To Gamma, or not to Gamma ...

[ppearl214]

Just remember the end result, Scott     IMO, temp discomfort is tolerable to me if the end result is positive!   Hang in there... you're going to do great!

Phyl

[Sefra22]

I guess the steroids are kind of scaring me. Is insomnia the only side effect?

Scott,
In my case I was only given one steroid pill just prior to treatment. The only side effect I had was elavated blood pressure (160/90).
I did not require any additional medication other Tylenol for the soreness at the pin sites.
Lisa

[msuscottie]

So, how do they determine the steroid dose?

[Sefra22]

I guess it depends on where you go. I think it was the standard procedure where I went to only give one steroid dose. I don't believe it had anything to do with my particular case. I am only guessing, but maybe it was because of the overnight hospital stay.
I was closely monitored all night, so maybe if I had shown any signs of swelling, they could have administered a steroid at that time.
But, again, I don't know that for sure.
It seems that GK experiences can differ in more than one way. For example, Sue has mentioned some kind of cream applied to her head. I never had that, so maybe that's why I felt more pain.
Lisa

[jeansear]

Scott-I have been on steroids on and off for 20 years. I have chronic asthma. The pills make you a little hyper, but if you eat a good meal and take them with food it will not bother your stomach and you will handle the hyper-ness a bit better. Let me tell you I cleaned the entire house in about an hour. It is like drinking a lot of coffee.

On another note.... do they drill the pins that hold the frame into your head? Or is it pressure? Are you not drugged through the whole thing, including the MRI and GK? My aunt is going tomorrow and if someone could answer tonight that would be great.

[Mark]

Jeansear,

standard GK attachment of the Halo frame requires 4 screws through the skin to contact with the skull. The area is obviously numbed in advance and I believe valium or some other sedative is utilized to calm the patient. Others who have had GK can better describe their personal experience with it but most posts I've seen here range from "no big deal" to mild discomfort to unpleasant. So I'm sure there is some variation from med center to med center.

Mark

[Sue]

Now we can have a discussion on whether or not women get through this stuff better than men, generally speaking.  We do get to bring children into the world, after all, and I think generally speaking women are pretty tough and possibly tolerate pain, uncomfortableness better than men.  Not that you aren't tough, Scott..   But still the question begs "Are men wussier about medical procedures than women?"

Just curious!!

Sue in Vancouver USA

[msuscottie]

I'll swallow my pride and say "absolutley."

I think men need to be in control and with this type of thing, you have no control. Thus, we're scrared to death.

[GM]

Hey there everybody....just figured I'd chime in for the GK "Zappers".

The headframe for me wasn't bad.  They sat me upright, gave me the "happy juice" ...and then I was brought back out.  I think the whole head frame experience took about 10 minutes.  I walked around with it on, my wife took pics...if you want to see them just email me.  It would make a great Holloween costume 

The whole GK procedure took about 22 minutes and they kept me overnight and released the next day with no meds at all.  The did give me steroids the night that I stayed to reduce the swelling from the radiation.  I had the treatment on a Friday, and returned to work the following Monday.

Hope this helped...

Gary

[Sue]

Love your honesty, Scott!!

 

Sue

[msuscottie]

So what do you do in the 2 hours after the attach this crazy frame to your head and you're waiting for the Dr's to map out the procedure? Do you just lay around, walk around in your new helmet?

[Richey]

Scott, I had the GK a couple of years ago and it's not too bad. I did experience some pain with the shots to the head but one thing I havn't heard from others here is how long their head stayed numb afterwards. Mine stayed numb feeling for a long time, if I recall correctly around two months. I also had some nausea the next day that may have been from the radiation or from the meds.

I think compared to regular surgery it was still pretty tame. the thing to realize though is that results may be slow. So far I have not seen any dark spot on my tumor  but on the good side it has not grown any in a year and a half. I did have a slight increase in size after the GK but none since. Now I am in a hold pattern waiting until Feb. to get another MRI

You've been through two surgeries so this should not be as hard. Some folks are using CK now and like it better, no screws in the head but more time for treatment.

I hope you will do great,

Rich

[ppearl214]

Some folks are using CK now and like it better, no screws in the head but more time for treatment.

Hi Rich, you are correct that CK is more time because it is  typically "fractionated"... one reason for fractionating is so that the surrounding critical brain structures have a chance to "recupe" between doses/days.  Usual CK dosage is approx 3 days. I know of 5 days to be used as well (present company included in the latter). 

[Mark]

Some folks are using CK now and like it better, no screws in the head but more time for treatment.

Just to add some clarification to this comment. While CK matches the GK accuracy without the head frame, it can also do one shot protocols just like GK. The majority of folks who choose CK also opt for the fractionated ( FSR) protocol which is typically done in 3 consecutive days and studies so far suggest that increases hearing preservation.

Mark

[ppearl214]

Mark, seems that we were thinking alike.. and thanks for the hearing preservation comment as well!  You're always "spot on"