brain surgery, now plastic surgery

[han nah]

Hi

I visited this site late last year when I was considering which surgery option I should take to remove my tumor. I decided on trans lab due to the size of my tumor and my age.

I'm now almost 5 weeks post surgery and am recovery well. However I must admit that the tinnitus is getting worse and has been constant for the last 4 weeks. My balanceand dizzyness is not 100% but have been told by my surgeon that I may have to have a few visits to a phyisio.

Unfortunately as my tumor was so attached and surrounded to my facial nerve that the surgeons decided after 12.5 hours that they would have to cut off the facial nerve to remove all the tumor. I now have complete right side facial paralysis, however I have been referred to a plastic surgeon who on 23rd May will perform a cross facial nerve graft, insert a gold weight in my right eye, will take nerves from the good side of my face and my tounge and graft to the paralysed side.


I'm really worried about the plastic surgery as I have been told by my brain surgeon that he would like to see this surgery done within in 4-6 weeks after the trans lab surgery. This is becuase everyday I wait for the plastic surgery I'm losing tone in my face. I'm now book in for plasitc surgery 9 weeks after trans lab. Does anyone know if this extra 3 weeks will make a huge differnce to the tone in my face? Also the plastic surgeon said that I will have problems with speaking and eating for the first few weeks post surgery, has anyone been through this and how bad is it??

Also as I mentioned the tinnitus is starting to drive me crazy. Does anyone know if hypnosis might assist my blocking out the constant ringing??
Thanks heaps and look forward to hearing any advice

[nancyann]

Hello han nah:  So sorry to hear this happened to you;  my facial nerve was also cut - the docs were going to do the 12/7 jump within 4 months, but 1st ordered an EMG which is routine prior to the surgery.  It showed a very small response, so they put the surg. on hold & ordered another EMG 3 months later which showed 10-15% nerve regeneration.  My next EMG is scheduled for 5/29.  I still have no movement at all on the right side of my face.
                     I was also told the sooner the better to preserve tone, I don't think a few weeks will make a difference; but while I was waiting I emailed a plastic surgeon  & he didn't know why they would do the 12/7 jump without waiting a year to check for nerve regeneration.
                     Did your surgeon reattach the facial nerve after it was cut ?    & are you having facial EMGs ?
                     I'm a little over 10 months out now, my face is still droopy on the right side (people say it looks better but I don't see it).
                     The gold weight will make a world of difference if you have the wide open look like I had.
                      Also, yes, the tinnitus for me is worse also after surgery, & is constant.  I'm just use to it, had it for many years pre surgery.   My balance was horrible post op, I ended up going for Balance Therapy 4 months after which helped.
Take care han nah, keep a peaceful heart,   Nancy
ps:   If you look on the facial issues posts, you might also get some ideas of what others have done,  length of time waiting before having further surgery, etc.

[han nah]

Thanks for your reply Nancyann.

No the surgeon did not reattach the facial nerve, he said it was impossible as none of the nerves would match up, becuase so much of the nerve had to be removed. The way he described it was trying to attach spaghetti and glad wrap. I'm not sure what an EMG, I assume it is a scan or test of some type? I have had no scan or test since the surgery and don't expect to have one prior to this surgery. I have been told that I have 100% paralysis as the nerves were completey cut, was this the same for you or is there still a slight connection of your facial nerves? I have been told that even doing facial excercises will not help untill after the surgery when there is a connection has grown (6 months - 2 years).

Ill have a look at the facial issues posts too.


Good luck with your recovery too

[nancyann]

Hi again han nah:  I was told the same thing almost: my facial nerve was like a wet noodle, however, the docs were able to reattached the facial nerve (primary anastamosis).  Since your facial nerve was not reattached, you wouldn't need the facial EMG (checks for nerve regeneration), so onto nerve anastamosis for you, & yes, the sooner the better, best not to wait much over a year is what I was told, so you're okay timewise.  My docs also said facial exercises are useless until there is movement starting.
Always good thoughts my friend,   Nancy

[Boppie]

han nah, There isn't a cure today for the tinnitus, but I suggest you listen to soothing music and nature sounds that might help "white out" the T.  You'll find that tension increases T; caffeine and salt bother some people's T. You have to experiment. 

But I know that tension makes T worse every time.  Thinking about tinnitus makes me have more tinnitus for that time period.  There is a lot of mind control going on with tinnitus control studies.  Maybe some day we will be able to understand and beat tinnitus.

[Cheryl R]

I am sorry to hear of you having to have your facial nerve cut.     I had a facial neuroma removed a year ago with my nerve severed but my surgeon was able to do a nerve graft during the surgery and take a nerve from by my ear and sew in and I have had nerve function return.   It will never be normal but I look ok just to look at me.  The smile is lopsided and probably always will be.     In answer to your question about if you will lose tone over 3 weeks.      Facial muscles are different in make up than regular muscles so they do not atophy as fast as a say leg muscle would.     I have read where some of the surgical procedures should be done within 4-7 months of the original AN surgery but there could be other reasons for this.               There is a facial therapist here in the states who in alot of cases doesn't even see a patient until a year after their surgery so she can see what recovery the facial nerve has made.           This would be in cases where there was just damage to the nerve and not it being severed.       
  Don't have an answer to the tinnitis question as suffer from it also.
              Good luck in your upcoming surgery.                                    Cheryl R.