Post-op Results, if you had balance issues prior to surgery

[LizAN]

I've started having balance issues, after being in W&W for a couple of years (having surgery one week from today).  It just keeps getting worse, to the point that is now noticeable to other people.  Even when I focus very hard, I can no longer walk a straight line.

For those of you who had balance problems pre-surgery, was it worse or better immediately after surgery?

Thanks,
Liz

[Jim Scott]

I've started having balance issues, after being in W&W for a couple of years (having surgery one week from today).  It just keeps getting worse, to the point that is now noticeable to other people.  Even when I focus very hard, I can no longer walk a straight line.

For those of you who had balance problems pre-surgery, was it worse or better immediately after surgery?

Better.  Prior to my surgery, I couldn't walk up or down a stairway without a death-grip on the handrail.  4 days after my surgery, in order to meet the PT nurse supervisors requirement for discharge, I had to walk up and down a hospital stairwell without using the handrail.  It was a bit of an effort of concentration but I did it, much to the PT nurses surprise, I believe.  I was discharged the following morning.  Once home, much walking, especially on uneven surfaces, helped me regain my sense of balance.  In the six years since, I believe my balance has improved even more, in small increments.  However much my balance has improved, it is not quite the same as it was prior to the manifestation of my AN.  Still, it's not bad at all. 

I'm one AN surgery patient and do not present my experience as a template for you or anyone else, Liz, I simply offer it as an encouragement that you'll have a similar experience.

Jim

[LizAN]

Thank you, Jim.  That is encouraging!

Liz

[leapyrtwins]

Generally balance is worse post op. 

But in time the body adapts and your balance improves.

Vestibular exercises and/or physical therapy (PT) can help.

If you'd like some vestibular exercises, PM me your email address and I'll send you the ones my doc gave me.

Jan

[stoneaxe]

My balance had gotten very bad after radiation in 2004. Extreme exercise brought some sense of normalcy back but not completely. I was noticeably better almost immediately after surgery the 2nd time around in 2009 (within the 1st week and still in the hospital). In my case I think the radiation left a partially functioning vestibular nerve...a short circuit if you will that never really allowed my body to adapt completely. The surgery got rid of the bad wiring and I compensated quickly. Everyone's mileage will vary but your body can adapt to the new you.

[kixit]

When I first became deaf in my left ear (2/12) because of the AN, it took about a month for me to regain balance. I was all over the place. After translab (5/12) the balance was worse than when I became deaf. I am still having balance issues 6 weeks post-op. Seems to be worse when I am tired.

I figure the reason I was able to regain somewhat normal balance before surgery was because I still had one good vestibular nerve on the left side. The doctor told me that my auditory nerve and one vestiblular nerve were destroyed by the tumor. And of course, because of the translab approach, the good vestibular nerve was sacrificed.
Since I have no vestibular nerves on the AN side now, I figure that's why it's taking me so long to regain balance second time around.

You AN veterans gently correct me if I am wrong in my thinking.

[MDemisay]

LizAN,

There were many, many times I fell just before my surgery in November 2004. There was once when I broke 3 of my ribs in 1995, then multiple times breaking fingers on my right hand from 1996 to 2000 and once in 2003 I broke in the same fall my right wrist my right thumb in 2 places , my right index finger in 2 places and my right middle finger in 1 place, then in 2004 I had my AN surgery and I went for 8 years without breaking anything! then in 2011 when in Ireland I broke my right wrist again falling off one step in March.

You would have thought after the first break incident of my arm in 2004 , I would have said" hey wait a minute somethings wrong here" but no, I didn't. I waited for October to come along to conitue my routine CT scans.

That's when I found that my AN had regrown!

Mike
p.s. Hope that you are out of surgery and recovering well by now!

[jaylogs]

I didn't have constant issues before surgery, I had a couple of days of severe vertigo (like I'd been drinking all night) but then that was pretty much it.  After surgery I had a bit of adjusting to do balance-wise but things eventually evened out. Although there are days, like when the barometric pressure changes really quickly I feel a bit wonky headed...
Jay

[MDemisay]

LizAN,

I suppose that falling repeatedly and breaking fingers should have triggered a suspicion on my part but it didn't however the fall I had that broke my wrist in 2004 triggered a an ENT visit which triggered a visit to 14 Docs  and an  AN operation in 2004.  Then in 2011, another fall in Ireland and another right arm break didn't trigger a return to my neurosurgeon till  October 2011 when I was due for a regular CT Scan with contrast.

Dumb luck is all I've got left!

Mike

[james e]

I had mild intermittent balance problems prior to surgery. It would come and go without warning, but it was not a big deal. Once, it became overwhelming and I could not keep any fluid or food down for about 24 hours. I am 28 months post surgery, and I am wonky 24/7. It is not pleasant, but I am used to it, and life goes on. I have given up some of my hobbies like motorcycles, mountain bikes, and wood working...dangerous at any time with all the spinning saw blades and other types of cutters. My problems are far worse now, but it is the new me.

James