Just had my AN removed via TRANSLAB

[bpham]

Hi everyone,

Just want to post my results of my surgery last Monday Oct-8.

I went in to Cedars Sinai @5am and the surgery began around 7:30am, finished around 11:30am.  The AN was a small one around 12cm x 6cm.  However, it could be a cystic AN, therefore before the surgery I had lots of issues with my facial nerve (twitching, spasm, etc..) and at one point about 10 days before the surgery, I had almost total loss of control on that side.  Fortunately, I requested steriods even though my doctors were reluctant to give it (and I understood why), but in this case, i played out well since thanks fo that, my facial functions were recovered significantly right before I went into the surgery and the steriods did not pose any issue for the operation.  And that was what I woke up with.

I did have some of my own expectation that after the surgery, the facial functions would be worse or might be paralyzed, but to my amazement, there was not change at all right after I woke up!  That would speak very highly of the team of physicians that performed my operation (Dr. Friedman, Dr. Schwartz) from HEI.  Cedars service was also top notch.  Currently after 5 days, my facial functions seem to be improving slightly.

There was pain and headache in the first 2 days, but now there are only pain in the ear canal and around the incision area.  Do you know when the pain will completely go away?

Also, that side (AN), seems to be extra sensitive to loud noise and it causes sharp pain sometimes, is this common?

I've had tinnitus over the past 5 years and it seems like the intensity is still the same or sometimes louder sometime less, kind of hard to say at this point.

Well, I'm grateful that things went OK and now it is only the recovery that I have to deal with and I have to say this is not easy for me since this is a first that I have ever had any kind of operation let alone this type of magnitude.

Thanks for all the supports that I've gotten from this forum before.  Hope to see your feedbacks.

[Sue]

Hi bpham,

So glad your experience with surgery went smoothly and that you are now on the road to recovery.  I can't answer any of your questions, I can only say I'm happy for you that that part is over with and I hope your recovery issues are few. 

Kindest regards,

Sue in Vancouver USA

[Patch]

I HOPE YOU MEAN 12MM AND 12CM. CAUSE THAT IS VERY LARGE.

[bpham]

i meant 12mm x 6mm

[leapyrtwins]

bpham -

glad to hear your surgery is over and that your recovery is going well.  My AN surgery was my first (and hopefully last) major surgery, so like you, it wasn't easy for me either.  I improved every day and today I feel great; hopefully you'll follow this same pattern.

I didn't have any incision pain or pain in my ear canal, so I can't give you feedback there.  Had slight facial paralysis post op, but a dose of steriods solved that problem for me.  From what I hear, most issues get better in time.  Hopefully someone else on the forum who has experienced your specific problems can give you some feedback.

Jan


 

[Boppie]

I had skull noises and incisional pains for a few weeks.  You are not hearing in your AN ear, but at first one would believe there are sounds coming through.  Your brain is adjusting to its new job.  The incision pains are normal healing. The tinnitus does seem to level out and in some people it lessens, for others it becomes louder or changes in quality. 

Having had Translab on Monday you are probably happy to be home. Congratulations on the success of your biggest surgery event.

[sgerrard]

Welcome back, postie. 

It sounds like the surgery went well and that you are doing fine, not even a week gone by yet. It is especially good to hear that your facial functions seemed to have survived, and are already beginning to improve. The other symptoms sound pretty typical, considering you just had brain surgery, after all. Just get some rest, and take some time to recover fully.

Get well soon!

Steve

[Yvette]

Congrats postie! Now, nap, nap, nap! I'm 9 months out from translab. The ear canal discomfort faded, as did the super sensitivity to sounds. Tinitus changed to a less annoying volume and sometimes is absent. Had custom earplugs made (even for the deaf side since there is still an ear drum) and this helps to avoid tinnitus triggers from being in loud places, or using loud appliances etc. Glad you're home and on "the other side!" Keep us posted! Yvette

[Boppie]

Yvette, You have an ear drum on the deaf side but how can you have any sound or tinnitus from that side?  There is no cochlea after Translab.

[bpham]

I dont know what happens but I can relate to Yvette.  Currently, when I talk on the phone, the sounds bother me so much on the deaf side and the tinnitus also seems to be lots louder on that side too.  Will carry ear plugs also in loud places or when my wife was using appliances in the kitchen. 

I'll need to ask my doctors in the next appointment of exactly what were removed in my case besides the tumor and why these issues.  I'll post what I'll learn.

Thanks.

[Clifton]

strangly enough, the louder my enviroment gets, the louder the ringing seems to get as well.

i also had the trans-lab about 1 month ago.

I feel completely normal now...the tinnitus is still there, and from what i understand from the doctors, will always be there.
It has decreased in volume alot though.
I still have some very slight discomfort on the AN side when i sleep even though the incision area appears to be healed competely. My staples have been out for over 2 weeks now...even so, its uncomfortable laying on that side.
Your pain should be gone for the most part after about 2 1/2 weeks. at least thats how it was for me...every day there was less and less pain.
Of course somtimes i still do get the feelings of soreness or headaches every now and then, but that is to be expected.

[bpham]

After the doctor removed the stitches, I felt great for a day and then the day after that until now, the tinnitus gets 2-3 times louder which is very loud.  I've gotten tinnitus in the last 5 years so this is not new but the loudness now gives me a headache and worsen my balance which was getting better a couple days ago.   Also, somewhere inside the ear it seems to get a little itchy inside.

Hope the increase in tinnitus level  will get better later on back to the normal level that I've before.  The facial weakness seems to vary based on the discomfort that I have around the incision area which can tighten up the muscle and makes it more difficult to move.

Will post changes later....

[Yvette]

Hi Boppie, true there is no inner ear but my audiologist said that since there is still an ear drum, sound waves could be cranking up the volume on my tinnitus. I guess they don't know everything about tinnitus, so it was just offered as a possiblity. But I found she was right. The ear plugs don't take tinnitus away but wearing both of them keeps it turned down:-)