Viral Issue

[justducky]

My husband had translab surgery on 2/9 on his right side with no facial nerve damage and really no problems to speak of.... just a very small bit of weakness on his right eye and mouth which we expected. This was normal and was told that it would improve. A week after being discharged, he went to the surgeon for his followup to have his stitches removed, and still had a little facial weakness but nothing to be alarmed about. HOWEVER, he noticed early this week that his right eye was getting sore and dry. We also noticed that he wasn't blinking in that eye very often and it is now quite noticeable...

He called the doctor and the doctor suspects what he has is some type of viral infection going on and prescribed a steroid along with an anti-viral drug similar to what they give for herpes or shingles. He also is taping his eye shut at night until this clears up.

We were surprised that this has happened. Have others had this as well? If so, how long does this take to clear up? Thanks.

[lori67]

Yes, this does happen to others too.  I guess your husband isn't quite as unique as he thought!   

Some doctors actually give the anti-viral drugs before/during the surgery.  The facial nerve is very susceptible to the virus that causes herpes/shingles, so some doctors will give the drug just in case.  Seems to be yet another one of those things that is different with each doctor.

I'm not really sure how long it will take to clear up, but the good news is, if the weakness is caused by a virus, it will clear up and shouldn't cause any long term problems.  Another bump in the road. 

Hope this clears up quickly.  In the meantime, make sure he keeps that eye well lubricated!

Lori

[justducky]

Wow... well, glad to hear that this sometimes happens anyway! Thanks for your reply.

[mk]

One of the neurosurgeons that I have seen recently explained to me that if the facial nerve is damaged, problems may not show up right away, because the muscles still have tone. But they lose it gradually, as they don't get stimulated by the nerve, so facial weakness may become more evident after a few days/weeks. Perhaps this is what's going on here?

Marianna

[justducky]

I understood that was the case if you choose radiation, but with the translab surgery where they completely take out the tumor surgically, they can tell you whether or not the facial nerve had been damaged right away. It had not, however there still can be a small bit of weakness anyway because of swelling, which there was. But it should NOT get worse in time, it should get better. Thus the infection.

[leapyrtwins]

Barb -

sorry Tom had to deal with this unexpected side-effect.  I hope he's well on his way to getting past it now.

As Lori said, make sure he keeps his eye well lubricated; that's extremely important.

Jan

[Chris P]

Hi,
   When I read your message I just had to write and tell you my recent experience.  I had GK last June and was told the facial nerve was not damaged. Four months later I got the facial weakness .  I called my doctor and his nurse was out that day but another doctor's nurse in the same office told me since it was 4 months after my GK it was not due to my tumor.  I went to my primary doctor and he said he thought it was due to my tumor but since I had called my neurologist's office already he examined me and treated me for the virus you are speaking of with anti viral medication and steroids.  I was on them for 10 days then I started to experience some hearing loss.  My primary suggested I go to another Neurologist for a second opinion, so I did.  She was very nice and examined me and said she wanted me to have a hearing test to compare to the one I had had when I was diagnosed with the tumor, so I did.  I was told that hearing loss is not a symptom of the virus and the ENt sent me back to my original Neurologist for another MRI.
   After that MRI I met with my original neurologist and he confirmed that there was some swelling and that was causing my facial weakness and hearing loss.  He wants to see me in June again for another MRI.  He also told me my tumor was dying in the center and that is what it is supposed to do, that made me feel better.
   So I am not on any medication and I have seem some minor improvement in my facial weakness but not improvement in my hearing loss.  I find that when I am out where there is a lot of noise I put an ear plug in and that helps feedback from the noise.  Also my right eye does not close all the way so I sometimes wear a sleeping mask at night. 
   I hope this helps you some , I just do not want to see someone else diagnosed incorrectly as I was. Also I did not have an rash and most of the time with the shingle virus there is a rash.  Hope you are better soon . Keep us informed.

Chris P.

[leapyrtwins]

I called my doctor and his nurse was out that day but another doctor's nurse in the same office told me since it was 4 months after my GK it was not due to my tumor. 

Although it's somewhat irrelevant to the key point in this post, side-effects of radiation can take as long as 12-18 months to appear. 

I'm not sure this nurse's response was correct.

Jan

[justducky]

THey are not saying that Tom has shingles, they are sayingthat is a 'similar virus' such as one that causes shingles. I think there probably is a little swelling, thus the steroid that he's taking should help that to keep it down. Yes,  he's lubricating well with his eye drops....

His hearing will not get worse in that ear because he has no hearing after the surgery anyway.

Thanks for your comments.