Would appreciate advice pleade

[GFmum]

Hi

My husband was diagnosed with AN in September 2016, they said it was quite small, but his last MRI scan showed that it had grown substantially... we have a meeting to discuss gamma knife or surgery tomorrow, can anyone advise on questions to ask the consultant?

Thanks

[drdeanbellavia]

Gamma knife is the best way to go. It's fast and except for the small holes in your head, painless. Scalpel surgery should be avoided if possible. My gamma knife surgery was only 18 minutes once in the machine. I was out in an hour and fixed a flat on my wife's van that afternoon.

[Peta2407]

Hi I had cyberknife 2 yrs ago no holes in the head worst part was having the mask made the actual treatment lasted about an hour l have an MRI six monthly and it is decreasing in size def the way to go any questions please ask am willing to give any help as the whole AN journey is a scary one good luck warm wishes Peta

[GFmum in reply to Peta2407]

Thanks for your reply... Husband decided to go for gamma knife in Sheffield, will now wait for appointment. Can you tell if you had any side effects, if so, when did they start and how long did they last? We're you able to go to work after it?

Thanks again to both of you

[anan88 in reply to GFmum]

I had Gamma Knife in Sheffield in May 2011 - all very comfortable and civilised, but hardly a good look while the headgear is in place! Home by train the same night. Had originally had surgery in February 2011 for a 3mm AN but they couldn't get a lot of it, hence the Gamma Knife.

It's hard to say what effects were from the surgery and what from the GK, and everybody reacts differently. However, after an initial growth of the AN after GK, which was expected, it then subsided. Over the next few years, it has shrunk to a few mm, and in Feb. 2017, the consultant didn't even see me after he saw the MRI scans - said it was all fine and stable.

Tiredness is to be expected, and your husband should take things as easy as he can, with a lot of walking built up gradually. Some people are able to return to work, depending on the nature of the work and the rate of recovery, quite soon, others take longer. All a bit suck-it-and-see, but the relief is great! As is the disappearance of symptoms, some taking longer than others to disappear.

Best of luck, it'll all go fine.

[JDWYER1980]

If you don't mind me asking, what is the size of your husbands AN? I was diagnosed with a small AN in February 2017. I have been on watch and wait and have an mri scheduled for this Sunday. Kind Regards.

[GFmum in reply to JDWYER1980]

Hi

The consultant said that it had grown 10mm in a year and rather having a wait and see approach would like to treat it.. Sorry, I don't know the full size of it, he was reassuring and said that gamma knife has 94% success rate.

Hope everything goes well for MRI on Sunday

[JDWYER1980]

Thanks for the reply. I hope the treatment goes well. Best wishes Damian

[6625]

Mine was 28mm i could have the gamma knife as they said it was to big