to this forum .....
We are not doctors on this forum, but we collectively have many different experiences that we willingly share to hopefully make the path easier for the next friends walking on it.
As we often say, there are no guarantees with any of this and each person is unique with a very personal health history and anatomy that can affect the outcome. Having an excellent (with many successful AN removals-experienced) surgeon greatly increases the odds for a problem-free, successful outcome.
All that being said, the post-op dizziness depends a great deal on how much your brain has already compensated for a damaged vestibular nerve, by switching over to your good vestibular nerve. If you have had little dizziness up to this point, you probably will have some significant adjusting to do. Walking, walking, walking is the best post-op remedy to speed up the adjustment process. Most people find by two weeks they have adjusted fairly well ..... some take much longer. The younger and more fit you are going in, the better.
Being SSD is an adjustment if you have good hearing, but it sounds like you probably have already adjusted to that so you may notice little difference there.
Eye issues occur if your facial nerve is disturbed during surgery. Translab approach gives the neurosurgeon the best look into the area. Hopefully your surgeon will be able to stay away from it so you will not have difficulties. If I were you, I would specifically ask my surgeon what he/she does if the tumor is wrapped around the facial nerve. Many doctors here in the US leave a piece of the tumor to save the nerve, because the remaining fragment will usually die from lack of blood supply. If it does not, or even as a precaution, radiation is sometimes given later to kill any possible regrowth.
Hope this is not too much information.
Many thoughts and prayers and ask any other questions you may have ..... none are too silly to ask.
Clarice
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Lottie mac ~
Our diligent, knowledgeable member, Clarice, has effectively responded to your pertinent questions and I have nothing of substance to add - except my personal welcome. :)
Jim
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Thank you for your advice - I wouldn't say I'm the healthiest person but I will certainly try to approach this like a fighter !!! Hopefully I will be able to post again with a positive recovery story!
Apparently my surgeon does the most of these in Aus and I have huge confidence in him - I guess I would be crazy if I didn't ;) - lol!!
Thanks again - finding this board has given me a great relief , as I haven't heard of or met one other person with an AN!!!
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Hi Loretta
I've emailed you back but thought I'd welcome you here as well.
In Australia the doctors mostly do translab as it seems the best way to save the facial nerve.
Lean on us here and I'd also love to keep contact via email.
Do you have a lot of support where you are? Family? Friends?
Every ANer is different. Some of us have a heap of post-op problems yet others get out of hospital and return to 'normal' lives.
If you get post-op symptoms please let us know and we can help you with each one as it occurs (if it occurs).
Deep breaths in and out whenever you get nervous is a good remedy for anxiousness and so is writing your feelings down.
It's a benign tumour and we're told that if you're going to have a brain tumour, this is the best one to have :P
Lots of hugs dear Aussie
Suu xxoo