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Comment by Angelina Del Rio on December 10, 2009 at 2:09am

Thanks Wendy. I'm glad to be here. Sounds like you have a difficult case. I never heard of Raynauds. How long have you had it? Keep hanging in there. Sorry to hear about your son too. Is his tumor benign? After they took out three of my four tumors on my left side. (The doctor missed seeing one tumor from my 2 MRIs prior to surgery cause he was such in a hurry, not to mention that he was a jerk to me and wouldn't answer my questions before and after surgery. I'm still dealing with that.)
I found that im now remembering things from my past that I had forgotten prior to surgery, but after surgery, I have a lot of short term memory loss now. I forget what I've told someone, then repeat it to them again the next day. My speech is also still slurred. I'm still in pain. And when people ask, I tell them "I have good hours," cause there's never a "good day." The MSM powder that im taking tastes gross, but it helps the headaches. I been told that shark cartilage shrinks tumors from a friend who works at a hospital who spoke with a guy that's taking it and it's working for him, but I read that it has high mercury and can cause other problems. (Has your Dad ever mentioned if he has heard anything about that?)

Comment by Wendy Felsenthal on December 9, 2009 at 7:53pm

Well, Raynauds is a situation whereby the walls of the vessels are being told to constrict, when there is not a good reason to. They are super sensitive to stimuli, whather it be cold, to hot, hot to cold, stressed out situations. The nerves controlling them are screwed up. I have good blood flow everywhere. What I I need is a nerve transplant! Since I only have one left that shouldn't be too difficult! I am being a little sarcastic. Thank you for the advice Angelina! My family gre up taking all kinds of vitamins. My dad is an expert at knowing what they all do and what goes where, and who needs what. I think he takes about 50 or more a day! I used to take vitamins alot, but for me, I didn't feel like I was getting any benefit from them, and a lot of them made me feel weird or sick, so I stopped altogether. I don't even take a multi anymore. I just try to eat healthy and exercise. Oh, I do take Omega 3's sometimes(I forget to take them regularly now) and Ginko teas...
Interestingly though, my son's brain tumor effevcted his memory alot, and we were on high doses of Omegas and DHAs...he didn't notice any difference, and neither did we BUT I do know that my dad says he does and swears by them.
We try to eat several portions a week of salmon and other fish, eat alot of greens and drink enough water. He , though, is a teenager, and is really more intereted in cruddy food that you get at fast food restaurants..

I am always looking for new ways to feel better though, so I appreciate you taking the time to help out!
Welcome to the board!

Comment by Angelina Del Rio on December 9, 2009 at 4:20am

http://www.cancerfightingstrategies.com Here's a website that helped educated me on the different natural vitamins there are out there, and what they do to help our conditions. It sounds like you need something that helps your blood circulate. You can check a Trader Joes, or Sunflower or another vitamin store and ask someone to help you find a product, then ask your dr if it's okay that you take it. This web site sells the vitamins that you read about above http://gethealthyagain.authsecure.com but I found a lot of substitutes at Sunflower. I'm trying a lot of natural things now for my symptoms. It's nice to know that I have options other than just drugs.

Comment by Bonnie on October 13, 2009 at 9:12pm

Reading in one area leads one to go to read other places which lead people to getting to know one another. Anyway, here I am a week later responding....

I know what you mean! Same thing from my docs. I've concluded that I can and am learning more about my condition and side effects from you and others on this site!

Comment by Wendy Felsenthal on October 7, 2009 at 8:09am

Of course I read this AFTER I ask you these same questions from another place on this site...Sorry!
I knew to expect some of these things because of the surgery, so I'm not surprised perse, but I have found that when I do ask questions of the docs, they will tell you that yes, it could be because of that or this, but because we are dealing w/ the brain, we cannot know for sure.
Nerves are funny....I can't tell you if what I am feeling is baecause of the surgery or if its partly because I am getting older!

Comment by Bonnie on September 20, 2009 at 6:42pm

Hi Wendy,

Good for you to be working out!

My craniotomy was in 12/08. I currently experience coldness, numbness, achiness, and tingly sensations in my right arm and hand. My right side overall is weaker, especially my right shoulder, arm, hand, fingers. I exercise (cardio and free weights, bands) and do OT/PT daily - which has helped a lot! (especially as I began with paralysis). These issues are the result of the surgery - damage to brain tissue, and nerve damage.

I also experience more fatigue and have gained weight, and more achiness (joints). So, I sleep more, exercise, and eat a healthy diet (for the most part) :)

Have you discussed your symptoms and concerns with any of your doctors (neurologist, physiatrist, primary care)? If not, I suggest getting checked out to see what may be causing all this.

From what I have read, and per my docs - nerve damage from a brain tumor and/or brain surgey does happen.

Hang in there and take care,
Bonnie

Comment by Beth Rosenthal on September 19, 2009 at 6:18pm

Feel better, Wendy!