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seizures after brain surgery

Sun, 03/09/2008 - 08:03
Hi....my wife had a brain tumor removed 7 years ago and since then has suffered from seizures.  She has had simple partial as well as at least one episode of Grand Mal seizures.  She takes Topomax and Keppra.  Most of the time she is fine but occassionally she has seizures in her facial muscles that are unseen by me or anyone else.  She says she can feel herself seizing.  Anyway, my questions is:  has anyone else experience seizures after a brain surgery and if so what is the prognosis for living seizure free?  Thanks

Comments

Re: seizures after brain surgery

Submitted by tammy76 on Thu, 2008-03-13 - 00:10
I had a right selective amygdalahippocampectomy performed on October 12, 2004. I did have a few seizures after brain surgery, but after the doctors adjusted the meds I haven't had a seizure in 3 years. I am currently on Keppra and Lamictal for seizures and I also take Topamax for the headaches. I don't know if she gets the "ice pick" migraine headaches, but they really suck. Anyway, my doctors said if you have seizures after brain surgery and they are treated, you have between  60-80% chance of being seizure free. That's with the type of surgery I had though. I don't know if it applies tumour removal.

Re: seizures after brain surgery

Submitted by richardmama on Thu, 2008-03-13 - 12:48

Hi Everyone,  I'm new to the list.  My son has a tumor in his right side of brain (size: 3.9cm x 4.6 cm transverse plane, 5.3 cm craniocaudal).  Presumably it is a Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelizl tumor (DNET).  Since the diagnose three years ago, the tumor has remained unchagned.  He has simple partial seizures approximately once every 10 days and it often happans at night or early in the morning.  We can't make up our mind for surgery to remove the tumor although all the doctors we have seen told us that he has a very good chance to be seizure free after the surgery.  Your cases make us more uncertain about the surgery.  My questions are: did you have seizures before the tumor was removed? How frequent and severe were the seizures during that time?   

Thank you all for your help! 

Mary, a very worried mother

(This message is for all of you)

Hi Everyone,  I'm new to the list.  My son has a tumor in his right side of brain (size: 3.9cm x 4.6 cm transverse plane, 5.3 cm craniocaudal).  Presumably it is a Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelizl tumor (DNET).  Since the diagnose three years ago, the tumor has remained unchagned.  He has simple partial seizures approximately once every 10 days and it often happans at night or early in the morning.  We can't make up our mind for surgery to remove the tumor although all the doctors we have seen told us that he has a very good chance to be seizure free after the surgery.  Your cases make us more uncertain about the surgery.  My questions are: did you have seizures before the tumor was removed? How frequent and severe were the seizures during that time?   

Thank you all for your help! 

Mary, a very worried mother

(This message is for all of you)

Re: seizures after brain surgery

Submitted by Ranger on Tue, 2008-04-22 - 06:32

Hello Mary. I had seizures from 18 months old till I was 4 yrs old. they went into remission till I was 17 yrs old then came back. I have had Simple partials, complex partials and Tonic Clonics during this time. I just had surgery 5 months ago when I was 37 yrs old and have gone from about 2 Tonic Clonics a day to 1 Tonic Clonic in the past 5 months. That only occured because of a high fever.

If your sons Tumor is on the Right side of the brain it is the easier side to operate on generally. There are less cognative functions that can be effected. The other thing to consider is that as he gets older it will be a longer and more difficult healing process. Also there is the potential that the tumor could grow making it more difficult to opperate on and more difficult for your son to function while dealing with the tumor still being there. If the DR's are telling you that there is a good chance that he will be seizure free by doing this I would go for it and get it done. Since I posted last to you even my simple partials have begun to subside more and more as time has gone on. So dont be discouraged by my earlier comments because it truely is a 12 month healing process in order to be 100%.  Good luck in your decision. And God bless. I really hope for you and your sons sake that all goes well.              Sincerely Scott.

Hello Mary. I had seizures from 18 months old till I was 4 yrs old. they went into remission till I was 17 yrs old then came back. I have had Simple partials, complex partials and Tonic Clonics during this time. I just had surgery 5 months ago when I was 37 yrs old and have gone from about 2 Tonic Clonics a day to 1 Tonic Clonic in the past 5 months. That only occured because of a high fever.

If your sons Tumor is on the Right side of the brain it is the easier side to operate on generally. There are less cognative functions that can be effected. The other thing to consider is that as he gets older it will be a longer and more difficult healing process. Also there is the potential that the tumor could grow making it more difficult to opperate on and more difficult for your son to function while dealing with the tumor still being there. If the DR's are telling you that there is a good chance that he will be seizure free by doing this I would go for it and get it done. Since I posted last to you even my simple partials have begun to subside more and more as time has gone on. So dont be discouraged by my earlier comments because it truely is a 12 month healing process in order to be 100%.  Good luck in your decision. And God bless. I really hope for you and your sons sake that all goes well.              Sincerely Scott.

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