Meningioma post-surgery dilemma

My wife aged 35 had a satsuma sized benign meningioma removed from her frontal lobe, very close to the optical chiasma and cerebral artery. After surgery she experienced a visual deterioration in her left eye and now has no vision at all in that eye. She has no sense of taste or smell and complains of extreme fatigue, occasional left arm numbness as well as a "nasty taste" at the back of her throat.

She was admitted to hospital a week ago when she started leaking clear fuid from her nose. This stopped after four days but continued to run down the back of her throat.

I was wondering if I should be worried about any of these symptoms or are they simply the after effects of major brain surgery? Am I just playing the ever fretfull husband card yet again?

[rumpled]

I am sorry to hear about your wife.
The clear fluid is called CSF. It usually accompanied by a very severe headache. It should be looked at and patched (or a medication given to see it that works to seal it up) as there is potential for infection with a hole there. The nasty taste is probably the CSF as it has a metallic taste?

I hope you are getting copies of everything (labs, surgical reports, films, etc) and staying on top of it all. There are things that well, happen due to the size and location of the tumor and then there are other things that can and should be taken care of. You need to be on top of all the records and do research and find out what is what. The CSF leak is something to take care of. Laying flat helps. Until you have her records, you cannot know what needs to be done.

What is her doctor saying about her symptoms?

[Rezee]

when was your wifes surgery?? thats was I am hoping that in my case it is not aCSF Leak.

[maybepoet]

My wife's surgery was on 21st November 2008. She remained in hospital for three weeks and was recently re-admitted on 4th January with a ?CSF leak from her nose which migrated to her throat. She still complains of a nasty taste in her throat and a trickling sensation.

Hope this helps

[maybepoet]

I did forget to mention that Nadine has a DVT in her leg which hampers her ability to rest. If she lies for too long it causes excrutiating pain in the affected leg. Nothing's ever straightforward is it?

[rumpled]

I am sorry to hear about the DVT on top of everything else.. I am familiar with when it rains, it pours... I guess she needs to keep her head down and her legs she can move if her docs allow... What have the doctors said?

Rezee - what are your details?

[Rezee]

I am waiting to get another MRI scheduled. Possible too much brain swelling or CSF leak. My left nostril runs a lot and my headaches are daily. I have alot of short term memory loss, confusion and dizzyness.I feel like I have a bad head/sinus cold where you get the headaches, confused and feel like you are also holding your breathe to where your head is pulsating and wants to explode - thats the only way I can explain it. It is much better when I am laying down. Its been 7 months now and becasue of the size and where it was I probably just need to face facts and realize that this just takes a long time to heal. So I am adjusting. Keep the faith!

[rumpled]

Do you feel better after you have caffeine? Laying flat does help leaks, so does caffeine (a bit, for some people...).
Hope you get the help you need and feel better soon!

[maybepoet]

Nadine's DVT pain was just the stubborn clot refusing to disperse. Because of her brain surgery the surgeons adopted a conservative approach to warfarin dosage, hence the longer healing time. Nadine says she also feels slightly better after coffee. The Docs did not seem as worried about her throat trickling CSF leak. Nadine says the taste is horrible a little like that taste you get when you're in the dentists chair. I've discovered people have reported, bitter, sweet, salty, perfumed, acrid and even sour aftertastes.

Maybepoet

[Rezee]

My headaches are better when layin down (not flat though) with 2 pillows. Caffein makes them worse-so does chocolate,cheese and eggs. I will update after I get the MRI
thanks for listeneing