Gamma Knife

[Mia]

Hello, I`m a 37years old girl from Norway who has an 24mm x 18mm AN on right side. I am going to have GK in the end om May.
I have not lost any hearing,my doctor can not belive that, but have had Vertigo for about 1week at the time x 2 last 6months.
At the time I have headache almost every day, and when I am stressed just a littel bit I get "sick"-feeling dizzi and want to throw up...(not done that yet) and when I am lying down I can hear the sea in my head.
I am not working right now, because I have a stressfull jobb and are not able to work because of the AN.
I am wondering if the symptoms I am having now, will dissapear after threatment ?
And for how long do I need to stay at home for recovering after GK?
This is a really great forum
Sorry for my English, hope you understand it out there.
 
Mia

[Lorenzo]

HI Mia,

Welcome to the club! I'm glad that you found this place, even if the reasons for findining it are not the happiest! This IS a good forum, full of really helpful people.

Ok, I didn't have GK, but I did have CyberKnife, so some of the reactions to the radiosurgery is the same. Other people here had GK so they will give you more specific details.

The sounds that you hear, tinnitus, won't disapear after treatment. Sadly, that's one thing that we all have to live with. The good news is that there are ways of dealing with it, and with time hopefully you will get used to it and learn to ignore the sound. Depending on how bad it is, it may be easy or difficult to do.

Stress will make all your symptoms worse, even more so before treatment when the unknown is the strongest! With time they should get better. The dizzyness should also settle I hope.

The one thing to remember is that we are all different. We all have slight different reactions to our ANs and treatments. It's always very difficult to say exactly how you will come out of it. In general terms, symptoms usually get worse right after treatment because the tumour can start to swell. Then, after a while, things settle down and symptoms lessen, or return to pre treatment level. I had very few problems with dizzyness, and right after treatment they didn't get worse, for example. Tinnitus became louder for a few months (nothing dramatic) and has now returned to 'normal'. Hearing is slightly less than before, 5% less.

As for recovery time, that too depends on the individual. Some have no problems at all and jsut go on working. Others like me had problems. I did work right after treatment, but frankly, I should have taken about 2 months off. I wasn't really that able to teach students and do my usual duties.

hopefully some Gk people here will give you some more information!

All the best,

Lorenzo

And your English is just fine! 

[River Rat]

Hello Mia,

       I had my Gamma Knife treatment one week ago.   My hearing is the same, my balance has improved, my facial movement and sensation is better.  I think that my balance has improved because finally the non-AN side has taken control of balance for my body, at least that is my guess.  I still have the tinnitus.  I tell the kids that "Tinkerbell" is living in my ear (Tinkerbell is the fairy in the English novel, Peter Pan).
       Side effects:  I have had small headaches for the last week for which I take Tylenol.  The good news is that every day the headaches are milder and I take the Tylenol later in the day.  I am taking a nap every afternoon for two hours, and sleeping well at night.  Overall, my stress is much lower and I am feeling better than pre-treatment.
       Time off work:  I told my work in advance that I would need two weeks off.  I have read on this forum about people who had GK and took no time off at all.  Some of them qualify as super heroes, I think.   But I felt that I needed time emotionally and physically to recover from the total effects of diagnosis, research, decision-making, and then the treatment itself.  Besides--spring is coming and now I have time to count the daffodils and shoo the squirrel away from the birdfeeder.
        I wish you all the best as you prepare and wait and with the treatment itself.  While I waited for treatment I drastically cut back on caffeine and drank only green and herbal teas.  I think that helped me stay a bit calmer.  Your English is lovely and certainly much, much better than my Norwegian!
        Best,
        River Rat

[Mia]

Hello again

Rellay appreciate the answers. I have had a nice day out in the sunshine today, walked a long tour with my sister.
I feel that I have made the right choice(GK), after been reading a lot in this forum. This forum makes me feel not so alone.
I`m a littel afraid of the furthur, but I think I will be able to handel it. Time will show.
You guys in this forum gives hope.
A lot of you are doing great, I think!

Thanks!

Mia

[Sue]

 Hi Mia,

I had GK almost a year ago.  My symptoms have remained about the same.  I had steroids afterward to help reduce swelling and that caused insomnia and I was really glad I didn't have to get to a job because I never would have been able to do that.  Two hours of sleep a night just doesn't make you a very happy person!  I guess I'm doing okay.  I have a litte dizziness or something going on right now.  Sort of feels like I've had a beer - just a kind of light-headed feeling. Hard to describe.  Goes with the territory, I guess.

Good luck to you, our Norweigan friend.

Sue in Vancouver WA USA