My brain is messing with me!

[Puppylove]

So I think the stress is finally starting to kick in.  The past 4 days, I've been extremely tired.  It's like I can't keep my eyes open.  I'm sleeping through the night, but I'm wondering if I'm getting "good" sleep.  I can't make it through the day without taking a little nap. I also have a weird taste in my mouth, that I can actually feel the saliva coming out of my gums on my AN side.  It is such a weird taste, but it is constant and kind of bad at times.  Is this normal? Has anyone else had this before the surgery?

Except for today (I actually had a little crying episode), I don't really feel stressed out...but I think my body/brain is.  Stress is the only thing I can think of for the extreme tiredness all of the sudden, and the icky (for lack of a better word) taste in my mouth.  This is going to be a long 7 days!

Can anyone tell me why they want me to wash my hair with shampoo, but no conditioner for the 3 days prior to surgery? I know Lori at House told me, but I can't seem to remember my own name anymore.   I'm just curious why no conditioner, and why for 3 days?  My hair is fairly long and super thick...so it should be a nice tangled mess by surgery day!  

[moe]

Puppylove,
We understand about the fatigue and brain "messing with us!"

The fatigue thing- well my personal opinion is we just finished the holiday season (did you do lots of stuff/activity/gatherings?), and I personally feel wiped out the first week of January!
The stress of the surgery coming up also, so your body is just telling you it's tired. I would take full advantage of it if you can. Nap and enjoy it, and no guilt trips! Your body needs to be totally rested for the stress of surgery coming up. Walk, exercise as much as you can, if possible.

I have always been a fatigued person pre and post op and take naps daily as part of my normal routine. I am more productive in the evening, if I can get that breather in the afternoon.

As far as the hair conditioner, I'm thinking they want your hair CLEAN with the shampoo, but not the conditioner. Tends to have build up in it?

Surgery will be here before you know it. I had the weird taste in the mouth post op, not pre op. Just chew on gum, suck on candy or lozenges to distract.

Good luck!
Maureen

[CHD63]

Puppylove .....

My instructions for the morning before surgery was to take a shower and wash my hair and whole body with the Phisohex they provided ..... to minimize any bacterial infections from being transmitted during surgery.  I would presume conditioner might be stickier in holding potential bacteria in the hair and maybe that is why the three days before for stopping it.

As for the fatigue, this is my body's normal response to stress ..... I guess sort of the fight or flight thing and I flee by way of sleep.

Many thoughts and prayers for calm as you await your surgery day.

Clarice

[Puppylove]

Thank you Maureen.  I've actually been trying to exercise as much as I can.  I'm hoping that will help with recovery.  I think I figured out the bad taste in the mouth.  I think it is from the prednisone I'm taking.  When I think about it, the taste started occurring when I started the prednisone.  I guess it's just getting me ready for the side effects of surgery. 

That makes sense Clarice, about the conditioner build-up.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

The past couple of days have been good ones. I'm still tired and fatigued, but I'm not feeling sorry for myself and no more crying!  I'm back to being happy this was found early enough to do something about.  I just keep telling myself that as bad as I may feel for myself sometimes, there are so many others out there that have it so much worse than me.  I'm just taking it day by day and before I know it, I'll be on the other side! 

[Kaybo]

Glad the last few days have been better for you!  Before you know it, it will ALL be over!!

K   

[opp2]

I've read a couple of different things regarding the fatigue associated to our kind of skull base tumours.

a) the fatigue can come from your brain and body constantly trying to keep you on balance because you are adapting to the damage to the vestibular nerve on the affected side. Balance is combined effort of hearing, eyesight, body movement and feel in your feet. All of these processes are stressed when one nerve isn't working properly. As was posted above the holidays would have placed more strain on the system because you are doing more activities, seeing more things and being out of your normal routine.

b) brain injured persons are often fatigued from the brain using so much energy to repair or try to repair it's self. Most of the literature I've read in relation to surgery on or around the brain lists fatigue as one close to, if not the number one side effect. Make sense to me.

c) stress about the upcoming surgery and just having the toomah! can be interfering with your sleep. I can remember being awake almost every morning at 3:30 and 4:15 for weeks prior to my surgery. I didn't stay awake, I was just aware enough to look at the clock and to take a sip of water. I know we go through sleep cycles and everyone has more 'alert times' in their sleep, but I haven't been waking up any more like that since the surgery... Well except for the odd night when I know I gotta get up early and I'm afraid I'll sleep through my clock. :-))))

I wish you all the best in your upcoming surgery... deep breaths, keep optimistic thoughts and keep on exercising.

[moe]

  I'm just taking it day by day and before I know it, I'll be on the other side! 

THAT is good advice to yourself! Pamper yourself daily,it is a must