Numb face

[PamJ]

It's 17 months since the removal of my AN and still have numbness in my face and am still having to drink through a straw because the right side of my tongue is still numb as well and down the side of my nose.  Has anyone else had this problem.  My face nose and lip feel as if I've had dental treatment and the injection is wearing off.  I am pleased to say the numbness at the back of my head from the BAHA implant is beginning to get feeling in it again.

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Pam ~

I'm not a physician but this condition seems to indicate the trigeminal nerves are being impacted.  This is not unheard of even many months post-AN surgery.  I have a small 'numb' spot on the side of my tongue that never went away following my AN surgery, now over 6 years ago.  Fortunately, it has no real effect on my taste or ability to eat so I just 'live with it'. 

In your case, I would suggest contacting your doctor to learn if this condition can be alleviated in any way or if healing can be hastened somewhat.  Often, numbness will abate to some degree, even years after surgery, so the prospect of this finally diminishing is not out of reach. 

Jim

[madison]

Hi.it's so strange... I practically wrote the same exact thing awhile back!I'm only 2 1/2 months out
But the numb tongue is so annoying. I have a really horrible taste in my mouth that nothing seems to help. I'm trying zinc now but it's too soon to say. My head felt numb by the incision but it's getting better.  I find that when I talk a lot it gets worse..it really feels like I had novacaine and I even talk like it. When I first had surgery that side of my nostril didn't work.  Its a little better but my nose blows out the other side much better. I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you, as I myself am just trying to be patient. At least we know we're not alone

[LakeErie]

I am almost 11 months after surgery and still experience a numb lower lip, chin, and tongue. I can move my face and tongue normally, but when I do I am aware of the numb feeling, or tingling. At other times I have tingling over the entire right side of my face when I have not been moving my face at all, and that comes and goes of its own accord.
Last month I cracked a lower tooth on the AN side, and felt tooth pain, but the novocaine had no effect on mouth, lip or chin. I felt none of the usual pins and needles when the novacaine would normally have been wearing off.
I did experience some numbness in my tongue, chin and lips as symptoms before surgery. I assume the numbness is here to stay as it was present before tumor removal.
I have been told by my surgeon's office that the time frame for recovery of my cranial nerves is 12 to 18 months, so I'll have to see where I am at those points. The surgeon did say he believed the tingling would stop eventually, but so far it is no better or worse since immediately after the surgery.
I still have the metallic taste all the time and find it less noticeable as time passes, not better, just not  noticing it as much.
My vocal cord is much improved and so is swallowing so the Vagus nerve does regenerate, though slowly. But that has nothing to do with facial numbness. 

[mindyandy]

I had numbness. I a a little pre op not much but post op I sure did. I had numbness in my lower r-lip, tongue, between eye and nose, r-side temple, and above my r-ear. Most of it is gone. I do have numbness still above my r-ear. I still get some numbness in my lip sometimes back in the spots mentioned. It is strange how I feel normal most of the time but every so often I get small amounts of numbness. Strange! I do get some tingles in lip and on my tongue. Not painful just weird. I am 6 months post op.

Mindy

[PamJ]

Thank you all for your replies I was just worrying because it's been 17 months.  I've also noticed I have a 'dent' on the right side of my chin, very strange.  I've been having a 'poor me' day as I've just had my eye opened for the first time in 14 months due to not being able to blink because of facial palsy from my AN surgery and my eye has dropped so low I now have to have it sewn back in place.  On the positive side I have no tumour and am pain free.

Jim - I have an appointment with the professor who removed my tumour in October for hopefully a final checkup so I will tell him about my facial numbness.  Even if I turn my head left or right or have been holding my head down reading the numbness gets worse, if it is impacted nerves can anything be done or is it a case of learning to live with it.

[Jim Scott]

Jim - I have an appointment with the professor who removed my tumour in October for hopefully a final checkup so I will tell him about my facial numbness.  Even if I turn my head left or right or have been holding my head down reading the numbness gets worse, if it is impacted nerves can anything be done or is it a case of learning to live with it.

Frankly, that will depend on the condition of the nerves and only a trained physician can give you a credible answer.  Of course, your issues may be treatable but not having had the same experience, I cannot know that.  That is why I referred you to your doctor and, what we hope will be his ability to find some relief for you.  Please let us know what you learn on your doctor visit next month.  Thanks.

Jim

[PamJ]

Hello Jim yes I will let you know how I get on then if someone else has the same problem it will help them.  Thanks for your advice.

[Cheryl R]

I can only talk about the dent in the chin as that is not uncommon with those with facial issues.     I also have it.      There is some facial retraining which can help that but I am not sure at the moment if that is mentioned  exactly how by Jackie Diels at the AN symposium.        Botox has also been done for some.              I haven't read the www.bellspalsy.ws and the facial retraining link on that site for a while and if it mentioned.      There are others here who may comment on it.                                               Cheryl R

[PamJ]

Hi Cheryl thanks for your comments I will look on the Bells Palsy site, the strange thing is my tumour was removed 17 months ago, have had facial palsy since then but only notice the dent in my chin last week

[Ronald P smith]

Hi,
Had an AN removed 17th April 2012 , Royal North Shore Hosp, Sydney Australia. Had Balance problems & left ear swooshing noises. Mri detected golf size Tumor, which was removed.
Since then, Left eye wont shut, left side of face & teeth top & Bottom IS Numb. Only
advantge is dental treatment extractions dont hurt. It is nearly 1 year now and its still the same.
Its cured my balance problems but my left ear has lost hearing. My left eye requires eyedrops and
lubrication every day. My left side of the body is not 100 % but ok. I Believe it takes 1 year for the body to grow back the nerves in the brain and if too much has been scraped off the conditions
I mentioned may be permanent or require other surgery to correct, so its a wait and see.
so people wish us luk, unless someone knows better.

[Karen]

I had my surgery almost 10 years ago and I still have a numb left   side of my face,lip and tongue. I had my eye sewn shut for a couple of months then had 3 eye muscles surgeies done for double  vision.  I have the feeling like I have had novicane    on that side all the time.   I also don't have any feeling in my cornea so I can't tell when its dry. If you find out anything about how to help the numbness let me know.  Sometimes mine feels worse than others.