Hay all, I was just wondering if anyone can let me know what to expect having brain surgery front left lobe. I have also got 3 x aneurysms inside the twist, Prof Michael Morgan is operating. I have no idea what the recovery etc is like, how long before you are allowed to drive and look after yourself, pain and controlling it, mental status, tiredness. If I will end up having to shave my hole head etc. I have so many questions and I am so scared. I have a lot of arrangements to make because I have an 11 year old son and need to make sure he is looked after well at night as well as taken to school etc. Any helpful comments would be appreciated
Do expect to be tired a lot after the surgery. If you have to shave your head...who cares...hair grows back. Driving...better ask the surgeon on that point.
Do expect to be tired a lot after the surgery. If you have to shave your head...who cares...hair grows back. Driving...better ask the surgeon on that point.
Typically patients take strong steroids after brain surgery. Sometimes people who have never had seizures take anti-seizure meds after surgery for a while or forever. You will need time to heal. You will be tired easily. It's like your brain has been involved in a huge train wreck. If you push yourself hard, you will endure setbacks.
I would say (and everyone's different and has different recovery times) count on two full years before you get back to 90% of what you can do today. And that is assuming no deficits from the surgery. Not trying to scare you, just dose of reality.
As for pain, the staples in your scalp will hurt more than anything, unless you have headaches following surgery. Those are bad as well.
Oops, see you are from down under--make my comment "it's like your brain has been stomped by a kangaroo". (grin)
I have a good friend living in NSW with the last name of Keast--great guy and great family.
Best wishes,
Ron, KS
ol to kangaroo, I live in Australia but I am a Kiwi, thanks for the honesty, really sound shit but I guess that is life. Why would you have to take anti seizure meds if you have never had a seizure?
Ron, KS said:
Typically patients take strong steroids after brain surgery. Sometimes people who have never had seizures take anti-seizure meds after surgery for a while or forever. You will need time to heal. You will be tired easily. It's like your brain has been involved in a huge train wreck. If you push yourself hard, you will endure setbacks.
I would say (and everyone's different and has different recovery times) count on two full years before you get back to 90% of what you can do today. And that is assuming no deficits from the surgery. Not trying to scare you, just dose of reality.
As for pain, the staples in your scalp will hurt more than anything, unless you have headaches following surgery. Those are bad as well.
Oops, see you are from down under--make my comment "it's like your brain has been stomped by a kangaroo". (grin)
I have a good friend living in NSW with the last name of Keast--great guy and great family.
Best wishes,
Ron, KS
Hi Donna. Anytime you have a trauma to the brain it lowers your resistance level to seizures. Guess what a craniotomy is…a HUGE trauma to the brain. Sorry…wish you did not have to go through this experience. Yes…I know it stinks and is unfair. Oh the other hand, there are several people on here who have had multiple brain surgeries so you know it’s survivable.
God I hope I don’t have to have more than one, yep I know there is always someone worse off than me and I feel for them, did you have to have surgery? Just trying to find out what to expect so I can prepare myself better (maybe)
Barbara H. said:
Hi Donna. Anytime you have a trauma to the brain it lowers your resistance level to seizures. Guess what a craniotomy is...a HUGE trauma to the brain. Sorry...wish you did not have to go through this experience. Yes...I know it stinks and is unfair. Oh the other hand, there are several people on here who have had multiple brain surgeries so you know it's survivable.
Hi Donna. Oh yeah…I had surgery. I had suffered a massive inter-cerebral brain hemorrhage…not a lot of choice in the matter. It’s a long story but a successful one. Check out my profile page!
Hi Donna, I just had my surgery a month ago. I had a right frontal AVM, obviously i dont remember the surgery its self, but. I do remember being in a lot of pain when i woke up. But it didnt last very long. The nurses where able to gt it under control very fast. the first day was the hardest pain wise. the second day the pain was controlled by 1 percocet in the morning and one that night. I mostly had severe issues with light. I could not tolerate light at all for a couple of days that really hurt my eyes. So i was dept in the dark. My forehead was very very tender you couldnt touch at all and of course thats where the nurses wanted to take my temp, so i would request them to take it in my ear. I was in the ICU for 3 days because the surgeon wanted my B/P kept under 100. I was really tired and didn't feel like doing much of anything. It took 2 days before i had enough energy to even want to eat on my own. Once i got up and moving with the staff I actually started feeling alot better. it really wasn't that bad of an experience. obviously i wouldn't want to do it again. I'm still not over the idea that i actually ahd the surgery. the only part of my head that got shaved was where the surgeon made the incesion which of course was from ear to ear. so i look like i have a head band. most of the time i dont wear anything over it. im sure i will once the hair starts to really grow back since i have long hair. hope this helps.
Hi Tonna, thanks heaps for that, I have decided just to shave it all off and start again, I have people coming over to shave with me, or dye there hair very bright colours etc, I don’t even know what colour it will grow back, lol.
Tonna Wenger said:
Hi Donna, I just had my surgery a month ago. I had a right frontal AVM, obviously i dont remember the surgery its self, but. I do remember being in a lot of pain when i woke up. But it didnt last very long. The nurses where able to gt it under control very fast. the first day was the hardest pain wise. the second day the pain was controlled by 1 percocet in the morning and one that night. I mostly had severe issues with light. I could not tolerate light at all for a couple of days that really hurt my eyes. So i was dept in the dark. My forehead was very very tender you couldnt touch at all and of course thats where the nurses wanted to take my temp, so i would request them to take it in my ear. I was in the ICU for 3 days because the surgeon wanted my B/P kept under 100. I was really tired and didn't feel like doing much of anything. It took 2 days before i had enough energy to even want to eat on my own. Once i got up and moving with the staff I actually started feeling alot better. it really wasn't that bad of an experience. obviously i wouldn't want to do it again. I'm still not over the idea that i actually ahd the surgery. the only part of my head that got shaved was where the surgeon made the incesion which of course was from ear to ear. so i look like i have a head band. most of the time i dont wear anything over it. im sure i will once the hair starts to really grow back since i have long hair. hope this helps.
Donna, my 9-year-old daughter has been through two surgeries. The first one was done on an emergent basis, so her head was shaved. The second one was scheduled, so only the incision area was shaved. We combed her hair a few days later, and no one could tell.
For my daughter, she was pretty functional a week after her first surgery. She was eating on her own, walking, playing and everything within days. She actually was able to eat solid food the night of her surgery. Believe me, we saw deficits — nobody can operate inside someone's brain without creating deficits. My daughter tired easily for a while, for example. Surgeon would have to answer the driving question, though my daughter would have been capable of driving after a week most likely. Donna, you should know, however, that if you would have a seizure or lose consciousness you would not be allowed to drive for 6 months by DOT rules.
You may see some personality changes, even food can taste differently. You will likely be impatient and impulsive and easily frustrated or angered.
As Ron said, not trying to scare you, just wanting you to know the reality of brain surgery. Every one is different, so nobody can really predict what your outcome will be, not even your neurosurgeon would do that. You will be surprised at the range of possible answers and possible outcomes. But the main thing is to get through this, get the AVM resected and move on with your life for you and your son.
thanks heaps for the reply Tina, your poor little girl going though this at such a young age. It must have been very hard on you to watch her. I hope all is well now.
take care
Tina White said:
Donna, my 9-year-old daughter has been through two surgeries. The first one was done on an emergent basis, so her head was shaved. The second one was scheduled, so only the incision area was shaved. We combed her hair a few days later, and no one could tell.
For my daughter, she was pretty functional a week after her first surgery. She was eating on her own, walking, playing and everything within days. She actually was able to eat solid food the night of her surgery. Believe me, we saw deficits — nobody can operate inside someone's brain without creating deficits. My daughter tired easily for a while, for example. Surgeon would have to answer the driving question, though my daughter would have been capable of driving after a week most likely. Donna, you should know, however, that if you would have a seizure or lose consciousness you would not be allowed to drive for 6 months by DOT rules.
You may see some personality changes, even food can taste differently. You will likely be impatient and impulsive and easily frustrated or angered.
As Ron said, not trying to scare you, just wanting you to know the reality of brain surgery. Every one is different, so nobody can really predict what your outcome will be, not even your neurosurgeon would do that. You will be surprised at the range of possible answers and possible outcomes. But the main thing is to get through this, get the AVM resected and move on with your life for you and your son.
At St. Joseph Hospital in Phoenix Our Dr. (Nakaji) uses a technique not to shave your head but to fold your scalp back and making a small hole in your skull. This way when he closes everything up it does not show. And as to expectations on surgery. My wife had a bleed right side and had embo on two veins. She goes back in for the Gamma Knife procedure and hope she will be fine. You will not see any results until months later if everything went well as the tissues die off. The only thing that is uncomfortable is the incision by the angio. We will pray for you for complete success.
