A New Me Blog
#75 Facial Issues
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 by Deb Vellines
Readers: Do you have a suggestion for a topic? Do you want more information on a topic I have already covered? I’m looking for ideas.
Before my cyberknife radiation, I had one facial symptom. From time to time I felt like an ant was walking across my right cheekbone. I would swipe my cheek, again and again. After about the umpteenth time, when swiping didn’t help, I looked in the mirror. No ant. I was always thankful the sensation didn’t last even a minute.
Twitches, spasms, and numbness are strange sensations. Now and then since treatment, I still have the ant sensation, and sometimes a numbness around my mouth. It feels like I had been to the dentist and had numbing for treatment.
These sensations can occur after radiation with swelling when the tumor touches a nerve. It’s easy to blame our symptoms on the treatment, but so often we wonder, is the tumor growing? In other words, is the symptom due to radiation swelling, irritation from surgery, or actual growth? An MRI might be needed to answer the question.
The facial symptoms are more common after treatment, either radiation or surgery. When the symptoms increase in frequency and duration, it’s time to see the doctor. Doctors try various medications: valium, prednisone, Gabapentin, and Botox.
Also mentioned on the AN discussion forum was facial PT and acupuncture.
If you want to read the experiences of others, go to the discussion forum. Here’s the link
Lopsided smiles and facial dropping can also happen, often due to facial paralysis. The symptoms are different depending on the location of the tumor, and the surgical approach. The timing of how long the symptoms will last is also an individual thing.
Eyelid problems and dry eye can also occur.
As you read the comments on the forum, it’s important to remember what works for one person might or might not work for another person. The opposite is true – what doesn’t work for someone might work for someone else.
*****
Guiding Father, help me to accept I am where I am. You have always been with me, and you will continue to be with me. I trust you and know you will hold my hand through whatever my future holds. Give me patience with my symptoms and trust that you are in charge. Amen.
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you … Isaiah 26:3a
Previous Posts
# 77 – 21 Stress Busters
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
# 76 Claustrophobia
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#75 Facial Issues
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#74 Phantom Sounds
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#73 Walk Without Falling
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#72 AN Awareness Week
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
# 71 Hearing Loss
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#70 Understanding Changes
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#69 Is It Growing?
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#68 AN Facebook Group
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#67 Turn Off Anxiety
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#66 Decisions & Stress Busters
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#65 Control and Choices
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#64 Surgeon Questions
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#63 Virtual Education Event
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#62 Three Ways to Connect
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#61 Reminders
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#60 Grocery Shopping
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#59 9 Conversation Hints with Masks
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#58 A New Me & New Ways
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#57 Irritable?
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#56 11 Reasons to Try Chair Yoga
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#55 Hints for the Holiday
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#54 Treatment Ideas for Headaches
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#53 Headaches
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#52 Hyperacusis
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#51 ** 5 Ways to Prevent Falls
Deb Vellines
2/4/2025
#50 Closed Captioning (CC) at the Movies
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#49 Hearing Loss Advice
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#48 Networking8 Networking
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#47 Help Me Hear
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#46 4 YouTube Videos
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#45 Get Connected
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#44 Signia Hearing Aids
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#43 Improving Balance
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#42 Treatment of Depression
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#41 Depression
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#40 ** 7 Ways to Fight Brain Fog
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#39 ** 5 Fatigue Busters
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#38 Tinnitus
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#37 Phonak CROS Hearing Aids
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#36 Hearing Devices
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#35 Single Sided Deafness
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
# 34 Post Treatment
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#33 Treatment
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#32 A Hit Over the Head
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#31 National Symposium
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#30 Knots with Purpose
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#29 A Time to Kill
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#28 A Letter
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#27 Peace With Trust
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#26 Joy is a Choice
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#25 Flat Emotion
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#24 New Thoughts
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#23 Acceptance?
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#22 Help!
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
#21 Crying
Deb Vellines
2/3/2025
# 20 Full Plate
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#19 Concentration
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#18 Worry versus Trust
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#17 For Healing
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#16 Who’s in Control?
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#15 Depression
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
# 13 Doctor (specialist)
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#14 Different Treatments
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#11 Support Group
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
#12 Thank You
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
Step # 10 Questions
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
Step # 9 Bargaining
Deb Vellines
2/2/2025
Step #8 Energy
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025
Step # 7 – Reactions – of others
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025
Step #6 – Do I share my News?
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025
Step #4 – To stay calm waiting for test results
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025
Step #5 – Why?
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025
Step #3 – Courage – to make an appointment for a test.
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025
Step #2 – Wisdom – for the doctor
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025
Step #1 – Wisdom – to know when to call the doctor
Deb Vellines
2/1/2025