Recovery Time After Surgery

[LS]

I got the word yesterday that I have joined your fraternity.  I am scheduled to meet the surgeon, Dr. Chang, in three weeks, unless someone cancels their appointment.  In doing a crash course on AN it seems at least for now like surgery might be the best option.  My tumor is 1.6cm and has robbed me of most of my hearing in the left ear anyway.  Also I live in the Houston area and just turned 50...great birthday present to myself!!!

In reading some entries on this forum it looks like most folks take 4-6 weeks off from work to recover.  What I need to know is what to expect after that time.  I am very active, work out and run some, and really enjoy backpacking and golf.  I have two trips planned this summer to Montana and Wyoming for backpacking trips in the mountains in late July and late August.  I am pretty determined not to let this deal slow me down too much but can I realistically expect to be able to make those trips?  Appreciate your thoughts.

[Boppie]

Probably within 3 months of treatment you will be ready for backpacking.  What are your balance symptoms like now and what have you experienced in the past relevant to your balance?  Any vertigo in the past?  Have you noticed any symptoms or had any dizziness?  Try some yoga until your treatment time, if you can.

[LS]

My balance is still pretty good, but my dizzy spells are what got me into the doctor and he ordered the MRI.

[macintosh]

If you are interested in looking into an alternative to surgery, you can go to <www.pubmed.gov>, use the search string <acoustic neuroma radiosurgery>, and read the articles by Friedman et al. and Pollock et al., and the editorial by Sheehan. A 1.6 cm AN is well within the range for radiosurgery. I had radiosurgery two weeks ago. There is zero recovery time.

[Brendalu]

Welcome to the family!
      Recovery time is different for each person.  I had balance problems before my AN and still have them.  The dizziness comes and goes.  My daughter always tells me that the mind achieves what the body believes.  Sounds like you are in great shape and very active.  I'm in the Houston area, if you need anything, I'm here.  I think you are having Boppie's doctor's and she was very pleased with them.
BrendaO

[lifeisgood]

I was diagnosed 3 years ago with a 4 cm tumor 2 weeks before my 40th birthday.
I had it surgically removed 6 weeks later.

The fact that you are in good physical shape will help you tremendously!
I can't stress enough that everyone's recovery is different.
Keep an optimistic open mind.
You may want to check with your insurance to see if they cover physical rehab if you need it for your balance.
I had someone come to my house a couple of times per week to help me with the balance exercises.
I was walking up and down stairs (slowly) and around the block pretty close to when I arrived home.
It's so important if you go the surgery route to get up and about as soon as your doctor recommends it so that you can challenge yourself with balance.
I personally was really sick (throwing up) in the hospital for several days post surgery.
I know others who had no problems whatsoever.

The good news is that you have a treatable tumor that is benign.
Keep the faith!
You will be on the other side recovering before you know it and it will no longer be in your head!
-Mary

[Obita]

Hi LS:

Re:  Balance - I was lucky post surgery as my AN was large enough that my good side had already compensated for the loss of the vestibular nerve on the AN side.  Usually, but not always, the larger the AN, the faster the balance issues resolve after surgery.  I was walking 200 yards at a time on day 2 post op. tapping the railings as I went.  Bumpy terrain is not my friend but I don't challenge myself enough (not a backpacker or hiker) where you should be able to overcome that with practice.  You might want to use a walking stick for a while.

Welcome to the forum and Happy Birthday to you.  I was diagnosed 2 months after my 50th...........Kathy

[1wareagle]

Welcome LS,
     I had my surgery on Jan. 4, 07 in LA.  I own my own business and could come and go as my strength let me. 3rd week after my surgery I would come to work 3 hours a day. 4th week  I would come half a day. Now I am back full time and feel great! I still have no movement of my face on the An side but I'm not letting it whip me. The Dr. said it takes time to come back and I'm not letting it stop me. I booked a cruise for May 07 and plan on having a blast. Good Luck ! Ellis

[LarryS]

Since we share the same initials and same type of Tumor.... I posted a note yesterday. See if you can find it. I had been treated with the GK before and had only half the tumor treated. I was not told that until after the procedure. Anyway, with it, I had Bell's palsy symptoms, dry eye, eye that wouldn't close, dizziness, vomiting for three days. Once Dr. Alp came on the picture, we watched with MRIs every six months and he decided that he could take the tumor out. Surgery was at Hermann Hospital. Fortunately, he did everything he said he would do. My tumor was large, 4.5 x 3x 3 by the time of the surgery and it had a tail bulging into the brain stem. They took fat from my stomach and put it in where the tumor had been. I had a large C incision behind by left ear and now that my hair has grown out, you cannot see it. My surgery was on a Monday morning. They moved me from ICU into NICU on Tuesday. They had me up and walking the entire hallway that same day. They took me off telemetry on Friday and I had a good night sleep in a quiet room that night. Lots going on in ICU to keep you from sleeping. Anyway, I had less problems after the surgery than I did with the Gamma Knife and only right before my surgery, did they say my problems were because of the GK performed by another doctor. Please see Dr. Alp and Dr. Chang if you are in the Houston area. It will be well worth the visit. Take your MRIs with you and make a list of all the questions you can think of. Let us know how it goes. These things are not all that rare. Their are three in my small community where I grew up who have had brain tumor surgery and we are all up walking around and driving. My very first symptom was that I could not hear my cell phone as good on the left side. I had just had a full physical in February and the tumor was found in April, 2006. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you. I will do my best. God will carry you through this. This is a scarey thing but they do so many miraculous things. See Dr. Alp for a second opinion. He and Dr. Chang work together but are not in the same building.
LarryS in Texas.

[LS]

Thanks for all your input, especially to you Larry since I will be using your same doctors.  Still doing research and need to start writing down questions for my appointment with the surgeon, which was a great point.

Also thanks for the point about insurance and therapy.

Larry Staggs

[Shrnwldr]

Of course everyone heals at their own individual pace.  I was attempting to schedule my surgery for June 8 and then starting June 29th go on a trip to Washington to visit relatives for a week and then Kuly 21st attend my nephews wedding here in Orange County, CA.  My doctor advised that I would be pushing the envelope and so have rethought my surgery date.  And not even the doctor was telling, but also my family, I think they are all correct in their concern and have rethought my surgery to sometime in May.

It is again an individual thing, given that you are in what sounds like really good physical condition it is possible that your recuperative / healing time could be not as long.  Although I do have to caution that it seems everyone has dealt with fatigue issues.  That might be more of an issue.

[LarryS]

I have to correct the date that I had included. They found my tumor in April, 2004. I had GK on June 30, 2004. My surgery was Nov 06, 2006. Of course, everything always depends on the size of your tumor and especially the location. We all came into this scared, reading everything we could find on the internet. I finally found this place as the best place to find out anything you need, from people who have "walked the walk".
Hang in there.
LarryS

[jtd71465]

January 10, 2007 was my surgery date.  I was walking when I got home four days later, the hardest part was trying to shower.  By week 3 I was driving and today I look forward to going back to work in 2 weeks. 

You will be fine.

Joe-

[pearchica]

Hey LS: I apologize in advance for welcoming you to club AN!  As to recovery times, I was quoted 4-6 weeks and then 6-8 weeks.  I had four seprate surgeon consults and the fourth told me I could go for Cyberknife treatment as I had no balance issues- don't know if CK is applicable in your case or not but I would ask the question! (And go to a surgeon who does both radiation and surgery)- unfortunately this field is biased towards traditional surgery when sometimes radiation is the least invasive, optimal way to go. (I had two separate distinct opinions at Stanford one surgery, one CK so I opted for CK.)

But if you do surgery, I think you should really block out time.  I talked with 2 healthy males who had surgery and both were reallly out of it 6 weeks and really could have used the 8 weeks to get better. (Second guy really had tough time and was exhausted for 3 months)- we both concluded that this was also due to the anethesia. Having said all that, the surgeons really do prepare you for the worst and then do their best.  Keep us updated on your progress.  Take care, Good Luck- Annie

[Stevey]

LS,

I just had the surgery on 1-31 of 07 and I am feeling pretty good cnsidering I had a cerebellum bruise and hydrocephalus I have been home for a week but had 2 weeks of in-patient rehab at uPenn where I had my surgery My wife works at the medical school at Penn as an assistent prof and I got t see her every day now that I am at home it is like having a safety mnitor living with me as I am feeling better than my restrictions allow me to express or do.  Best wishes and being active will be a huge benefit, but I think that you really have to consider that according to my neurosurgeon the amunt of rehab fr the patient is ften inverse t hw much damage the tumor has already done, in ther wrds If yu are already having prblems with balance your vestibular system may already be cmpensating with yu ther side and yur rehab maybe shrt.  Try t get the rehab right away started, I really think it helped mr alot.  I gt this tip from anther an patient too.

Best wishes,

Steve