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Meningioma in the Foramen Magnum area of brain
I have just found out that I have a small meningioma in the foramen magnum area by the brainstem. Although it is benign and outside of the brain I am so frightened. My neurosurgeon has chosen to watch it and repeat mris every three months to see if it is growing. I Understand that if it grows it can put pressure on the brainstem and cause major problems such as breathing, swallowing, eyesight, hearing, movement of arms and legs etc.I also understand that surgery in this area is extremely difficult and risky for all of those same things. Has anyone had the same thing? I am looking for any help or information. I am 55 and not ready to die yet!!!! I am praying it doesnt grow but scared that it will and require surgery. My neuro says if he has to remove it he will go thru the mouth as it is the easiest to reach that area from. Every time I think about this I just get so stressed out and frightened.
I am coming across this post about 3 or 4 later. I hope you are doing well. I had a schwonnoma tumor removed from the foramen magnum in Nov 2004. It has caused compression of the spinal cord so I had no other options. I was in hospital about 18 dys and had fully recovered. I am now having surgery for a meningioma in my left frontal lobe on 7-26-2013, Compared to the 1sr surgery this one should be much easier.
I understand the scary thoughts - perhaps you need to see out counsel so that you can come to terms with what you have as the stress is not good for you.
I'm sorry it sounds like it's too close, but I wouldn't give up on it altogether without a second opinion from someone like the doctor who was a Good Samaritan, who is expert in the area of gamma knife.
that is wonderful news. I have heard of that and asked my doctor about it. I guess I am not a candidate because it is too close to the brainstem and surely will cause problems with the brainstem getting some of the radiation. So they said no
No I dont think I am having symptoms. I have alot of neck pain in the back that shoots into the head but I have alot of neck issues as well. Which is why I had the scan to begin with that they found the meningioma. I have alot of arthritis and disk bulging in the neck area so I am going to Physical therapy for that which seems to be helping. But lately I will feel some sort of hand weakness or weird feeling and assume its the meningioma which hopefully its not. I can live with it but its the scary thoughts of being unable to swallow all of a sudden it lose the ability to see or move that has me feeling like a timebomb. I am frightened to death of surgery. I understand this area is rare which is why they dont want to go in unless they absolutely have to. Thats pretty frightening in itself.
I want to tout gamma knife once again on this forum, as it is what helped a close loved one with her meningioma (typically a slow-growing type of non-cancerous tumor) located between her eyes. They said if it started pressing in, it could affect her personality. The doctors let it grow almost too large, and it was sooo close to her optic nerve (located between her eyes).
She had gamma knife at Good Samaritan in CA and one of the surgeons for what they call "bloodless surgery" (gamma knife) was a pioneer with the procedure. My relative told her brain neurosurgeon, who wanted to shave hair, open her skull and remove it that it was gamma knife or nothing (her father died from a brain tumor discovered when it was already the size of lemon). So they referred her for gamma knife and she is very glad she did it. That was back in Feb. 2002.
The gamma rays are pointed at the tumor after a double dye MRI and mapping. Your head is locked by screws in a helmet so it will not move. The gamma rays are concentrated on the tumor, passing through other parts of the head with less force (and so not supposed to harm those other parts) than the concentration of force that culminates right at the tumor. Her tumor shrunk some and then stayed the same size. Last time she got an MRI (she's supposed to get them every two years now), it still had not grown. I am so thankful every time we have gotten the news that it has not grown. I was so upset when I first learned she had the tumor I was crying at work (before I was disabled). The Lord has been so gracious to me and I'm so glad we learned about gamma knife, which is touted to have a very low morbidity rate!
She had gamma knife at Good Samaritan in CA and one of the surgeons for what they call "bloodless surgery" (gamma knife) was a pioneer with the procedure. My relative told her brain neurosurgeon, who wanted to shave hair, open her skull and remove it that it was gamma knife or nothing (her father died from a brain tumor discovered when it was already the size of lemon). So they referred her for gamma knife and she is very glad she did it. That was back in Feb. 2002.
The gamma rays are pointed at the tumor after a double dye MRI and mapping. Your head is locked by screws in a helmet so it will not move. The gamma rays are concentrated on the tumor, passing through other parts of the head with less force (and so not supposed to harm those other parts) than the concentration of force that culminates right at the tumor. Her tumor shrunk some and then stayed the same size. Last time she got an MRI (she's supposed to get them every two years now), it still had not grown. I am so thankful every time we have gotten the news that it has not grown. I was so upset when I first learned she had the tumor I was crying at work (before I was disabled). The Lord has been so gracious to me and I'm so glad we learned about gamma knife, which is touted to have a very low morbidity rate!
You have some options here.
You can go get another opinion if that will make you feel better. The other doctor may or may not say the same thing.
You can push for the risky surgery just so that you do not have to think about it hanging over your head, so to speak.
You can seek out counseling to try to deal with it as it looks like the monitoring will be stressful.
I had a different type of tumor but was told the same, watch and wait. I named my tumor Fred and Fred and I lived together for 12 years before he was removed (then he had the gall to come back, but that is another story). I was very upset at first too - as that is natural, but education about growth rates. etc. and what can and cannot happen and while yes, some of it is very scary, well, finally, I was able to just come to terms with it.
We have had some others post with menigiomas, but not in the same location.
Are you ok now, or are you having symptoms?
You can go get another opinion if that will make you feel better. The other doctor may or may not say the same thing.
You can push for the risky surgery just so that you do not have to think about it hanging over your head, so to speak.
You can seek out counseling to try to deal with it as it looks like the monitoring will be stressful.
I had a different type of tumor but was told the same, watch and wait. I named my tumor Fred and Fred and I lived together for 12 years before he was removed (then he had the gall to come back, but that is another story). I was very upset at first too - as that is natural, but education about growth rates. etc. and what can and cannot happen and while yes, some of it is very scary, well, finally, I was able to just come to terms with it.
We have had some others post with menigiomas, but not in the same location.
Are you ok now, or are you having symptoms?
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