Retrosigmoid Approach and Post Operative Headaches

[Mei Mei]

Dear Everyone,
I googled Post Operative Headaches the other night and much to my surprise I came up with one hit with acoustic neuromas and retrosigmoid approach.   So then I did another google search that included Retrosigmoid approach and Post Operative Headaches and came up with so many articles.   It seems it is quite common in the retrosigmoid approach.   If it is so common, why isn't there more support for those of us who have had this surgery?   My neurosurgeon is basically done with me now that the tumor is out, so I will make an appointment with a neurosurgeon to try and get some relief from these headaches.

below is the google search that I found on Retrosigmoid approach and Post Operative Headaches

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=retrosigmoid+approach+postoperative+headaches&aq=0p&aqi=g-p1g7g-s1g1&aql=&oq=retrosi&gs_rfai=

Anxious to get on with my life and surprised that I am in a category that has such a prognosis.

Take care one and all,
Mei Mei

[Lizard]

Mei Mei,
I am totally empathetic to your situation as mine is pretty much the same.  My Doctors decided on the sub-occipital approach to try and save my hearing.  While I have some hearing it is very frustrating to know that this approach generally causes headaches.  I've been through all the emotions from anger to sadness and everything in between and I too feel like my life has been on hold for the past year and and a half.  I wouldn't take this lying down, go to as many doctors as will see you until you find one with this type of experience. 

As I write this my eyeball feels like its going to pop out of my head, but yesterday I was pain free.  The progress you want to start seeing is more pain free days in between those where you have pain.  Its a great feeling to go a week without a significant headache.  But the only way for you to begin the upward slope is finding Doctors who will work for you and really listen to you and how you describe your pain. 

Again hang in there!
Liz

[leapyrtwins]

Mei Mei -

I just reponded to this on your other thread. 

While post op headaches can be linked to the retrosigmoid approach, it'd not a "given".  It's pretty much on a patient by patient basis.

There are lots of us on the Forum (me included) who had retrosig and don't have headaches post op.

That doesn't mean that doctors shouldn't inform patients that they might encounter this side-effect.  Doctors should disclose fully all the possible side-effects of AN treatment - whether it's radiation or surgery.

Hope you - and Liz - find some relief very soon.

Best,

Jan

[texsooner]

Mei Mei, I feel for you, Liz and others that have the headache issue. I am very grateful not to have this problem.

Count me in the category as Jan and many others that had the retrosig approach and have no issue (so far) with headaches. I also read somewhere (pre-surgery) about the potential greater chance of post op headaches with the retrosig approach and discussed this with my neurotoligist and neurosurgeon. They both told me that they had no complaints with their patients post op from doing the retrosig approach....I have no way of proving this, just took them for their word, and thankfully it worked out for me.

Again, I hope you find relief from the headaches....I just wouldn't want to have people completely steered away from the retrosigmoid approach of AN surgery if it's the best course for them.

Patrick

[Mei Mei]

True, Patrick.   I was advised that it was the best approach for me and that's why we went with it.

Thanks for listening!
Mei Mei

[Syl]

Mei Mei:

I hope you can find relief from your headaches. I've been seeing a neurosurgeon for a year now & am glad to say that I have found relief. I'm not out of the woods yet, but it has gotten so much better. The headaches, though still chronic, are less frequent and less intense. I haven't called in sick to work for about a month now. As if the headaches were not enough to worry about, I also worried about calling in sick so often that I could be considered less reliable by my bosses. I hope to one day soon say that I am headache free.

Syl

[jennifer7]

My headaches started about 2 months after retro sig surgery, I went to a chiropractor last week and found out I'm holding my head very crooked, babying the surgery side.  I'm hoping that she can help that and maybe the headaches will come less often or be  less severe.

[Mei Mei]

Hi Sylvia,   I am interested to find out what the neurosurgeon is doing to help you.   All mine told me to do is to take Motrin and after two weeks the headaches would go away.

Jennifer:  How is the Chiropractic helping?   I hope it is working out.

I just started getting very gentle massage on my neck at the Physical Therapist.

We'll see what helps.

Take care and have a nice weekend.
Mei Mei

[CHD63]

Mei Mei .....

I think I said this somewhere on an earlier post but I, also, do not feel that headaches are automatic with the retrosigmoid approach.  I have had two skull based surgeries with retrosigmoid approach (one on each side).  Following the first one, in 1994, I did have significant headaches for about two weeks afterwards and that was it.  Following my AN surgery in 2008 I had absolutely no headaches.  The two surgeries were done in two different medical facilities in different states, with different neurosurgeons.

For most of my life I have had what I refer to as "barometric headaches" because there is a direct correlation with weather system fronts.  This was the case long before either of my surgeries and on an infrequent basis.  Since 2008 I have had even fewer of these type of headaches.  As with any normal person, I can get a tired headache or bright sunlight exposure headache, or now prolonged very loud noise induced headaches ..... but they are few and far between.

I certainly hope you find some relief for yours ..... it has to be very difficult for you.

Best thoughts and prayers.  Clarice

[Jim Scott]

Mei Mei ~

I'm sorry to learn that you're dealing with post-op headaches and hope you can find relief, soon. 

I underwent a 9-hour Retrosigmoid Approach AN removal surgery in 2006 . Prior to my surgery, I was apprehensive about (post-op) headaches but my neurosurgeon assured me that I wouldn't suffer post-op headaches.  He was serious - and he was correct.  I never experienced any post-op headaches, for which I'm very grateful.  My case my be an anomaly, but I doubt it.  Also, some AN information found on the internet is out of date and should not be given too much credence. 

Jim

[Mei Mei]

Thank you Clarice and Jim for your support.   I am having nightly headaches and it's very worriesome.   Tonight I found on Pub Med at the Library of Medicine search several articles on retrosigmoid and headaches and bone dust.   Bone Dust was discussed after our DC local area support meeting and I'll ask about that when I meet with my neurologist.   It was written about in two of the articles as causes of headaches.   One of our members had headaches for 4 years and one for 10 years.   I don't want them to last that long for me.   I want to get on with things.   Thanks for your support.

SIncerely,
Mei Mei

[Syl]

I think Jim's surgeon should share the secret behind his success performing retrosig surgeries that do not result in post-op headaches with all the other surgeons.

I've heard about the explanation of bone dust possibly causing the post-op headaches. But why does applying heat to the back of my neck stop the pain? I don't think that heat can stop pain caused by bone dust.

Syl

[Mei Mei]

I don't know, Sylvia.   It's been the cause of much anxiety for me.   I am now getting neck massages for the pain there, but there is no releif for the headaches.  There's a paper that I read last night from Mt Sinai about preventing headaches in retrosigmoid surgery and bone dust.   There must be something to it.   I can't wait till my neurologist appt on June 8th so I can discuss all this with him and get some kind of referral and get to the bottom of this.   I don't want this to go on for years like it did with the members of the local group I went to yesterday morning.   I so want to move on with my life.   Thanks for listening Sylvia.   I know you are there.

Mei Mei

[Jim Scott]

I think Jim's surgeon should share the secret behind his success performing retrosig surgeries that do not result in post-op headaches with all the other surgeons.

I believe he uses a type of gelfoam around the surgery site, lots of suction and I know he is very careful about patient positioning on the operating table (to avoid subsequent headaches due to neck muscle strain during the surgery).  He didn't use belly fat to 'pack' my incision but titanium mesh (secured with tiny screws) and some kind of paste to seal the incision.  I suffered no CSF leaks or post-op headaches.  I doubt these precautions are a secret but I have to assume that not every surgeon employs them.  My neurosurgeon was (and still is) an instructor at Yale Medical School (where he did his internship and residency) and had been performing AN removals for decades, giving him an excellent perspective and a wealth of knowledge about what works best for both doctor and patient.  He knew all about post-op headaches associated with AN surgery and inferred that he had long since conquered that problem.  Apparently, he has, for which I remain grateful. 

Jim 

[leapyrtwins]

I don't think it's a surgeon thing.

I seriously doubt that Jim's doctor knows mine and they didn't do their residency or internship in the same place.

I didn't have gelfoam either.

I think this is just like most things AN - we all have different experiences.

Jan