Other Side Effects

[Way2go-alan]

After numerous GP appointments and a couple of MRI's I diagnosed my own AN on Google in 2015. As it had grown into giant category (>4cm) surgery was the only option.

To reassure some of you, surgery couldn't have gone better, leaving a tiny fragment behind because it is close to my brain stem. I quickly got used to my 'wobbles', loss of my left ear and can treat my eye (98% closure) so mostly good.

I had radiology last year (22) because the fragment had started to regrow. I hadn't noticed until the end of the year that I have some aphasia (just confirmed) but what I'm more interested in is whether people experience language issues - looking back now I can see symptons appeared over many years but its not until I had radiology, and saw some of these return, that I was alerted to it.

Apparently Expressive Dysphasia is more common with Strokes. I've read a lot of research associated with 'left' side lesions, has anyone else experienced language issues? And what kind of help/support have you received.

[Pinkrose1]

Hi, I have found since the surgery ( 2021) I can't think of the correct words to say and have to describe what I mean and I also sometimes can't remember where my conversation is going mid sentence and lose my train of thought easily. When i tired it's more noticable. It was really bad after surgery for a month or so and was saying all sorts of things that didn't make sense. I guess its the kind of surgery we've had and the affect on the brain but can be frustrating at times. Sorry to hear yours had some regrowth again.

[Way2go-alan in reply to Pinkrose1]

From the research I've read; for a small proportion of patients, there is some decline of cognitive function but this varies by patient, size and location of tumour. What I'm keen to understand is that if the AN applies pressure on the Broca or Wernicke areas of the brain, the side effects would be consistent with a mild stroke.

As the AN grows over many years, these symptoms might be subtle but we experience frustration struggling with recall and communication

Post operative I saw some improvement it's only that I'm experiencing it again that I've latched onto it - keen to understand if this makes sense to others?

[lupie-Cathy]

hi I didn’t have surgery for my left sided AN but had gamma knife in 2013. I have slight stroke symptoms and it was a struggle for about 8 years with getting my words out properly but it has improved lately but I still can’t always think of the word I want or the way to say a sentence occasionally so hopefully yours will improve with time too.