My three month report and a few questions

[DaveImproved]

I thank everyone who has posted their experiences. I have learned much more what to expect from this board than from my doctors.
I had middle fossa approach surgery for a 1.2 centimeter acoustic neuroma about 3 months ago.
I feel I've been pretty fortunate with my recovery.
I still have tinnitus, but my hearing has come back fairly well.
I had 6 weeks with a saggy side to my face, and an eye that didn't completely close, but that has all resolved.
Those of you with continuing facial nerve involvement have my sympathy.
I try to take my dogs for a 45 minute walk every day and that has helped my balance a lot.
Bending over or walking on uneven ground still give me some trouble, and if I flop onto my bed too suddenly I still get a merry-go-round sensation(I kind of enjoy that).
I do notice balance gets a lot worse when I'm tired.
The only other symptoms I have are numbness on the side of my tongue, a runny nose on my surgical side, and headaches when I get tired
Does one ever lose the dizzy sensation, or is it just that one learns to compensate?
At my one month check up, I was told my middle ear was still filled with blood. I still feel a lot of pressure in the middle ear, especially after exercise.
How long did it take you others to get rid of that fluid?
One other question- did anyone else initially have this odd feeling like you were put into someone else's body?

[DaveImproved]

That last sentence may have sounded a little wierd.
I just meant with everything sounding like I was hearing it from the bottom of a barrel, and half my face not working, and the world moving up and down around in unexpected ways, that it took a while before I felt like my old sense of reality was fitting back into my body.
Does that make any sense?

[Battyp]

Dave I feel like I woke up in an 80 year old's body! 
I too have the tongue numbness which drives me nuts.  When I get tired which is often I get worse with my balance and my speech. 

I hate that bed spin feeling! 

[Obita]

Hi -

My balance got much better with time but I was impatient so I bought one of the little exercise trampolines and put it next to my fridge.  I held onto the fridge handle lightly and stood on the trampoline on one leg.  That forces you to balance yourself.  It was not easy at first but it worked. (I still hate walking on rocks)

My tongue and the roof of my mouth on the AN side hurt like crazy when I eat ice cream but not bad enought to quit!!

The "fullness" was gone in a few months.

I ended up getting a night light for my bedroom.  I got up in the middle of the night a few times to go to the bathroom and the whole pitch black experience freaked me out.  I never did ask my dr. why darkness is such a problem but I know it is common.

My brain does not work as well when I am tired.  If I am overloaded at work I go in early because I cannot stay late anymore.  It is a waste of time.     

Congrats on your hearing and healing - Kathy

[Joef]

when the weather started to get warmer this spring, I started to do some work out in the yard ... I sure the neighbors if they were watching would of thought I was drunk .. Each weekend would pass .. and I could work longer and longer .. and today . just a few months later.. I can work almost all day!
   You do need to "push" your self, your body needs to re-learn to balance itself when you tried . but not to hard.. work until your dizzy .. then work 30 min more .. then STOP .. no need to hurt yourself .. as the weekends pass .. I think you will find that your working longer and longer ..

   I think since we have loss some of out balance (trans-lab) .. we are more depending on our other sences ... makes dark places more of a problem! , this too shall become a little easier over time..

[Pembo]

DaveImproved it sounds like your recovery is going well. I'm going to answer your last question first, YES, I definitely felt like someone else and for awhile.

As for the balance, yes it does get better over time but I still have moments when I'm unsteady...like the time I was squatting down in a store to get a better look at something on a bottom shelf and fell on my butt.  But for the most part at 2 years post-op my balance is pretty good.

As for the tongue numbness, I've noticed a big improvement in the last 6 months...so if you don't notice anything in the first year, don't give up hope completely........

[Kathleen_Mc]

Dave: The balance takes a while to improve but you doing all the right things (walking etc) and yes I did feel like I was in someone else's body for a while....a strange feeling but I know what you mean. I had put it off to the pain killers but it continued for a while after those were done. It is a very hard experience to put into words.
Kathleen