Successful GK

[minnkris]

I may be celebrating too early, but I just wanted to let anyone who is thinking about GK to hear my experience. I had GK for 8mm x 6mm left side AN last August (early in the month, I don't have the exact date here with me). On Sept. 21, I had an MRI that I thought would be like a base. But, last Monday, I went to see the oncologist and she said my AN had already shrunk by the Sept. MRI!!! I was so shocked and filled with disbelief, I didn't even think to ask how much it had shrunk.

Pretty good news I think. I've been waiting for some 6 month complications or something. But right from the start, I've been feeling no different than before the GK. In fact, lately, I have been having some moisture in my left eye. Not really tears, but moisture none the less.

Well, anyway, today I go for the 6 month MRI and on the 21st I see the Neurosurgeon. So, as I said, I may be celebrating too soon. But I still think this is good news. The whole experience (head frame etc) was no so bad.

[carolk]

That's great news!  Where did you have your GK?   Any further comments on what the head frame was like?
thanks!
CK

[ppearl214]

fantastic news! Congrats, congrats and continued terrific good health!

Phyl

[minnkris]

Thank you, thank you. I saw the nuerologist on Tuesday, I don't need to go back for another MRI until 2008!! Progress is good!

As far as the headframe goes, I was given something from the valium family first (wonderful stuff). Then, the area was numbed and the screws go into only the soft tissue, not bone. I made the assistant walk me into the bathroom, so I could look in the mirror - pretty funny!  I was not uncomfortable at all. I had 2 5minute doses of GK. There was some swelling after from the frame, but it was pretty minor.

I could have gone back to work the next day, but my boss was being such an a__, I asked the doctor to write me a note for the rest of the week. And she kindly obliged.

I had the GK done in Las Vegas at Sunrise Hospital. My oncologist is Dr. Farzin and my neurologist is Dr. Duke (he saved Roy Horn's life!). The GK doctor (whose name I don't recall, they all just kept calling him Brian) comes over from California.

All in all, it was not too bad. But remember, my an is (was) quite small. 8mm x 6mm.

[minnkris]

Dr. Duke is a Neurosurgeon, not a Neurologist.

[carolk]

This is great news and comforting for those of us "pre-procedure" to know that your experience wasn't so bad. 
Thanks for sharing and keep us posted.
all best,
CK

[carolk]

p.s.  what did you mean in your first post about "having some moisture in your eye"?  have you been experiencing dry eye or problems with your eyelids as a result of your neuroma?

[minnkris]

Carol,
When my symptoms first started, I had the works: vertigo, hearing loss, killer headache and facial paralysis. And it all happened in a matter of a few days. I would have been a lot more scared if I hadn't been so sick.

Anyway, everything is back to normal, except for some hearing loss, dry eye and dry tongue (left AN side) and balance issues.

My facial paraysis was not drooping , just sort of frozen on the left side.

What size is your AN? Any symptoms? Remember, we're all here for you!

Take care.

[Battyp]

YEAH another success story..thanks for sharing. 

[carolk]

My AN is also quite small, 4x4x6, diagnosed in Dec. 2003 as an "incidental finding" (at 3mm) when I had an MRI for another reason.  thankfully I've had NO symptoms, and I try to stay mindful of any emerging problems without being obsessed.   Although I must admit, if I feel a little headache on my right (AN) side or dry eye there, it makes me wonder about the source, which is why I was interested in your comment about moisture in that eye. . .
ck

[dowdog]

kris,
how much hearing loss did you have pre-treatment? is it better, worse, or same after treatment?
how much Gy did they use each time they treated you with radiology.  I understand that the amount of radiation can be critical in preventing future problems.
I have a 1cm right side AN just diagnosed 1 week ago through MRI with contrast.  I have tinnitus, hearing loss(described as 25% loss of voice reckognition), balance issues, and a sense of fullness in the ear. 
I am researching radiological treatment options and trying to learn as much as possible about the pros and cons of this approach

[Sue]

kris,
how much hearing loss did you have pre-treatment? is it better, worse, or same after treatment?
how much Gy did they use each time they treated you with radiology.  I understand that the amount of radiation can be critical in preventing future problems.
I have a 1cm right side AN just diagnosed 1 week ago through MRI with contrast.  I have tinnitus, hearing loss(described as 25% loss of voice reckognition), balance issues, and a sense of fullness in the ear. 
I am researching radiological treatment options and trying to learn as much as possible about the pros and cons of this approach

Hi,
I will be seeing my neurosurgeon May 4th, two weeks after my Gamma Knife procedure done on 4/18.  The procedure is really pretty painless. It's the anticipation that will kill ya!  For me, I was so whacked out on the relaxing pill, that I don't remember half of it anymore. I was sort of looking forward to the experience in a way, because at least what is happening to us is INTERESTING. I think of it now as close to being brought aboard the Mother Ship for Medical Purposes and then having that feeling of missing time, that alien abductees have!!  One week on steroids and dealing with the insomnia is a walk in the park compared with brain surgery!  With my age (60), my doctors told me that radiosurgery was just up my alley.  I asked the doctor - "Is this what you'd tell your mother, if she had this?"  He said, "Yes!".  You know, when you get a serious disease and you start dealing with the upper echelon of physicians and technicians, they get really nice. At least it was in my case. You are just the King/Queen of the day when you have that treatment and are watched over and pampered like it was some sort of Techno Spa Day for YOU.   If I had to do it again, I would without question. They did 3 different increments with me - but I don't know how many "units" or measurement of radiation they used to nuke that thing. The sterioids mess ya up - but it's only a week. The doctor told my husband it would take about 2 weeks to fully recover from everything, and yesteday was the 11th day and I felt much better. The brain fog was gone! It's too soon for me to know the final outcome of hearing loss.  It may be 6 to 18 months before it all shakes out.    The facial sensations I have vary from day to day, the tinnitus buzzes along with occasional chirps, thumps, whistles and beeps.  The fullness in my ear was really bothersome last summer, (when this should have been found, but that's another thread!) but I don't notice it so much now. Check off one annoyance.  A lot of the people on this forum have had surgery, but some of us have had the radiation and we're doing okay!  Or as okay as we're gonna get, I guess.