› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Gamma Knife Time
- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 6 months ago by
momof2kids.
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- November 8, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Well, rather than waiting 3 weeks to see if the blood will absorb from my brain met, they're offering me gamma knife next Tuesday. Even though there is blood in the left frontal lobe, they think it's mostly tumour, although I don't know how they could see it when we couldn't see anything looking at the MRI. One of my brain mets is 6-7mm and the other one is bigger (but they don't know what size it is). What should I expect with gamma knife? Recovery,etc? Are they quite successful in eliminating brain mets overtime?
Well, rather than waiting 3 weeks to see if the blood will absorb from my brain met, they're offering me gamma knife next Tuesday. Even though there is blood in the left frontal lobe, they think it's mostly tumour, although I don't know how they could see it when we couldn't see anything looking at the MRI. One of my brain mets is 6-7mm and the other one is bigger (but they don't know what size it is). What should I expect with gamma knife? Recovery,etc? Are they quite successful in eliminating brain mets overtime?
I just hope and pray that nothing pops up anytime soon.
Lisa
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- November 9, 2011 at 5:03 am
Lisa, I need to get your email, or something, easier to chat!
Honestly, Gamma Knife for me, was like nothing, I barely had any pain, etc after my Craniotomy either, but the Gamma Knife was just like any CT Scan or MRI I've had done.
My head hurt for a few days where the 4 pins clamped the head brace to your head, the one spot still sorta aches me now & then, but it's our stinkin head and it doesn't like to be pricked I guess, so it's still a bit pissed off at me I guess!
All I remember was these things:
1. Went in regular clothing, short sleeve shirt & pants/socks.
2. Got into a hospital bed, and they did a few tests to make sure you're functioning ok.
3. Next they give you some medicine on your head, and like a pain pill or something too, to make it sorta numb.
4. Then they put a clear head brace on and marked on my head where they would clamp the head brace onto, and then they clamped it on, just a bit of force to do it, wasn't really painful, like making you cry, just like "ouch" for a few seconds.
5. Then they take you into the room where the machine is (looks like a MRI/CT scanning machine) and you lay down and they get you comfy and they slide you in and lock your head into position so you can't move it at all of course!
6. Took less than an hour to do my spots.
7. Later on the take off the helmet, gave me another pain pill, made sure I was able to walk by myself and wasn't dizzy, etc, and then I was able to leave!
I had mine done Mid July 2011, and had a checkup Sept. 2nd, and the brian doctor said that it showed the spots were shrinking that they had done, and that it would take a few months like that and longer to see them fully disappear. So they usually, or even not at all, won't disappear immediately! It will take a few months for it to be all gone, so you may go thru a few more scans before it shows they are all gone.
I guess i"ll find out Dec. 2nd if my spots have continued shrinking (lets hope so!) or not, or if I have new ones (lets hope not!).
Best of luck next week!
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- November 9, 2011 at 5:03 am
Lisa, I need to get your email, or something, easier to chat!
Honestly, Gamma Knife for me, was like nothing, I barely had any pain, etc after my Craniotomy either, but the Gamma Knife was just like any CT Scan or MRI I've had done.
My head hurt for a few days where the 4 pins clamped the head brace to your head, the one spot still sorta aches me now & then, but it's our stinkin head and it doesn't like to be pricked I guess, so it's still a bit pissed off at me I guess!
All I remember was these things:
1. Went in regular clothing, short sleeve shirt & pants/socks.
2. Got into a hospital bed, and they did a few tests to make sure you're functioning ok.
3. Next they give you some medicine on your head, and like a pain pill or something too, to make it sorta numb.
4. Then they put a clear head brace on and marked on my head where they would clamp the head brace onto, and then they clamped it on, just a bit of force to do it, wasn't really painful, like making you cry, just like "ouch" for a few seconds.
5. Then they take you into the room where the machine is (looks like a MRI/CT scanning machine) and you lay down and they get you comfy and they slide you in and lock your head into position so you can't move it at all of course!
6. Took less than an hour to do my spots.
7. Later on the take off the helmet, gave me another pain pill, made sure I was able to walk by myself and wasn't dizzy, etc, and then I was able to leave!
I had mine done Mid July 2011, and had a checkup Sept. 2nd, and the brian doctor said that it showed the spots were shrinking that they had done, and that it would take a few months like that and longer to see them fully disappear. So they usually, or even not at all, won't disappear immediately! It will take a few months for it to be all gone, so you may go thru a few more scans before it shows they are all gone.
I guess i"ll find out Dec. 2nd if my spots have continued shrinking (lets hope so!) or not, or if I have new ones (lets hope not!).
Best of luck next week!
-
- November 9, 2011 at 5:03 am
Lisa, I need to get your email, or something, easier to chat!
Honestly, Gamma Knife for me, was like nothing, I barely had any pain, etc after my Craniotomy either, but the Gamma Knife was just like any CT Scan or MRI I've had done.
My head hurt for a few days where the 4 pins clamped the head brace to your head, the one spot still sorta aches me now & then, but it's our stinkin head and it doesn't like to be pricked I guess, so it's still a bit pissed off at me I guess!
All I remember was these things:
1. Went in regular clothing, short sleeve shirt & pants/socks.
2. Got into a hospital bed, and they did a few tests to make sure you're functioning ok.
3. Next they give you some medicine on your head, and like a pain pill or something too, to make it sorta numb.
4. Then they put a clear head brace on and marked on my head where they would clamp the head brace onto, and then they clamped it on, just a bit of force to do it, wasn't really painful, like making you cry, just like "ouch" for a few seconds.
5. Then they take you into the room where the machine is (looks like a MRI/CT scanning machine) and you lay down and they get you comfy and they slide you in and lock your head into position so you can't move it at all of course!
6. Took less than an hour to do my spots.
7. Later on the take off the helmet, gave me another pain pill, made sure I was able to walk by myself and wasn't dizzy, etc, and then I was able to leave!
I had mine done Mid July 2011, and had a checkup Sept. 2nd, and the brian doctor said that it showed the spots were shrinking that they had done, and that it would take a few months like that and longer to see them fully disappear. So they usually, or even not at all, won't disappear immediately! It will take a few months for it to be all gone, so you may go thru a few more scans before it shows they are all gone.
I guess i"ll find out Dec. 2nd if my spots have continued shrinking (lets hope so!) or not, or if I have new ones (lets hope not!).
Best of luck next week!
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