Almost 1 year post op- still problems

[mrsc08]

My father had his surgery almost one year ago. Still has balance issues and headaches and fatigue, especially when cloudy. Just wondering how long it takes for you to feel normal again. We know he won't be 100% again but he just questions having the surgery now.

Also, with his tumor they had to cut the facial nerve and auditory nerve which left him with facial paralysis on one side and totally deaf on one side. He is going back to get an opinion on plastic surgery for his facial paralysis. They did the graft at time of AN surgery but it didn't take. He has had several EMGs and it has proven the nerve graft didn't take. Hopefully, this surgery will be alright and he will recover quickly. If you have had the plastic surgery could you advise. He can't remember the name of the specific surgery...I assume it may be the cross facial surgery.

[Kathleen_Mc]

I have had several plastic repairs
first was the 7-12 jump, this was just to keep nerve stimulation in the area (as said by my doctor) and really didn't make much difference although if I press my tongue on the roof of my mouth is helps some with the smile. This was done by my neurosurgeon
I had fascia from my leg put in my cheek and this helped with tone of the face at rest (less saggy)
I had nerve from my leg put into my face, attached to the facial nerve on the "good side" and then muscle put into the bad side, the nerve was then used to innovate the muscle and this gives a delayed movement reaction on the bad side. This all was done by a plastic surgeon
The process took several years, had to wait for healing in between each step.
In the end my inner cheek is pulled out from my teeth more making cleaning easier, my eye lid closes to within a mm (but still gets dry and blinking isn't a fast as the other), my face looks pretty close to "normal" at rest and the smile is better, I think speech is better too.
Kathleen

[Gloria Nailor]

I cannot tell where you live, Theresa Hadlock is an incredible surgeon at Massachusetts Eye and Ear infirmary that I met with last year.  I believe you can view before and after videos on line of her work. If you do not live in the Northeast, maybe she could recommend one of her peers that lives near you.

[Chances3]

You never mentioned your dad's age.  I think surgery is more challenging when you are older.  I had surgery at 54 years old.  My tumor was small, I did not have as serious a problem as your dad.  My vestibular nerve was severed in the hope of stopping my terrible vertigo attacks.  To answer your question about feeling normal - it was past 18 months when I truly started to feel normal.  Unfortunately I never got back to fully normal, and it has been almost 3 years. 

I want to encourage you to have your dad post himself and seek some encouragement here on this site.  It is filled with wonderful people who have had similar experiences as your dad. 

[kixit]

I had a small AN, it was removed May 2012 and Baha surgery 2012. I am still having balance issues. Nighttime is a major problem as is shadowy places. I find that when I am tired it's worse with the balance or lack thereof. I just work through it. I've had balance therapy and it got a little better. I am doing things now that I couldn't do 9 months ago (like look up at the stars without the world spinning). Each baby step that I accomplish is a major milestone whereas to others it's just living normally. Only people (r people who are close to) can relate to what we have been through.

All I can say is each day is a new one and with each new day will come improvement no matter how miniscule 

As Dory would say "just keep swimming, swimming, swimming"