various facial/taste issues 1 yr post surgery

[Rob85616]

So it's been over a year now since my surgery for a 4cm. AN.  (Did not totally remove to preserve facial muscle) but yeah...it hasn't grown any..  I still have numbnesss on the right side.. tongue, chin,  cheek, etc and still a metallic/tunny taste.. (hard to really describe it) and also a feeling of something "stuck" in my throat (but nothing is there). Some days are stronger than others.. but has never gone away or lessened much.. I haven't been to site much lately as I also had a low grade glioma removed this past Jan.. so have been consumed with that more lately.  Just am curious if any others have had any long term effects like this and if there is still a chance this nerve could regenerate or if this may be what the new norm is now since no change for more than a year...  any home remedies to try to make it better?? Thanks!!

[LakeErie]

I am at about 20 months post surgery and had numbness around and inside my mouth both before and after surgery. There was not much change in those symptoms the first year of my recovery. But since then I have experienced gradual improvement. Only the middle portion of my tongue. for example, still feels burned. My upper lip is no longer numb. I still get sporadic tingling  along my jaw line. Overall I am much better than at one year. For some of us patience pays off.

[Rob85616]

Thanks for the reply!!  good to hear that there is still the possibility for improvement.  I have the burnt tongue feeling also.  I will continue to be patient and hope for the best!

[Tod]

I am three years post-surgery. I still suffer from minor difficulties swallowing - it is a failure of the autonomic processes involving the smooth muscles of the throat. More simply, the basic automatic stuff does not occur, particularly involving the normal mucous that body produces.  This also compounds the remaining weakness in the left vocal fold.

While these issues remain, they are much improved over two years ago. My ability to taste sugars is impaired as well, but it also continues to improve over time.

-Tod