MRI after 3 months of FSR,

[calimama]

JB-
is an "ear stabber" a sharp but short pain along the outer part of your (outer) ear? -- not sure of the technical term, but the part that runs up and out from the ear lobe. I have gotten these sporatically over the past 1-1.5 years. Very occassional, but memorable.
Is this pain from the triegenial (i really need spell check!) nerve??

Phyl...

I did check out the fatigue resource, thanks. I am a little more tired nowadays, but i really think i can attribute this to a one year old who wakes during the night, and have to wake up at 6am for work after a wonderful 10month maternity leave. I am sure the stress of my diagnosis is a factor though too.

thanks  guys!

[jb]

Calimama,
What I call "ear stabbers" come from deep inside my ear or just behind it;  a brief, but intense series of stabbing pains that lasted no more than a few seconds at a time.  I had them frequently before and right after my CK treatment, but now I rarely have them at all.

[Jim Scott]

I had surgery, then FSR three months later, as a planned method of reducing my large AN to a radiation-friendly size.  This approach was taken to avoid complications such as facial paralysis, etc.  It went near-perfectly.

My 6-month post- FSR MRI scan showed tumor swelling (3 mm) and I experienced shooting pains on my 'AN side' as well, but no headaches or the profound fatigue that some other FSR patients seemed to experience.   

My one-year MRI showed small but significant (to my neurosurgeon) tumor shrinkage and the very beginnings of necrosis. 

My 18 month MRI showed continued shrinkage and further evidence of necrosis.  My neurosurgeon was ecstatic and I wasn't exactly unhappy, either.  .

I'm looking forward to my 2-year MRI (in June or July) as I expect further necrosis will be visible. 

The thing to take away from this thread is that, following FRS (or GK/CK) it apparently takes about 12 months before any visible sign of tumor shrinkage and/or necrosis will be evident on an MRI scan.   Patience is needed because there clearly will be some transitory  after-effects from radiation treatment.  Fortunately, if all goes well, tumor shrinkage and necrosis is eventually seen on the follow-up MRI scans.  Life returns to normal and we can write about our experiences on the ANA message forums. 


Jim