Tired, Tired Tired

[ceeceek]

Okay, although I had endo scopic..much less invasive technique, I am stilllllllllllllllllllll tired. and really somewhat foggy headed. Now this could be a combination of the fact that my eye nerve was a little affected by the surgery, and I am approaching that age where my eyes cannot make up their mind whether I am near sighted or far sighted......so that can jsut be a strain in general....but after reading various post etc. I really wonder if the tired and foggy feeling..inability to just think clearly, type writer hell, and mixed up words is more due to inner ear issues. Since I beleive allll of you are ANers, and the fact that an AN is indeed affecting your inner ear, where-as my little growth is not attached per say, but pressing on my inner ear.....
Can that be the cause of the whole, I am tired, foggy brained, cant speak or type half the time..vs the actual surgery?
Just throwing out the question
Ceeceek

[tony]

err Yes, basically there are two or three reasons for fatigue
1. You dont mention when the OP was exactly - but just the meds can
give fatigue for weeks or months afterwards
2. Then there is the body healing process - in a post OP situation
the body works overtime to repair itself
(I lost 30 Lbs or more - just lying down - in a month ?)
3. Inner ear is very close to the balance part of the nerve
compression or swelling here can give some quite spectacular
results - its often easier to walk or stand with no nerve
at all - rather than one that is miss-firing
4. and finally if some kind of rewiring process has occurred
- some of lose a balance nerve - some find eye movement
is affected. The brain compensates somehow - and rewires
itself to function under the changed circumstances
This "extra" work is very tiring in the beginning
(check out threads marked "Post OP fatigue")
- you may be  using some parts of the brain rather more
than in the past
hope this helps
tony

[Boppie]

Ceecee,
I had surgery in December and still had foggy headed feeling every mid day and by early evening throughout the next summer.  By 10 months post op I began to gather strength and I could think more clearly. 

I remember month 7 post op, well.  I was making every effort to help my daughter get packed for a move and I had to leave the whole moving van day to my husband and her.  I had go home by myself to just sleep. I wanted so much to help that day but I just couldn't keep my eyes open and my frustration level was nil.

It is amazing how much your body needs to rest after nerve surgery.

[NF-2er]

Hi Ceeceek;

   I'm on VEDA's support group also. Many there have problems with fatigue and don't, nor ever had an acoustic neuroma.
   I really do think inner ear surgery of any type is a life altering experience.
   Seems there is no more sensitive organ in the body and which affects multiple bodily systems than the inner ear.
   There are so many factors which contribute to our sense of well being!
   Hang in there and ~ flow ~ with your feelings. Rest when you need to and give yourself permission. Not sure how long since you've been to Skull Base Institute at Cedars Sinaii, was it? That's the only place I know of where endoscopic surgery of the cranium is performed.

   NF-er

[chopper]

I can totally vouch for the foggy and tiredness.  Especially in the beginning and upwards of 4-6 months later.

I got opened up last year, at the end of my 29th year, and it was weeks of being tired. It took a month to be able to go back to work, and several more for the foggyness to go, though it's debatable if it's ever reallly cleared up.

[ceeceek]

I'm hanging..just driving myself crazy....did not expect the whole tired thing..of course for a few weeks,,,but not for two months etc..the acupuncture helped with most symptoms etc....I am concerned about cyber later...dont want aggrivate the nerves all over again so we are holding off for a little while...I should speak with Dr Zhou re the tired part,...just never think about it..

fyi..i had endo at Fl hospital by Dr Fields Orlando Neurosurgery for skull base tumor....bout the size of a walnut....vidian nerve schwanomma and fibrous tissue growth....but the tumor is still mostly there and rest upon my inner ear....New MRi shows that my mastoiditis is almost completely gone and is contributed to the acupuncture treatment.....at least something is working.
Ceecee

[ixta]

ceeceek sorry I didnt post, been busy.
Ok..I had SBI along with chopper.

I am about 10 months post op.

Fatgiue, still. But I find if I have full 8 hr sleep. less intense.
With SSD, left side, my ENTIRE HALF HEAD feels dead, and my right side, has to "carry it along" and excert energy to KEEP me awake...
I am working out everyday and just did my first TRIATHLON though!

[barbjo]

endo scopic?
What is that procedure? 
Thanks!
Barb

[Jim Scott]

endo scopic?
What is that procedure? 

Thanks!

Barb

The Skull Base Institute (in Los Angeles) has more information about this less-invasive surgical procedure on their website.  http://www.skullbaseinstitute.com/acoustic_neuroma.htm

Right now, it's only available in specific facilities and is still considered 'experimental' by most neurosurgeons.  In the future, it could become the most widely-accepted surgical method of removing AN tumors.  Time will tell.

Jim

[sgerrard]

The Skull Base Institute (in Los Angeles) has more information about this less-invasive surgical procedure on their website.  http://www.skullbaseinstitute.com/acoustic_neuroma.htm

Right now, it's only available in specific facilities and is still considered 'experimental' by most neurosurgeons.  In the future, it could become the most widely-accepted surgical method of removing AN tumors.  Time will tell.

Jim

Thanks for the link. I had heard about this, but didn't realize there was a place that had already done over 100 ANs this way. It will be in the future sometime, but my bet is that surgery goes more and more this route, as the technology improves and they get the process down pat. It seems like it is bound to pass up the current microsurgery for reducing side effects and retaining nerve functions.

Steve