Author Topic: tears return????  (Read 9683 times)

tenai98

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tears return????
« on: January 26, 2010, 06:44:10 pm »
I'm almost ten months post op and did not experience any eye problems from surgery. (translab)...I know I do not have tears given the fact I had opportunity to cry (when son and family moved away). but I DO have moisture emitting from the eye when eating spicy/hot foods. Also sometimesin the morning, I will notice(feel) moisture or a small pool of moisture in the corner of the AN eye...I\m guessing this is all  good and anticipating the return of tears
JO
14mmX11mmX11mm left ear
TRANSLAB 04/07/09 2cms at time of surgery
Dr. Benoit and Schramm, Ottawa Civic Campus
SSD ,some facial numbness
Baha surgery sept 22/09
residual tumor 13mmX7mmX8mm
2016 new growth.  25mmX21mmX22mm
cyberknife on June 7

Jim Scott

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2010, 04:26:02 pm »
JO ~

Yes, it would seem as if you'll eventually be able to produce tears again.  These things have their own 'timetable' so exactly when, is unknown,  However, I'm sure you'll be crying and needing tissues, sooner rather than later.  :)

Jim
4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

Kathy M

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2010, 10:42:26 am »
Hi Jo!

I'm over one year out and still don't cry out of my AN-side eye!  It has always been moist enough to keep me from having problems, but no tears yet.  I've tested it numerous times over the past several weeks, and still none!!  Crazy!!  The good thing is that when my family is on my AN side, they don't always know when I'm having "a moment" and shedding a tear or two!

My neurosurgeon told me that they would likely come back over time. 

Hang in!

Kathy
AN diagnosed 11/14/08, 3+cm, Retrosigmoid 1/13/09, Univ. Hosp., Cincinnati, Drs. Tew and Pensak
no facial nerve or eye issues!
3 more surgeries related to staph infections & osteomylitis over next 13 months.  New diagnosis of breast cancer.  Treatment completed 08/27/10.  Moving on!!!

ombrerose4

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2010, 05:06:27 pm »
Hi! My surgery was also in Sept. 2009. I had plugs put in my upper and lower tear ducts about 2 months ago because my eyes were so dry. Yesterday I had one plug removed because my eye was tearing too much. So yes, it sounds like you are making a comeback on the tear trail :)
Retrosigmoid 9/24/09
AN 2.4+ cm left side
Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC (Dr. Bederson and Dr. Choe)
BAHA surgery 1/4/2010

Nickittynic

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2010, 07:31:22 pm »
I'll be watching this thread - I'm only 4 months post op and no tearing or any signs of it, but dreaming of a day when I don't need to spend $20/week on eye drops! Is it possible?
25 year old OBGYN nurse, wife, mother of two
5.5cm x 3.1cm left side AN removed via retrosigmoid 9/09 @ Hopkins
SSD, Tinnitus, Chronic Migraines, Facial paralysis (improving!)
Resolved - Left sided weakness, Cognitive issues
Gold weight, upper and lower punctal plugs, tarsorrhaphy

cinnamon

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2010, 07:24:43 pm »
I had no idea my tears would be coming back. I am almost 4 years post op and still do not produce tears.No matter how much I cry no tears. The only time I can get it to heavily water is with certain foods that trigger my taste buds. I would like to have my tears back on the an side though.

Lisa H.
2.0 cm tumor removed suboccipital on 07-20-06
Left side facial paralysis and deaf ear. Just now researching hearing aid after 6 years!

Katiedee

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2010, 10:01:18 pm »
My tears did return after 6 months.  I was supposed to get minor eye surgery and an insert to make the eye close but the neurosurgeon who did the brain surgery asked me to wear an eye patch and tape my eye shut instead.  I did, I'm glad now, but at the time it was embarrasing to return to work like that.   I wore eye patches for over two months, and an eye apparatus at night to keep moisture in.  I found that eye drops with perservatives in them caused terrific pain.  The most effective for me was the night time gel which I put in the day time.  I was putting drops in, moving the tape and patch to do so sometimes every 30 minutes.  I'm relieved to say that ordeal ended but now I'm experiencing synkinses and endless extremly loud tinnitus. 

tenai98

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2010, 07:09:15 am »
Welll for me even though I have no tears in my AN  side eye, I dont need any eye drops whatsoever...So I guess I have enough moisture to keep my cornea wet...Just no tears yet!
JO
14mmX11mmX11mm left ear
TRANSLAB 04/07/09 2cms at time of surgery
Dr. Benoit and Schramm, Ottawa Civic Campus
SSD ,some facial numbness
Baha surgery sept 22/09
residual tumor 13mmX7mmX8mm
2016 new growth.  25mmX21mmX22mm
cyberknife on June 7

texsooner

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2010, 08:01:58 am »
I'm about 18 months out and still don't produce tears on the AN side. However, my dry eye issues improved a lot. Since about 6 months post op, I've only needed eyedrops about 2 to 3 times per day.

Patrick
3.5cm left side AN; 11 hour retrosigmoid surgery 8/11/08 @ Memorial Hermann, Houston - Texas Medical Center with Drs. Chang and Vollmer; home on 8/13/08;
SSD(w/tinnitus); dry eye; Happy to be here and feeling good.

epc1970

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2010, 02:22:20 pm »
I am about  20 months out and produce lubricating tears but do not produce emotional tears-who knew there were two types of tears??? I saw a neuro-opthamologist a few months ago who felt that based on my recovery to date he felt that my emotional tears who come back even this far out! Every once in a while when I cry it feels like I have tears welling up but they do not come out. I
Erin

opp2

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2010, 10:11:30 pm »
My an eye is very dry now, pre op so I don't know what to expect post up. I can hope, but if this is what I end up with, I'm good with that.
Diagn Apr 14 2009 with 2.5 cm lt AN. - numbness in the face and sudden onset headaches accompanied by balance issues. Consults with Drs in S Ontario, California (House) and Vancouver. Picked Dr. Akagami in BC.
Retrosigmoid July 6, 2010, 3.0cm by then. SSD left, no other significant side effects.

tenai98

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2010, 06:29:31 am »
Nikki
I anticipated dry eye after surgery so I went out and bought the eye drops that were recommended on this site..refresh, renew, somethinkg like that when  I was in Florida last yr. I used one small bottle a couple of times and that was it...
JO
14mmX11mmX11mm left ear
TRANSLAB 04/07/09 2cms at time of surgery
Dr. Benoit and Schramm, Ottawa Civic Campus
SSD ,some facial numbness
Baha surgery sept 22/09
residual tumor 13mmX7mmX8mm
2016 new growth.  25mmX21mmX22mm
cyberknife on June 7

Goldie

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2010, 09:21:09 pm »
I had dry eyes before surgery but not enough that I had to use anything for them.  Things were manageable after surgery until I went back to work.  I expect it's because of dry circulating air plus a lot of computer work, as it's not as bad at home.  I'm using Refresh artificial tears plus Refresh Celluvisc at times, ointment and Tranquil Eyes (mask) at night, and now started Restasis a week ago.  Restasis can take up to a month to work and doesn't work for everyone.  With my insurance coverage it will still cost me $75 a month, so I'm starting to wonder if a plug is the way to go.  Will give things a little more time.  Since I have hardly any facial paralysis, this isn't something I expected, but I've been told it's because the nerves were cut during surgery and it likely won't improve...just need to find ways to deal with it.  Guess I'll just have to stay home and be thankful everything else is good!   ;)

Denise D.
GK 5/06 at Mayo for small AN after balance and slight hearing issues.  Progressive hearing loss following GK.
3/09 - facial spasms began.  MRI shows tumor growth.
9/09 - MRI shows further growth.  "GK failure."  Translab 10/1/09 success!  BAHA 10/8/10.

ombrerose4

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2010, 10:49:32 pm »
Hi Denise,
I had a plug put in my lower duct a couple of months after surgery. While that helped somewhat, it wasn't till I insisted on an upper plug (actually I had to change doctors because for some reason the doctor I went to wouldn't do it), that I finally got complete relief from dry eye. Within an hour I was free of pain and irritation. Two months later I went back to the doctor because now my eyes were tearing so much that I asked him to take the bottom plug out. For me the top plug alone is enough now, I guess some of my tearing function came back. The plugs do not hurt at all going in or coming out. I would suggest you look into them some more. I only use drops once in awhile now, usually on a windy day, otherwise I'm drop free. Good luck!
Retrosigmoid 9/24/09
AN 2.4+ cm left side
Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC (Dr. Bederson and Dr. Choe)
BAHA surgery 1/4/2010

Goldie

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Re: tears return????
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2010, 01:56:20 pm »
Thanks, Ombrerose.  You were reading my mind and answered questions I had about the plugs!  I see my eye doc in a couple of weeks again and will definitely ask more about them.  He did mention them earlier but wanted to try these other things first.  Hopefully we can find a good solution sometime soon.

Denise D.
GK 5/06 at Mayo for small AN after balance and slight hearing issues.  Progressive hearing loss following GK.
3/09 - facial spasms began.  MRI shows tumor growth.
9/09 - MRI shows further growth.  "GK failure."  Translab 10/1/09 success!  BAHA 10/8/10.