2 WEEKS POST OP, feeling very "slow" almost mentally retarted

TAMMY S
TAMMY S Member Posts: 16
in Brain Cancer #1
I had my 2nd resection 2 weeks ago today. Things are totally different from the 1st time. They went in to remove the radiation nercosis (sp) and found more cancer,they removed it and added 8 glio wafers. Put me on decadron whuch caused me steroid psychosis. I never have felt so horrible in my life. They lowered the steroids but I am so mentally different. Evrything done at slower speed, thoughts are slower hard time keeping up with conversations. Is this something that happends after each surgery? I just want this fog lifted so I feel like me again. I go and see my surgeon tomorrow and I hope you has some answers as to why I am like this and is this now "me"? I almost feel like I am on the edge of mental retardation

Comments

  • Raani01
    Raani01 Member Posts: 70
    #2
    2 weeks is too early
    TAMMY,
    2weeks is too early to recover from a brain surgery.I am amazed you were able to think and write this sharp. Please give somemore time sleeping and resting.You will feel better.With prayers and positive thoughts,
    Raani
  • websterbr
    websterbr Member Posts: 20
    #3
    Healing
    Hi Tammy,

    I had surgery in September for a grade II oligo and I am just starting to get back to normal again. My family doctor told me that an anasthetic can take 5 or 6 weeks to get out of your system and can make you feel foggy. She also told me that the cranitomy cuts through neurons (nerve endings) and you have to "retrain" your brain. I am starting to get better with focusing, memory and what they call sequencing of events (what to do next. I am still not driving and have a hard time understanding and following conversations. I am not sure if this is part of an anxiety issue or still healing but they tell me it will all get better as time goes by. I have a neuropsych assessment in a few weeks that goes through a series of tests to determine what the exact problem is and what do to as far as rehab to fix it. I am a Medical Secretary and my job it a lot of fast pace changes and multitasking therefore I am not back to work yet. I am a little scared to go back because I deal with patients and their medications and making decisions. Maybe the medications and the wafers are causing some side effects? I have noticed that it has taken a good 5 months to really notice a big difference that I can function a bit easier without guildance. It will get better but don't set your expectations too high this soon. It takes time.
  • cindysuetoyou
    cindysuetoyou Member Posts: 513
    #4
    Tammy, please take heart and please, please give yourself some time to recover. It is amazing how the brain can recover from things. After my son's last chemo treatment, he was so ill. He had serious brain edema...a lot of swelling. This is how bad he was: he was in diapers. He could not talk, could not say his name, could not feed himself, could not walk. He was sitting and drooling. He would stare off into space and it seemed like he was not aware we were in the room. He would do "purposeless random repetitive motions" like tapping or rocking. I thought his life as it had been was over...that our David was lost to us. He was like a stranger to us.

    Well, he recovered, Tammy. He came back from all of that. He is back just about 100%. He still has quite a bit of fatigue and he's pretty weak, but that's improving too. It's unbelievable. The doctors said that's what brain swelling will do to you. I don't know if you have issues with swelling but that could be part of your problem since it's common after surgery. But whatever you have going on, you can recover from it! It's possible! It takes time. It took David a little over 6 weeks. He has some other issues now...cellulitis and a bacterial infection, but mentally, he is doing awesome.

    I never, ever would have believed that he would have recovered. You just never know what the next day holds. Please, please give yourself some time. I believe you will be amazed at how much better you feel in just a few weeks' more time.

    Please keep us updated on how you are doing. I'll be thinking about you, praying for you, and looking for your posts.

    Love and blessings,
    Cindy in Portland (again) OR

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