Has anyone had Gamma Knife Radiation for ATN 2? It has been recommended that I get it however I'm not sure what to do. Any thoughts?
Yes, I have had it. I had burning mouth pain. It relieved the mouth pain. but caused me to have a numb tongue on that same side and eventually taste loss too. Also couldn't lay on that side of my head after the surgery either. Not sure if that was an eventuality from TN tho,, it could be, you never know. My pain did come back after three years. The pain is not as intense. It was treated with Effexor in 2011. However I have recently stopped taking that med. due to interactions. I am now on Neurontin and have Amitriptyline as a backup. I do also take Topamax to prevent migraines. I am doing OK. I am at a smaller increased risk for brain cancer as a result of having the surgery when I get older. I have also read on another post here, that another lady's doctor advised her that the only time He... would recommed a person use Gamma knife, is for treating Brain Cancer patients. Food for thought.
Having said all of that... would I do it again?? Maybe, I don't know. I can't really say.. If I knew what I know now, I may have tried working with Trileptal and Neurontin together first to see if it relieved the pain.
There is a possibility that maybe I am only doing ok now, Because, I had the surgery... I cannot say... and maybe after several more years my blood vessels will grow back and I will start to increase in pain in that area again.
I also have GN pain. or ear and jaw pain now. It was triggered by dental a shot in the jaw from dental work done. That is the source of my significant pain now. But I was really desperate to be OUT of pain at the time I did the surgery, and I would have done ANYthing to be out of that pain.
One thing that is true that if you ever wanted to have an MVD surgery...you should NOT have a GAMMA procedure...Because it jumbles everything up in there, making it difficult for the surgeon to perform the MVD.
Just one not of precaution. But I see, after reading your bio, that you have already had MVD, so no worries there...
I hope whatever you decide to do, that it works out well for you. Best of luck to you!!
Peace, Min
Hi Donna
By the way nice pic. I was given that treatment option after s failed MVD. I went and got a second opinion and a specialist told me "no more surgery the trigerminal nerve id damaged" try to manage it with tegritaland baclafin. This was my advise. Never the less the procedure in question is not evasive and has a good success rate
God bless
E
Edster said:
Hi Donna
By the way nice pic. I was given that treatment option after s failed MVD. I went and got a second opinion and a specialist told me "no more surgery the trigerminal nerve id damaged" try to manage it with tegritaland baclafin. This was my advise. Never the less the procedure in question is not evasive and has a good success rate
God bless
E