Reactions to medications

[michelct]

My mom was diagnosed with AN in late Feb '06 - she had surgery to remove part of it in mid March - then the Gamma Knife some weeks later.  The tumor is shrinking.  My mom has just recently started physical therapy (again) and shows signs of improvement.  She is still walking via the walker - trying to take some steps on her own.  She has been wearing a TransDerm Scop patch for her vertigo.  This seems to work, until recently.  She is having an allergic reaction to the adhesive.  Her doctor prescribed Antivert - she took it for 2 days and I could tell a difference in her.  She was "delirious" - as if she was drunk.  She couldn't focus - I found her walking in circles - when asked if she needed to go to the restroom before leaving the house - she went outside - totally unaware!  We've seen this type of "reaction" before - the question is why?  Antivert is basically a "souped up" version of dramamine - she hasn't taken the medicine in over 4 days and she is still NOT herself - she isn't even walking right - chemically something isn't right.

[Joef]

Sounds like a trip to the doctor office is in order! ...I rather have my wits than my balance any day .... could she talk right? .. it also sounds like a stoke ... I'm no doctor, but it right does not sound right ...How big was the AN ?

[michelct]

I took her to the dr. on Friday - her regular Dr. was on vacation - made another appt. to see her next week - this Dr. said that it was a "reaction to medication" and that she was delirious - she didn't know what the day was or the year - she did know who the President was.  It's really sad - she's good for a while - then not.  I will call her neuro dr. on Tuesday - she's due for an MRI in Oct - he may wish to move it up.  This type of reaction occurs EVERY time she takes something by mouth - her patch never made her "loopy"!  Her neuro dr. said that she'd be walking by end of summer - I hate to see this "setback" - she was on her way to walking without walker. 

Her tumor was the size of a tennis ball - she began losing her hearing approx. 4 years ago - in Feb. she got "sick" on Valentines Day - with what my dad thought was a virus/bug - took her to the ER and they said, yeah she's one sick lady - we INSISTED that this was NOT my mother - and that she was acting "crazy" - out of her mind - they asked if we'd feel better if they did an MRI and we said yes -  in minutes our life changed!  The dr. didn't know what to say - WE, the family, KNEW something was wrong - I guessed it was a stroke - never thought something like this!

[Kathleen_Mc]

I myself would wonder what all is going on there, I would have throught a drug reaction would have cleared up by now. I would get her to the neurologist "toot sweet" and if that's not possible take her to the hospital where her surgery was done.
Kathleen

[ratthebrat]

Hey girl hang in there im sure your mom is strong and you can also help her by being strong for her. Have you taken her to the doctor yet. I would think that the meds would be out of her system by now. I hope she is doing better tell her she can do it there are many of us survirors out there and we can help encourage her all the way through this battle.

I understand how fast your life can change. i was 24 yrs old and a single mother when i was diagnosed. and i lost it when the doctor told me i had a tumor near the brain. after surgery i lost my hearing. I lost it all. i lost my balance , i couldn't feed my self, i couldn't even go to the bathroom by myself or even take care of my 2 yr old child at the time. three years later i am almost done in medical school. my daughter is in school and my after math from this tumor is that i can't remember much of my past before the surgery i can only remember fragments of the past. I am going blind in the right eye and i am deaf. I can't walk on rough ground at night but other than that nobody can tell that i have anything wrong withme.

Your mom can be that way too. tell her to keep pushing her self and she will be back to her daily rituals. she can do it i have faith in her that she can succeed. I hope all is going okay and hopefully we can talk again. good luck!!!