Post by Lindsey on Mar 26, 2018 11:59:16 GMT -6
Hello,
I'm looking for other people's experiences with a schwannoma. I was diagnosed (MRI) with a 5cm schwannoma (most likely) in my T11-L1 spine, after having severe pain in my spine every night for 4 months (the pain just felt like it was in my spine, I couldn't really pinpoint it to a particular area).
I saw a neurosurgeon and he said because of the severity of my pain, surgery is my only option (if there was less pain we could take a wait and see approach). I'm scheduled to have surgery in a week's time.
Three nights ago, I stopped taking my painkillers (morphine - extended release) because they were making me too drowsy/nauseous/headachey and I decided to just live with the pain for a week rather than feel that way (I'm a single parent, so lying in bed until my surgery wasn't an option - fortunately, I do have help after surgery).
Now, all of a sudden my pain have gone from a level 10 (out of 10) to a 2-3 at night. I have noticed some new pain in my left hip (never had hip pain until a few nights ago), but overall even without painkillers my pain has drastically declined.
I am now questioning whether surgery is the right option (the surgeon will need to remove bone/do a fusion, so I've been prepared for a major surgery with a 3 month recovery time).
Has anyone else had severe pain for months that just seems to almost resolve itself? Is this pain likely to come back?
Facing such a huge surgery as a single parent has been a huge stress, but I have everything lined up for a surgery in a week - family flying over to look after me and my daughter, time off work, etc. And to postpone surgery now, and to just all of a sudden be in pain again, would be a disaster (e.g. my family wouldn't be able to fly out again, so I'd have limited help/support).
Can people please share their experiences on schwannoma pain coming and going? I had severe pain literally every night for four months, so this has come as a huge surprise and I'm nervous to inform my NS when he could put off my surgery and then the pain returns (or other problems), and I have to face surgery at a later date with no support/help from family.
If this is typical of schwannoma and I'm likely to be in pain again in the future, I'd rather just get surgery over and done with now when I'm totally prepared.
Thank you for your stories!
I'm looking for other people's experiences with a schwannoma. I was diagnosed (MRI) with a 5cm schwannoma (most likely) in my T11-L1 spine, after having severe pain in my spine every night for 4 months (the pain just felt like it was in my spine, I couldn't really pinpoint it to a particular area).
I saw a neurosurgeon and he said because of the severity of my pain, surgery is my only option (if there was less pain we could take a wait and see approach). I'm scheduled to have surgery in a week's time.
Three nights ago, I stopped taking my painkillers (morphine - extended release) because they were making me too drowsy/nauseous/headachey and I decided to just live with the pain for a week rather than feel that way (I'm a single parent, so lying in bed until my surgery wasn't an option - fortunately, I do have help after surgery).
Now, all of a sudden my pain have gone from a level 10 (out of 10) to a 2-3 at night. I have noticed some new pain in my left hip (never had hip pain until a few nights ago), but overall even without painkillers my pain has drastically declined.
I am now questioning whether surgery is the right option (the surgeon will need to remove bone/do a fusion, so I've been prepared for a major surgery with a 3 month recovery time).
Has anyone else had severe pain for months that just seems to almost resolve itself? Is this pain likely to come back?
Facing such a huge surgery as a single parent has been a huge stress, but I have everything lined up for a surgery in a week - family flying over to look after me and my daughter, time off work, etc. And to postpone surgery now, and to just all of a sudden be in pain again, would be a disaster (e.g. my family wouldn't be able to fly out again, so I'd have limited help/support).
Can people please share their experiences on schwannoma pain coming and going? I had severe pain literally every night for four months, so this has come as a huge surprise and I'm nervous to inform my NS when he could put off my surgery and then the pain returns (or other problems), and I have to face surgery at a later date with no support/help from family.
If this is typical of schwannoma and I'm likely to be in pain again in the future, I'd rather just get surgery over and done with now when I'm totally prepared.
Thank you for your stories!