Long term effects after brain tumor removal

Late Effects
I can relate to what you are going through. I had an ependymoma (brain tumor) at age 4. I had surgery and radiation to half of my brain. I never relized why I needed so much sleep to
feel awake. As a late effect from radiation your body requires increased sleep. The surgery
may effect fatigue as well, not sure. I am 47years old and never seem to be as energenic as
my older sisters. It gets very frustrating when you need to do something but it takes a long
time because you are tired. Your experiences are quite the norm for cancer survivors like us.
Chemotherapy does the same thing on your body as radiation(chemo brain). I hope my grammer or spelling isn't to bad, this is also one of my week areas.

Hi Ronefx, I am a survivor
Hi Ronefx, I am a survivor and was a caregiver to my father who passed away in 2007 from colon cancer. We both suffered from chronic fatigue while going through treatment. While caring for my father I couldn't find much information to deal with the side effects so I started a blog, www.CincoVidas.com, that focuses on the side effects of cancer treatment on the hair, skin and nails. I did a post on yoga for relieving fatigue and gaining some balance http://blog.cincovidas.com/yoga-restoring-minds-and-bodies-during-cancer—some-survivors-call-it-a-“life-saver”. You can also check out the post on http://blog.cincovidas.com/ahhh-acupuncture-relieves-many-chemotherapy-side-effects . I hope this helps. Love, strength and survival Britta

jenben59 said:

Hello
I just happen to run across your message while looking for something else. The odd thing is I was diagnosed with an astrocytoma about 4 years ago. I had two brain surgeries and the results came back as grade 1 so I never had to have chemo. The thing is, it took me about a year to get back to as normal as possible. I have pretty bad short term memory and other side effects, but I never really was run down after I healed. The down side of all this is I was diagnosed in December with stage 3c colon cancer...another thing to overcome. I have found very good support (Online too) with American Cancer Society. I started chemo with the hospital, M.D. Anderson, and they don't think the patients are there to complain, they listen and help every way they can. I would try to get in touch with the American Cancer Society and find some help and support. You deserve it! Brain tumors are tough to handle. E-mail me any time if you want. Good luck.

brain tumor
Hello, I am new to this website so I'm a little unfamiliar with how to maneuver around in here. My mom is 65 and first had lung cancer and 2 surgeries and radiation. Then they discovered her adrenal gland was enlarged but before they even ran tests on that she started having terrible headaches and trouble seeing numbers. She finally made an appt and the same day they had her come back because it turned out to be a 4cm tumor in her brain and they sent her to the hospital by ambulance that night to have surgery the next morning, dec 31. it is now jan 3 and she is home. I don't know what I'm looking for here, I guess I'm trying to find out what to expect and what I can do to help her. I live with her and my dad right now. She's always been energetic and independent, it doesn't seem like she's 65, except for here lately. She's supposed to talk to the doctors about chemotherapy and I'm scared about that and the emotional effect going through the sickness, hair loss, energy loss will have on her. If you have any advice please help.

My Fiance
Hi Ronefx

When I read your post; I thought my fiance had posted this.... he had a right front temporal lobe astrocytoma tumor removed but was benign. He is also 34 and suffers everyday. He has also been prescribed Adderall and it helps with his fatigue but also has bad side effects that I hate. If he does not take adderall he will sleep for days. His long term effects are extensive, he now mimics many mental disorders ie. bipolar, sschizophrenia with major depression because of the fatigue. He also has a counter full of vitamins and supplements and nothing helps. We search everyday for help and we have not found it either; so you are not alone.

My Fiance
Hi Ronefx

When I read your post; I thought my fiance had posted this.... he had a right front temporal lobe astrocytoma tumor removed but was benign. He is also 34 and suffers everyday. He has also been prescribed Adderall and it helps with his fatigue but also has bad side effects that I hate. If he does not take adderall he will sleep for days. His long term effects are extensive, he now mimics many mental disorders ie. bipolar, sschizophrenia with major depression because of the fatigue. He also has a counter full of vitamins and supplements and nothing helps. We search everyday for help and we have not found it either; so you are not alone.

My Fiance
Hi Ronefx

When I read your post; I thought my fiance had posted this.... he had a right front temporal lobe astrocytoma tumor removed but was benign. He is also 34 and suffers everyday. He has also been prescribed Adderall and it helps with his fatigue but also has bad side effects that I hate. If he does not take adderall he will sleep for days. His long term effects are extensive, he now mimics many mental disorders ie. bipolar, sschizophrenia with major depression because of the fatigue. He also has a counter full of vitamins and supplements and nothing helps. We search everyday for help and we have not found it either; so you are not alone.

My Fiance
Hi Ronefx

When I read your post; I thought my fiance had posted this.... he had a right front temporal lobe astrocytoma tumor removed but was benign. He is also 34 and suffers everyday. He has also been prescribed Adderall and it helps with his fatigue but also has bad side effects that I hate. If he does not take adderall he will sleep for days. His long term effects are extensive, he now mimics many mental disorders ie. bipolar, sschizophrenia with major depression because of the fatigue. He also has a counter full of vitamins and supplements and nothing helps. We search everyday for help and we have not found it either; so you are not alone.

My Fiance
Hi Ronefx

When I read your post; I thought my fiance had posted this.... he had a right front temporal lobe astrocytoma tumor removed but was benign. He is also 34 and suffers everyday. He has also been prescribed Adderall and it helps with his fatigue but also has bad side effects that I hate. If he does not take adderall he will sleep for days. His long term effects are extensive, he now mimics many mental disorders ie. bipolar, sschizophrenia with major depression because of the fatigue. He also has a counter full of vitamins and supplements and nothing helps. We search everyday for help and we have not found it either; so you are not alone.

Fatigue 6 years after radiation
Ronefx, this reply is about 3 years late, but I was wondering how have you been since you posted? I have almost the exact same problem. I am 30 and had 2 surgeries, chemo and radiation as well. Anaplastic Astrocytoma on right pre-frontal cortex with radiation on both left and right sides of my brain. It's been almost 6 years and I still feel tired and run down after a day out. Like you, there are good days but then there are days where fatigue just overwhelms me and I have no energy to do anything. Like you, I don't like complaining to my doctor, family or friends because I feel like a hypochondriac...

Do you have any suggestions or have you heard any stories of people who share similar concerns? Any response would be appreciated, thanks!

Brain rumor Removed/ benign but chemo treated
I live in Ms. And in Sept 2009, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I was having these weird head ora's that people had me believing it was nothing and all made up in my head, (Well lol, it was ALL in my head)), I found this fabulous general practioner and he was a doctor who TRULY listened before speaking, I told him what was going on and instead of like most doctors, making you come back for 3 different visits, he had an MRI and cat scan and EKG performed on me at the St. D's hospital. That afternoon I was informed I had an egg shaped tumor on the right side of my front lobe, it was benign and I thank God everyday for that, having an Uncle who passed from tons of spiderweb tumors in his brain, I lost my Moms sister in Feb 2010 from Melanoma then my own Mother from Esophogial Cancer in Sept 2010, 7 months from her sister, during my surgery, I hemorraged because of a biopsy gone wrong from the very start at another Jackson hospital, that biopsy was flubbed and nearly cost me my life, I went through two separate surgeries, my family was called in and I was completely reborn that very morning I awoke and to my left set my son, with tears flowing down his face thinking he was losing his Mother after he just lost his father May 2008, from a massive heart attack, I went through a year of chemo, Temodar, and always felt bad for myself until I saw what my Mother suffered through, Now I see it didn't even run a close second. But I was smoking and drinking before the surgery and afterwards I've NEVER had the taste or want for either, a true blessing from the Lord, but I have had problems breathing, now on a sleep apnea machine, seizure that just occur out of nowhere and was told I would probably have these the rest of my life. I was fired from my 8 year job (with a small good faith check), put on Diability and Medicaid, and thank you Lord for both. Because I had NO medical insurance or any other money at that time, Ive asked myself many times, they say chemo is nothing but rat poison and I tend to believe though it might prolong my tumor growth, i took it for a year and believe that is what polluted my body and the reason I have all my medical problems , I've also been seen as a Hyperchondriac now, I constantly have problems going on with me, I have emotional mood changes while on Prozac and Zanax, I have anxiety attacks constantly, I'm alone, nobody wants someone who's had these sort of problems, I've had relationships and though these men had faults, believe my mood swings had a great deal to do with it plus going through the change of life. I have my MRI's every 6 months and thus far are clear. YAYYY! Thank you Lord! If you question Gods existence, nearly die and you won't anymore. But I need to know if any of you have had emotional problems, personality changing in seconds like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. My email is listed so please letme hear from you . Thank you.