<< In a message dated 9/3/2003 10:56:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
dcacase54@... writes:

> Hi, I was wondering if anyone has had some hair loss
> weeks after their surgery? Also, I'm experiencing
> short term memory loss. I had a parasagittal menigioma
> removed June 24 this year. It was an 8 hour surgery
> and I'm wondering if all that anesthesia could have
> contributed to my symptoms. Please write back if you
> have anything similiar. Yhanks, Deb >>

hi -- I have a couple of things to mention that may put your mind at ease...
first, it could be medication causing your hair loss. You didn't mention if
you are or were on steroids since your surgery. In addition to chemo and
radiation, many medications, steroids being one of them, can cause hair loss.

As to your short term memory loss, one thing that helped me understand and
feel better was learning to realize that it takes a long time to heal from brain
surgery. It doesn't heal like a fractured bone. The symptoms (memory loss,
etc) very gradually diminished over the first TWO YEARS after my surgery. I
had been told that this would be the case by others before me and it sounded
like forever. The time passed quickly and, although I still have more
difficulty with memory than I did before my surgery, it doesn't even compare to
the
difficulty I was having for the first six to 12 months.

Hang in there and learn some techniques to help - here's what I did:

I wrote everything down and kept a pencil and paper with me at all times.
Sometimes, if I was trying to remember something I found that if I said it out
loud to myself, I had a little more time to remember it so I'd have time to
write it down (!). My Mom bought me a hand held tape recorder so I could
dictate
reminders and thoughts to myself (questions to ask the doctor, things to do,
etc.) If you can afford it, a Palm Pilot is also a great help. I was
fortunate to have been able to see a neuropsychologist (Dr. Robert Stern in
Providence, RI) for an evaluation - this was wonderful because he identified
problem
areas for me and suggested many compensatory techniques to overcome the
difficulties (like memory loss and difficulty concentration) I was having. I
highly
recommend seeing a neuropsychologist for 3 reasons: (1) to help you identify
the actual difficulties your brain is having, (2) to receive expert advice as
to how to "retrain" your brain to overcome those specific difficulties and (3)
to be able to recognize your improvement when you have the testing repeated at
a later date.

There are many posts on the subjects of memory loss and other symptoms
experienced after surgery at the group website if you want to read about others
experiences with this. The link is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrainSurgery

My favorite mental exercises were: computer games (solitaire, freecell),
logic games, puzzles. I could track my growth by the speed/success of my games.
I think it really helped.

It's so frustrating in the beginning because it seems like things are moving
so slowly. Just be patient with yourself, lower your expectations until
you've had time to heal and then re-evaluate. One thing I wish I'd done is to
keep
a diary of my status so after time had passed I could clearly see my
improvements. I know I've improved but the first six months or so after surgery
are a
bit foggy in my memory, at least for details.

Here I am, four years after surgery (I can't believe it) and although I take
more time to process information and I need to utilize tools (the Outlook
program is my savior) to help me remember appointments and tasks, I am actually
keeping it pretty much together. Online banking has finally solved my problems
with getting organized in my finances and paying bills on time. That had been
a very difficult problem for me.

Good news: I am happier than ever, have grown to appreciate even the
smallest things and love each day for what it brings -- things I was never very
good
at before. It's like a rebirth... be patient with yourself and watch yourself
grow. Stay in touch with us!

Take care of yourself,
Patricia (Fields) Williams, R.N. (I got married!)
List Moderator
5cm left frontal/temporal/parietal meningioma removed May 1999