Numbness in left arm and loss of strength

[Anasazi42]

On May 12 2011, I had a 9 hr retrosigmoid craniectomy to remove a 3.0+ cm AN rt side pushing against my brain stem. I was in the ICU for four days before being moved to the neurological unit of FL Hospital. On May 23rd, I had a gold weight implant in my right eye. I was transferred to Winter Park Memorial's rehab unit on May 24, and was finally released to home on June 4th. During that time I had slight, but annoying numbness on the left side of my body, and yet was more uncoordinated and weaker on my right.

Starting around July 9, I woke up to an ache that woke me out of sleep, and worse numbness all the way down my left arm. During the day it gets better but I never fully get the feeling back in my fingers of my left hand. I'm writing this to respond to SBRN who posted on Feb 11 2011 subject: "numbness in arms and loss of strength". Like her husband, I can feel that someone is touching me, but I don't feel pain when someone is pulling the hairs on that arm. I've also described it as an uncomfortable feeling. At night, once again it gets worse and I describe it as an ache. I had met with my neurologist at the end of June and had reported the left side numbness but hadn't had the painful ache and finger numbness at the time. So, I called my neurologist to report the new symptoms. They told me it sounded like the normal healing symptom post surgery, confirmed I didn't have any swelling or rash, and told me just to keep an eye on it, but not to worry. Coincidentally, my double vision stopped that same weekend and my tinnitus worsened. I told them all of this and they weren't surprised and they reminded me that I just had brain surgery and that my brain and body are trying to make connections again and that I'll be feeling numbness and pain and hearing the tinnitus as everything heals just as my double vision healed. I did feel better about everything I'm feeling. I have an MRI scheduled for August 1 and a follow-up appt with the neurologist on Aug 9. I will report back on what he says and whether my symptoms have progressed or improved.

[ombrerose4]

Hi,

It sounds like you went through quite a rough time, but are coming along slowly but surely. Have you seen or told your surgeons about your numbness and pain, or only your neurologist? Is this something they have seen before? I am just curious because it is an uncommon occurence after AN surgery. I hope you contiue to heal and recover.

[Twindad]

I think I may having the same general problem you are having with my right arm. I told my surgeon last week about how my arm is tinglee numb, cold and sometimes weak. Whats odd is that it comes and goes all during the day. His response was that it should slowly improve over time due to the position legnth and medications infused on that side during the surgery. Is this close to what you are experiencing ?

[Anasazi42]

Yes Twindad - almost exactly! I'm feeling the coldness and numbness right now. My neurosurgeon didn't seem surprised considering where the tumor was. Although the tumor was on my right side and so I should be having most trouble on my left side, it's my right side that is weak and uncoordinated. So the fact that I have the numbness and tingling on my left side as well as the uncoordination on the right is because of its interference with the cerebellum, and all the other cranial nerves it was pressing against for years. After I get my next MRI and confer with my neurosurgeon, I'll post again. Thanks for your response. We are not alone!

I think I may having the same general problem you are having with my right arm. I told my surgeon last week about how my arm is tinglee numb, cold and sometimes weak. Whats odd is that it comes and goes all during the day. His response was that it should slowly improve over time due to the position legnth and medications infused on that side during the surgery. Is this close to what you are experiencing ?

[Anasazi42]

Hi ombrerose4, thank you so much for replying. My neurologist and surgeon are one and the same. After the 9 hr surgery, he is intimately familiar with my tumor. He really didn't seem surprised or puzzled when I told him of all of my symptoms. He talked to me about all of them and reassured me. Another poster has commented on similar symptoms. After my MRI on August 1st and my appt with the neurosurgeon on the 9th, I will post an update. Reading these other posts of people going through the same thing has made this road to recovery so much easier.

Hi,

It sounds like you went through quite a rough time, but are coming along slowly but surely. Have you seen or told your surgeons about your numbness and pain, or only your neurologist? Is this something they have seen before? I am just curious because it is an uncommon occurence after AN surgery. I hope you contiue to heal and recover.