vision,hearing, balance disturbances...

[shay_nicole]

my husband is 29 years old. He is taking the medication finasteride (5 mg, taking 1/4 of the medication each night) for alopecia. that is the only medication he is on. He as been experiencing SEVERE dizziness to the point of brief (2-3 sec. blackouts) memory loss, he can't remember what things that happened a few hours prior, hearing disturbances, like the volume is being turned down and when he lies down he hears wooshing sounds. he also is having visual disturbances. he is unable to focus on objects near or far randomly throughout the day, other times he can see and hear perfectly. it comes and goes. he also loses his balance and it has been happening for the past 6 months and it is getting worse each day... it was only happening a few times a week and now it is happening several times a day. He has been tested for diabetes, and the Drs have ruled that out... is there any connection to the drug that he is taking or could this be something more serious?

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
I know how hard it is to be in your position right now. But be strong and have faith. Be there for him and I know there are many emotions you are both feeling right now. The size of the tumor is responsible for the debilitating headaches and other symptoms he is experiencing right now. Inform his attending physician about any symptom he is experiencing for management as well as for updates. The surgery is less than a month away and the anxiety of waiting is sometimes harder. A support group is really important at this time. If he does not like to tell his family about his condition, ask around in the hospital or ask his doctor if there are support groups in the community/hospital. You can always drop me a note if you need somebody. Will be praying for his surgery and complete recovery. Take care.  

[shay_nicole]

Hi. I know it's been nearly a month since I've posted anything regarding my husband's condition. we've had a few more appointments and we have a surgery date finally. We found out that his tumor has been growing since he was born. They said it was a tumor of skin like tissue that for some reason formed between his brain and his skull, instead of on the outside of his skull. we got to really look into the MRI and it was terrifying. His tumor is pushing his brain stem to the right and his brain forward.It is about three times the size of his eyeball...his vision and hearing are becoming more and more disturbed, and he's getting debilitating headaches within the last few days. His surgery is scheduled for December 13. less than a month away. I was just wondering if the headaches should be brought to the attention of the surgeon....any input on the recent info or anything would be greatly appreciated. It's very hard for me to grasp hold of everything right now, and its hard to cope . he isn't allowing me to tell anyone including our family. no one knows about his condition but me, and it's hard not having anyone to talk to  about it... he's pretty quiet about it...

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
The best procedure would depend on several factors such as your husband's medical history, experience of the surgeon, the type of tumor present, and the evaluation of his doctors. As much as I want to help which way is best, his attending has a greater say on this matter. Ask for clarifications from his doctors if the medical terms are difficult to understand. Be strong and remember that we are here for you.

[shay_nicole]

So my husband had yet another appointment. The surgeon told him that the tumor is wrapped fully around his brain stem... they told him his military career was over, and he has to have surgery as soon as possible. we have to meet with the surgeon Oct. 29th. they gave him three options as to how to do the surgery. one was going through his ear and drilling straight through, where it would knock out his hearing on that side permanently. also, they could go through his throat, but mentioned something about spinal fluid leaking or something? I'm not sure what the risks with these are at all. they also said they could go through the back of his neck and behind his ear, and didn't say anything about risks with that one. Is there any way to tell which procedure would be best?

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How are you?  Surgery is indeed very risky since the brain stem controls a number of physical functions including breathing, heart rate, muscle movements, and involuntary tasks such as digestion. Any damage to the brain stem can also interfere with the function of the brain stem and spinal cord. This is why a referral to another neurosurgeon is warranted, if surgery is an option.  Radiation treatment can also be done to attempt shrinking the tumor. Do keep us posted on the recent surgery appointment. Hang on and if the explanations by your doctors are not clear, request for further clarification to have a better understanding of the situation. This will also ease any anxiety on your part. Take care always.

[Gina04]

So sorry you guys are having to go through this.  It was hard for me to go through brain surgery when I was single.  I can only imagine how you are feeling right now.  Praying for both of you.

I'm going to send you a message with a link.  The page talks a little about craniotomies and different ways they removed brain tumors.  I had a craniotomy done but my surgery was more in the temporal area than the stem.  Not sure how similar this would be.  If you need to vent, have questions, etc., feel free to message me.