TWITCHING ??

[joyce04]

Hi,

I'm sure this has been addressed- but want some confirmation.
I'm almost 5 post post GK..and started noticing facial twitching- chin,cheek etc- like tremors. Not visible to anyone tho.
Does this happen or is this just a case of my nerves?!

Thanks

[Echo]

Hi Joyce,

Yes it can happen! Relax, but do monitor it and speak with your specialist if you are concerned.  I had a tremor sensation on my cheek very briefly around the 8 month point post GK.  It hung around very sporadic for about two weeks and then vanished.   At the 18 month point I noticed a tremor one morning in that soft area of skin below your lower eyelid and above your cheekbone.  The weird thing was that I couldn't feel a thing, but I was putting makeup on and watching the skin move - it looked like gentle tugging or bubbling. That weirdness lasted about a month off and on and then it went away. 

Prior to the GK, for several months, I had a tingling sensation on the tip of my tongue and a numbness on the corner of my mouth.  Within roughly 2-3 months both of those sensations went away and have not returned. 

I keep a log of things as they happen.  I have not had to contact my neurosurgeon about any of these as they tend to disappear within a few weeks and none have been severe enough to worry about. 

Cathie

[NS]

Hi Joyce

I came here to look up the same thing - I am 5.5 months post-GK and I started experiencing facial twitching around mid-late March (which was only 1.5 months post treatment). It did seem to subside, but recently started again. When it does happen, I point it out to my husband and it is visible to him. I usually experience it around my lip (upper lip and corner of mouth), the side of my nose, my eyebrow, and sometimes below my eye and occasionally elsewhere.

I did see my neurosurgeon and they did a brief test (although my face was not twitching at the time) and said nothing seemed unexpected. They seemed to indicate that if it were a spasm and the face became frozen in that position, that would be of greater concern. However, I wanted everything documented and would encourage you to speak to your doctor if you have any concerns or if the symptoms are uncomfortable. They may be able to prescribe steroids to ease the symptoms if it is related to tumor swelling.

I also started to experience numbness along that side of my face. First it started at the very side, just in front of my ear, however, it later expanded and now I feel as though sometimes my entire cheek and chin are numb. And I have started having headaches again as well. Hopefully all of this is part of the normal course of action as the tumor reacts and eventually dies.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!
N

[joyce04]

Hi,

As Cathie noted...the twitching came and went..thank goodness!
I was actually in extremely humid weather when it began, but when nI returned home to the Northest
it stopped.  Perhaps it was weather related, I'm not sure, but happy that I no longer have those tremors.

[Ninabea]

I'm so glad you asked! I'm experiencing the same thing -- facial twitching and intermittent weakness around my mouth, chin and cheek. My husband says he can't see it unless he watches closely, but to me it feels huge. I'm almost exactly 1 year post-GK. About three weeks ago (the same time the twitching started) all at once I lost what what left of my hearing in my affected ear. Kaput. I can't help but think the facial nerve might be collateral damage from the GK. Just now it seems to have migrated up my face to my eye area, which is why I searched up this thread. Feeling a bit scared. 

[SueLL]

The twitching and numbness I experience in my cheek and tongue come and go, but it seems to come on or worsen when I am tired or stressed.  I try to get adequate rest and remain calm, but . . .   

[georgeahughes]

Hi All, I'm in the same boat. Had Cyberknife for AN 7 months ago ( in Ireland). In the last couple of months I'v had regular bouts of twitching on the AN side. Also some, what I think are called hemi-facial spasms on the AN side on average a couple of times a day.  Yes worrying but it seems to be part of the course for a number of people from what I've read on the forums between 6- 18 months post Cyberknife. Stress is a trigger for sure. Its difficult because I can get very little medical advise from the hospital on this but reassuring that others are feeling the symptoms and from the little I've found on it, seems to be part of the recovery and not long term. I've found that the less I dwell on it and the more I get on with my normal life the less I notice it ( that may sound silly, but seems to be true for me). Good luck with recovery.