What to expect after Craniotomy?

Hi Jill,

It is normal for him to be fatigued, I had gamma knife in late aug, on 2 tumors, one on the front right, and one on the back left. They put a halo on which was horrible, then I waited for 7 hours for them to map out the precise areas to do the radiation(gamma knife), I was very soar afterward, probubly from the halo, but had the worst headache that day I have ever had. Then, I was tired for about 2 weeks, and then I saw this round flashing rainbow and still see it occasionally. It kinda freaks me out sometimes, because I know what it is from, but the areas that they do radiation on swell first then they go down, in some cases they will use steroids but others they dont. I hope things go well for your husband, and I know that this is a hard time, I know from first hand experience. Keep stong for him… I hate this cancer, were too young to have to be going through this. I hope you keep us updated..  Praying…. Jolaina

Hi Jill,

It is normal for him to be fatigued, I had gamma knife in late aug, on 2 tumors, one on the front right, and one on the back left. They put a halo on which was horrible, then I waited for 7 hours for them to map out the precise areas to do the radiation(gamma knife), I was very soar afterward, probubly from the halo, but had the worst headache that day I have ever had. Then, I was tired for about 2 weeks, and then I saw this round flashing rainbow and still see it occasionally. It kinda freaks me out sometimes, because I know what it is from, but the areas that they do radiation on swell first then they go down, in some cases they will use steroids but others they dont. I hope things go well for your husband, and I know that this is a hard time, I know from first hand experience. Keep stong for him… I hate this cancer, were too young to have to be going through this. I hope you keep us updated..  Praying…. Jolaina

Hi Jill – for at least the first three weeks after my emergency craniotomy I was asleep more than I was awake. My oncology neurologist assured me this was not only normal but very good. She said the brain does the majority of its healing during the deep sleep phase and to sleep as much as I could. As long as it wasn't difficult to wake me up, she assured my care givers I was fine.

I had mild headaches and a feeling of pressure in my head for several weeks too along with the other side effects. Your husband's brain has been through a big trauma and it will take a while for it to begin to heal and sort itself out again. Because I lost shape recognition, I had to ask people to treat me as though they were in a blind person's house because if they moved things around and I saw them out of the context I was used to, I would have to actually put my hands on things to figure out what they were.

It's been five months now since the craniotomy for me and four since gamma knife and some symptoms still come and go a bit, especially if I let myself get too tired. Carmon in NM

Hi Jill – for at least the first three weeks after my emergency craniotomy I was asleep more than I was awake. My oncology neurologist assured me this was not only normal but very good. She said the brain does the majority of its healing during the deep sleep phase and to sleep as much as I could. As long as it wasn't difficult to wake me up, she assured my care givers I was fine.

I had mild headaches and a feeling of pressure in my head for several weeks too along with the other side effects. Your husband's brain has been through a big trauma and it will take a while for it to begin to heal and sort itself out again. Because I lost shape recognition, I had to ask people to treat me as though they were in a blind person's house because if they moved things around and I saw them out of the context I was used to, I would have to actually put my hands on things to figure out what they were.

It's been five months now since the craniotomy for me and four since gamma knife and some symptoms still come and go a bit, especially if I let myself get too tired. Carmon in NM