Mvd

[papadrew]

I saw my neurosurgeon today and was suprised at how well the visit went. He was evan open to hear about my ear. Anyways Tuesday the 14th I have a pre-op appt. and MRI thing then Monday the 20th I'm going to have the MVD done. He said it was my best option and I kind of believe him. Last time with the Gamma Knife I did pretty well though but I don't want to fry my face again. We'll see, I was all ready this morning but now a little scared. 3 days in the hospital. Make it home for Thanksgiving. I'm curious once the surgery is done what happens to the 'dime size ' hole? The way my Dr. described that he'll place a cushion wherever, felt so inviting. He was showing me with an uncapped skull where things were and I said that that's exactly where my ear is bugging me. I hope this works.. Take care all... Andy

[baywatcher]

It sounds like you're on the road to a solution. One nice thing? You are moving along so quickly that you won't have weeks and weeks to fret about the whole thing! I don't handle waiting all that well, so the faster the better in my opinion. Lots of folks on here to get advice and hints from, all I can send you is tons and tons of good wishes - I'll be thinking of you. Nancy

[JeanC]

I'm curious once the surgery is done what happens to the 'dime size ' hole? The way my Dr. described that he'll place a cushion wherever, felt so inviting. He was showing me with an uncapped skull where things were and I said that that's exactly where my ear is bugging me.
Hi, Andy!

Wow, that's fast! We'll all be thinking of you and sending good thoughts on the 20th!

A dime sized hole sounds like endoscopic surgery - which sounds like what Alan just had. (Microscopic decompression is a larger, quarter sized hole.) They send an endoscope (optical viewing instrument) down to the nerve root instead of wheeling a binocular operating microscope up to the hole and looking from the opening in the skull down between the pons and cerebellum to the nerve root.

You'd have to ask the surgeon what he does about covering or filling in the hole. Different surgeons do different things. He may place a material over it or not. (I have an even smaller hole from a subdural hematoma drain that eventually filled itself in with scar tissue so I have a small indentation in my skull.) The cushion he described was probably the teflon or whatever material that he'll be placing between the offending blood vessel(s) and the nerve - again, different surgeons use different materials but most use teflon felt or shredded teflon.

There's a paper on endoscopic decompression for glossopharyngeal neuralgia (a neighboring nerve) at -

SBI Fully endoscopic vascular decompression of the glossopharyngeal nerve (http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:GGKTFMEcgkUJ:sbiheadlines.com/research/papers/Fully%2520evd%2520CN%2520IX%2520for%2520JCF.doc)

Try to relax and take care of yourself in the meantime. The healthier you are going in, the faster your recovery will be. Here's hoping for a successful surgery and an easy recovery!

Jean

[stefanies]

Wow! That is fast! I'm so happy you don't have to wait too long for the MVD. That was terrible having to wait for it.
Best of luck and I'm sure it'll be fine!
Stefanie

[ella138]

Good luck Andy, and like Stefanie said, its great that you dont have to wait too long for the surgery. For me, the pre op time (3 months) was so much worse than the post op. My nerves and emotions were all over the place. Once it was done it was just a matter of concentrating on the healing process. We'll be thinking of you. Ask any questions you need to, there are lots of us in here who have been through it.

[argye]

Hi Andy,

I read a book by Carol Levy called, "A Pained Life," and was turned off to neurosurgery, even though I had a successful GK in 1999. My pain returned and it became horrific this summer.

I saw 2 neurologists and an ophthalmologist (due to my medications' side effects) over the summer and they all recommended MVD, which I did not want. Instead, AMA, I got much better by seeing a chiro and by new age treatments. If the pain comes back [shudder], I will continue to do everything possible to avoid surgery.

Argye

[Fraalan]

Go for it. It is amazing only 3 days and they let you go. I was finally keeping food down and they gave me the boot. You will only regret not having it done.

BTW where are you going?

[Jane]

Hi Andy -- hurray for you! Each person has to decide what is best for them. And how lucky for you that you do not have a long waiting period. Lots of positive thoughts coming your way. My turn will be coming up soon so will be anxious to hear how things go for you. Best wishes. Jane

[bobkat]

Andy,

The best of luck to you. I had my MVD Febraury 7, 2006 and I was home recuperating on the 9th. I hope you are home relaxing with your family for a wonderful turkey dinner. Be sure to stay calm - I took anti-anxiety meds the day before the surgery, and stay positive. We are all here to answer any questions you have - before or after the procedure. Talking with people with real life experience helped me greatly to get through it. You are in my thoughts and prayers!

Kathy

[papadrew]

I'm doing alright in the meantime, Aside from the normal worry waiting. Last time for the GK I waited 3 months, I think, so this is good. I'm both excited and scared. There's alot of new people around here. Guess I'm new again. I told my DR. that I was in dire straights, which is basically true. I'm close to losing my house. So he rushed me. Tuesday the pre-op happens. I'm having this done in LA. Same Doc who did my GK. This Trileptal thing is causing me to repeat myself alot. Thanks for all your support. I'm kind of tough with surgery. I too had a subdural thing of a bop when I was a kid, shows as a stroke on the MRI. That there's been a life long issue so this is no biggie, just wonder. I hope I don't have the feeling of something foreign in my head. I think that's a worry 'cuz I have a bridge that's about 25 years old and it still feels fake. Thanks again... Andy

[ella138]

I hope I don't have the feeling of something foreign in my head.

You mean from the teflon padding they use to cushion off the nerve from the vessles? If that's what you mean, I dont think you have anything to worry about there. Never heard even one person complain about that kind of feeling. The last time I was at my neurosurgeons office I asked him if the teflon can move if I sneeze to hard or go on a rollercoaster ride. I was told that the teflon is eventually absorbed into being part of your body, and it does not move so I can feel free to throw myself around as much as I like. Good luck.