Can the AN affect the bowel?

[Derek]

Anyone pre-treatment noticed any changes in their bowel movement?

 I have experienced this for the past 2 years of the 'wait and watch' procedure and a very thorough medical examination involving the use of an endoscope camera has concluded that there is thankfully nothing untoward.

Just wondered if the AN could be the scource of the problem re contacting a relevant nerve etc?

[tony]

There are a couple of possibilties
- firstly watch and wait can be quite stressfull - the worry etc
and this could generally upset the metabilism
And secondly - depending where a tumour is and how large
it could be compressing the brain stem which then alters the nerve
signals to and from other parts of the body.
You might normally find other symptoms like
one side of the body 25% weaker than the other
or tingling sensations, or simply lack of touch sense, one side.
Hope things sort themselves out
best regards
tony

[Pembo]

My tumor was pressing on the vagus nerve which is the gi nerve. A doctor diagnosed me with irritable bowel syndrome almost 2 years before surgery, after surgery my stomach is fine, all those symptoms went away with the tumor. So yes the tumor may be causing your troubles.

[Battyp]

interesting...I've had trouble too and wondered if it was connected or not. 

[tony]

Actually I have thought of a third way - sometimes an AN affects either
the chewing or swallowing function- if you were not doing either completely
it may lead to digestion issues...
Might worth mentioning to your doc - see if he can offer some indication
as to where the AN is near.
Best regards
Tony

[Derek]

Many thanks for your interesting responses...particularly the post by 'Pembo'...I now do believe that there is a correlation in my case attributable to possible nerve impact as, fortunately, the presence of the AN does not consciously make me ultra stressful and I do not have any apparent problems related to chewing or swallowing actions.

[Patti]

I would get bad head pain when I strained.  This was before I knew I had the tumor.  I do not get it anymore.

[Patti UT]

WOW!!! youv'e got to be kidding.  Is there anything in our bodies that the dreaded AN didn't mess with??? ugh!

[Derek]

I am still experiencing a bowel problem of a rather 'loose' nature which unfortunately has recently escalated and the colorectal surgeon treating me is presently having difficulty in providing a definitive diagnosis.

In the interim I have written to my neurosurgeon requesting his opinion as to whether or not there could be a correlation with my AN. I will update the board when I receive his response.

Regards

Derek

[Pembo]

Derek, I had the same type of loose bowel problem. By the time I had surgery I was eating only a few foods and I carried Immodium everywhere and used it almost daily. Like I said, after surgery those problems were completely gone immediately. I went back to eating everything with no problems. Good luck.

[Derek]

Hi Pembo...

Thanks for your further post re this rather delicate matter. I tend to agree with your comments and I will be interested to learn what the neurosurgeon has to say relevant to a possible correlation.

Regards

Derek

[Jim Scott]

For whatever it's worth:

In the 6 months prior to the discovery of my AN, my appetite was 'off' and I 'filled up' easily, eating about a third of what I would have normally eaten at any one meal...even desserts.  I dropped over 30 pounds within six months.  My digestion remained fairly normal.  Just fewer BM's due to eating much less.  I had a typical middle-aged male 'gut' and most of the lost weight came from there, so I didn't really care much - I lost almost 2" off my waistline - but I was getting noticably thinner (and lighter) so my wife became concerned and scheduled a doctor visit on my behalf.  With my increasing lethargy and equally noticeable loss of equilibrium, I think she feared the worst (cancer).

After ruling out a thyroid problem (with a blood test) my PCP ordered an MRI scan (with contrast) and thus, my 4.5 cm AN tumor was discovered.  A month later, I had retrosigmoid approach surgery to de-bulk it.  Following the surgery, my normal appetite returned. I still haven't put on a lot of weight - about 5 pounds or so.  However, as part of the treatment plan to destroy my AN, I underwent a series of 26 daily 'fractionalized' radiation treatments during September and October, so that might be a factor.  My digestion and BM's are perfectly normal.  My gastroenterologist said that the stress of the AN on my body (it was encroaching on my cerebellum) was likely a factor in my weight loss.  I have to assume that the 5-week low-dose radiation regimen also had an effect on my system, even if there were no outward signs.  My neurosurgeon said that loss of appetite was sometimes a symptom of an AN if it was anywhere near the trigeminal nerve, as mine was, although I didn't experience any problems chewing or swallowing, pre-op (or now). 

Frankly, I enjoy being thinner.  I'm now at about what I weighed 20 years ago (140 lbs. on a 5'7" frame).  I also believe that I'lll probably begin to re-gain weight in time, so I've had my wife cut down my meal portions in anticipation of having to watch my diet in the future.  Right now, I eat whatever I want.  Please don't hate me. 

In any case, it is becoming pretty obvious that an Acoustic Neuroma tumor can have far-reaching implications for the patients health.   

Jim

[Derek]

Thanks for that most useful input Jim. The colorectal surgeon treating me for the bowel problem has virtually dismssed my 'lay' theory relevant to the AN being a possible causation but I am not 100% satisfied with his somewhat simplistic dismissal of a connection hence my decision to request the definitive info from the neurosurgeon. Watch this space!

Regards

Derek

[Boppie]

I am watching this Derek.  We all want to know about the facts of life .

[Palace]

Hello,


All I know about the bowel is that like any other part of the body, it needs proper care to function properly.  The iodine did me in.  (given for the Ct. scan)  Anyway, All-Flora is taken once a day.  (you must refrigerate it)  It works very well for optimal digestive and immune system functioning.  Also, yogurt is important! 

I have the extra eight foot long colon and take, AloeMaxLax with Cascara Sagrada in it., daily.  I was hospitalized once and also in ER once for my problem.  I thought I had colon cancer or something.  I did go through the small polup removal a few years ago.  I then finally found the right balance for myself and have felt healthy in that area, ever since. 

This is not something a dainty gal wishes to discuss..........however, I hope this might be information that will help at least
one person.  Nobody, could help me when I went through bowel or colon hell of my own kind.



Regards,



Palace