For those who’ve had craniotomies and/ or gamma knife and SRS
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For those who’ve had craniotomies and/ or gamma knife and SRS

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › For those who’ve had craniotomies and/ or gamma knife and SRS

  • Post
    • November 13, 2011 at 1:44 pm
    AlisonC
    Participant
    I’m back on the board at the moment mostly to support a colleague who’s recently progressed to stage IV with 3 brain mets. He’s had a recent craniotomy and 2 days ago had gamma knife/SRS. He’s reporting feeling very “disconnected”….irritable, finding lights and noises very irritating. He especially mentioned that human voices sound like bad digital phone call signals….so everyone is hard to listen to.

    If you’ve had similar treatment, can you let me know if you’ve had similar sequelae, and if possible, how long they lasted for ? I think he (we) are realistic that with the surgery and steroids, it’s to be expected that there will be sensory consequences, but as you probably know, it’s just one more thing that’s a sign of the way things are and I know he’d like some idea of when it might scale back or wear off…..

    Any comments or encouragement would be welcome. I’ve been combing past responses to find good outcomes to share with him…

    Thanks in advance for any replies

    AlisonC
    Stage IIIB
    NED since 2001

Viewing 5 reply threads
  • Replies
      • November 14, 2011 at 5:04 am
      robyn44
      Participant

      Hi- I have had 5 crain's, 3 gamma knife procedures. I leave for MD Anderson in am for 6th c rani on Thurs.I have exerienced what you are describing. Noise and voices are hard to tolerate. It is also hard to hear and/or understnad what people are saying if there is any background noise.  The irriability gets better once off steroids. 2 days post surgery/gamma knife is not much. He will be tired and grumpy for a few weeks. Gamma Knife fatigue sets in usually 1-2 weeks post procedure. Everyone responds differntly. I recover very well from Crain's. Gamma Knife resuls in hair loss for me and sig. fatigue for a few weeks. It is worse when the gamma knife follows the crani instead of gamma knife first and then crani. Hope he feels better soon. My "village" juat tell everyone to try to be quiet and patient during these timesz. For me the symptoms resolve within a few weeks. Take Care- Robyn

      • November 14, 2011 at 5:04 am
      robyn44
      Participant

      Hi- I have had 5 crain's, 3 gamma knife procedures. I leave for MD Anderson in am for 6th c rani on Thurs.I have exerienced what you are describing. Noise and voices are hard to tolerate. It is also hard to hear and/or understnad what people are saying if there is any background noise.  The irriability gets better once off steroids. 2 days post surgery/gamma knife is not much. He will be tired and grumpy for a few weeks. Gamma Knife fatigue sets in usually 1-2 weeks post procedure. Everyone responds differntly. I recover very well from Crain's. Gamma Knife resuls in hair loss for me and sig. fatigue for a few weeks. It is worse when the gamma knife follows the crani instead of gamma knife first and then crani. Hope he feels better soon. My "village" juat tell everyone to try to be quiet and patient during these timesz. For me the symptoms resolve within a few weeks. Take Care- Robyn

        • November 14, 2011 at 2:31 pm
        Phil S
        Participant
        Phil had craniotomy six weeks ago, and then WBR which just finished on a week ago. He hates loud noises, and just rejected my attempt to entertain us here in Houston by going to the movie, Footloose. He figured there would be loud music in the movie, and that still bugs him. But, he is feeling better each day, and getting less sensitive to noise!

        Robyn, we are still in Houston, awaiting admission to hospital Friday for biochemo. If you are up to a visit this week, just let me know. We could meet for tea! Good luck this week! Valerie ( Phil’s wife)

        • November 14, 2011 at 2:31 pm
        Phil S
        Participant
        Phil had craniotomy six weeks ago, and then WBR which just finished on a week ago. He hates loud noises, and just rejected my attempt to entertain us here in Houston by going to the movie, Footloose. He figured there would be loud music in the movie, and that still bugs him. But, he is feeling better each day, and getting less sensitive to noise!

        Robyn, we are still in Houston, awaiting admission to hospital Friday for biochemo. If you are up to a visit this week, just let me know. We could meet for tea! Good luck this week! Valerie ( Phil’s wife)

        • November 14, 2011 at 2:31 pm
        Phil S
        Participant
        Phil had craniotomy six weeks ago, and then WBR which just finished on a week ago. He hates loud noises, and just rejected my attempt to entertain us here in Houston by going to the movie, Footloose. He figured there would be loud music in the movie, and that still bugs him. But, he is feeling better each day, and getting less sensitive to noise!

        Robyn, we are still in Houston, awaiting admission to hospital Friday for biochemo. If you are up to a visit this week, just let me know. We could meet for tea! Good luck this week! Valerie ( Phil’s wife)

      • November 14, 2011 at 5:04 am
      robyn44
      Participant

      Hi- I have had 5 crain's, 3 gamma knife procedures. I leave for MD Anderson in am for 6th c rani on Thurs.I have exerienced what you are describing. Noise and voices are hard to tolerate. It is also hard to hear and/or understnad what people are saying if there is any background noise.  The irriability gets better once off steroids. 2 days post surgery/gamma knife is not much. He will be tired and grumpy for a few weeks. Gamma Knife fatigue sets in usually 1-2 weeks post procedure. Everyone responds differntly. I recover very well from Crain's. Gamma Knife resuls in hair loss for me and sig. fatigue for a few weeks. It is worse when the gamma knife follows the crani instead of gamma knife first and then crani. Hope he feels better soon. My "village" juat tell everyone to try to be quiet and patient during these timesz. For me the symptoms resolve within a few weeks. Take Care- Robyn

      • November 14, 2011 at 8:45 pm
      cltml
      Participant

      I had a craneotomy followed two weeks later by gamma knife for a 1 CM met in the back of my brain, right at the surface.  I was lucky and had none of the side effects that you describe.  My only side effect was a small vision cut out in the periphery of one eye.  My guess is that side effects vary with location and size of the tumor bed.  Good luck!

      cltml

      • November 14, 2011 at 8:45 pm
      cltml
      Participant

      I had a craneotomy followed two weeks later by gamma knife for a 1 CM met in the back of my brain, right at the surface.  I was lucky and had none of the side effects that you describe.  My only side effect was a small vision cut out in the periphery of one eye.  My guess is that side effects vary with location and size of the tumor bed.  Good luck!

      cltml

      • November 14, 2011 at 8:45 pm
      cltml
      Participant

      I had a craneotomy followed two weeks later by gamma knife for a 1 CM met in the back of my brain, right at the surface.  I was lucky and had none of the side effects that you describe.  My only side effect was a small vision cut out in the periphery of one eye.  My guess is that side effects vary with location and size of the tumor bed.  Good luck!

      cltml

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