Side effects of temporal lobe surgery

Hi! I also had right temporal lobe brain surgery when I was 19 (5 years ago this April) to remove a benign tumor. To start I must say in my own personal experience & opinion, stopping Keppra is possibly the BEST thing he could have done! I still take other medication b/c when I am very stressed I have auras and my dr. is afraid without medication my seizures may come back because i have epilepsy but I have been on those particular medications since 2000 and never felt any side effects with my personality or how i felt about myself except my mom said I was a brat but most teen girls were so i don't know if that was just typically teen girls or my meds :-D . Before my surgery when my seizures were getting worse, Keppra was added to my other medications and (i know it works great for some ppl) but in my opinion, that medication is the devil. I hated myself and everything around me. Even though I would NEVER do this, Keppra constantly made me think about taking my life because I was so unhappy. Before the whole epilepsy thing was discovered I was the happiest person you could ever meet. I was a cheerleader, extremely active, always with friends, and was a lil social butterfly. Since surgery I try to fake that person for the sake of my family & friends but honestly my fuse is very short just like your son's, and most of the time I just want to be alone and cry. I'm not sure if it was the surgery but before surgery I feel like i was a different person, I was a much happier person and since then, I'm miserable and I don't have a reason why, cause more than anything I want to be happy. I hope this helps, but more than anything I hope things get back to normal for your son, but its great that you've noticed this & want to help. I would def. talk to the neurologist about it! I don't like at home anymore & don't really live close to my family so they don't see me enough to know all I'm dealing with & I hide it but hopefully you will be able to help your son get back to his old self! Best of luck & God Bless!!!

Hi,I do relate to what tour son is going through. I have experienced that exact same symptoms.I still find it difficult to deal with this but pray to God to help me.I will keep you him in prayer.

Blessings
Angelo

I had brain surgery 13 year ago that they did wrong and have alot of problems. I have Bad Headaches, Seizures are conplex and the Neuro Doctor's gets real mad and say bad things to me and say we don't know what to do to help you. I found a Neruo Doctor that looked at my records and was able to tell me everything that was done wrong and he has been good trying to help me. I sometimes go blind but I'm lucky my sight comes back. I get a headache that I loose control on my whole right side. I'm going to have to talk to the Doctor soon. Things are going on I don't understand. I lost my Memory 13 years ago. My Husband has stayed with me and helps me not to get discouraged. I get very angry and very discouraged and feel like I'm a burden to my Husband. Your Son could be feeling that he is a Big Burden to you. The Doctor told us that when they mess with the LOBES it causes alot of problems. The Doctor told to remember the Brain Controls Everything in the body, including emotions very much. Your Son needs to feel LOVE not the feel that he is a problem. My Husband knows what you are saying. I've whated to give up. But he shows me so much love. Try to treat him like you use too. Because I've got so very few that will except me because of my memory lost. Tell him WE have all of you in our Prayers. Tell your Son to think of good things. Don't feel sorry for yourself. BE HAPPY YOUM CAN WORK. I can't and I want to be able to work. But, I decided to start some hobby's and doing things around the house. I'm trying my hardest to stop thinking about what happen. But think about good things I have still. I learn at 48yrs old how to eat, bath, walk, and talk all over again. If I can TELL YOUR SON TO START LOOKING AND DOING THINGS TO HELP HIM TO BE HAPPY AGAIN TO DO IT. DON'T GIVE UP!!!! IF YOU DO, THINK OF ALL THE HAPPY TIMES YOU CAN HAVE. BUT STOP FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF. YOUR MOM AND FAMILY LOVES YOU SO MUCH. REMEMBER GOD IS WITH YOU ALL THE TIME. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP GOING. PUT A BIG SMILE ON YOUR FACE EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. I DO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH. WE LOVE YOU AND WILL KEEP PRAYING FOR YOU.

Hi,

My brother is 26. When he was 12 they found a tumor in the right temporal lobe of his brain. The tumor was about the size of a goose egg. Doctors said they needed to do surgery immediately or he would not live to see his 16th birthday. Previously, he had been diagnosed with epilepsy due to the seizures he was having. After his surgery he became very negative. He does not deal with change well. He has a difficult time understanding some things. He can speak normally and physically he can do most things any other person could. He is not coordinated very well so he does not do things like ride a bike, run, or play sports. When something around him changes he gets very upset and does not want to talk to anyone. He will usually be in a very bad mood for a couple of days and then it blows over and he seems fine. For example, my youngest sister was leaving for college. Even though he said he was happy and excited, he started getting very angry and lashing out at people. He then would sit in his room and ignore them. Its when things around him are changing that he has his most difficult times. Having the surgery definately did change my brother. He has been very negative since. His personality  is not quite the same. With a lot of help, love, and support it is possible for things to get better. My brother is now seeing a therapist to help him work through his emotions when he is having a difficult time. He does not see things the same way most other people do. Hope this helps.

I had right temporal surgery in 94 for two cavernous angeomas. Also found after having 4 grammal seizures. I to feel like a different person. Although, was able to get off meds. I have had a lot of problems with depression. My wife feels unloved, because "I now know" I need to learn how to express that again. I finally saw the anguish in her eyes after fighting and reasoning with myself as to why she it seems like she does not love me anymore. Our love life changed everything changed. I was a loving Christian father. I thought the perfect home. Until the surgery which I went into with no fear. I was warned before hand what side affects could be. 1st, please forgive him if he has said things that have hurt you or others. He is feeling like another man. Trying to piece back together what his emotions are to be and how to express them. Support. Share this info, but be careful how you do. If he is at the depression point, like I was I'm sorry to say I had suicidal thoughts. I hate saying this, but out of care I have too. Because it is true. He is not happy with the new he. Most likely because no professional is explaining the to him what is exactly going on.. They just pumped me full of anti-depressants, all of which varied in horrible side affects. Stay away from Paxil. Read about it please! If he needs them to get rid of harmful thoughts then most definitely listen to his Dr.It has to be a Psych . My M.D. treated me like a guinea pig with meds. He needs to talk. The psyc will determine if he is suicidal. Once he is more stable then let him know he is going through a normal thing that many others have gone through and yes will for the rest of life . My siblings I do not involve in my life, because they cannot except who I'am now It causes many arguments and yes quick temper is one result. Good news though. I had nobody. Nobody who could understand me. I'm here mainly and most importantly to say there is light. There are great times in life ahead, if he talks. Let him say how he really feels and love him. share this with him if you want. I do not know how he would take this. I'm here. If he needed someone to correspond with, I'm here. I gave up my dream of being a pastor. If someone had told me what I was experiencing and what areas I just need to retrain in my thinking, Oh Lord how would my life be now.

Also, have his thyroid checked promptly. I like many others got follicular carcinoma after angeomas surgery. It is thyroid cancer. It is the slowest growing and easiest of cancers to treat. However, it adds to the whole new person situation. I'm a living testimony that God is good. Although my family feels different. God has been with me through it all. It proves he is no respecter of persons. I have been a real mess and yet he kept me from suicide. My wife God bless her heart, is still by my side. 27 years now. We are over comers. So many others would not be able to handle the stress of it. There becomes a compulsive nature. Spending or addictions. Whatever. I spent a lot of money. Like I said, nobody knew anything about this when I had the surgery. it was relatively new.

I'm so sorry you have gone through this.. I'm right there with you. I find music helps me. At least calms my inner self. Sometimes I get so down I cannot move. I'm getting better now though. Because I know I'm different "because" of the surgery. I could not even put that together. Now that's messed up. I'm purposefully learning to force my self to show love to others. I have not been able to express it on a regular basis. I don't feel mad or anything bad about my family. I love them. I really did not realize I no longer cuddled with the kids or wife. I was quick tempered and they said they were afraid to say anything to me about it. At one time I was suicidal. My Mom, Aunt, sisters and cousins all think I'm to different. It has pretty much all but ended those relationships. I just suffered a traumatic concussion last year also in the right frontal lobe. Believe me, you are not alone. I responded to the mother of the 25 yr. old also. It will give more in depths. Please do not hurt yourself. you are precious in the eyes of God. There is something we re here for. Please do not think I'm weird for asking this of anyone who reads this and has had similar surgery....... has anyone found they have a sense of spiritual sensitivity afterwards ? or increased awareness? All I want to say. If you have you will know.

Hey I noticed you said you gave up your dream of being a pastor. I have been in the process of becoming a pastor and was recently diagnosed with a bleed in my brainstem. This has changed me and I have not been able to focus on my studies. I too feel that my dream of being a pastor is dead. 

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I had a sever TBI with gross insult to most of my brain, hematomas x3, Scull fractures x2 bleeding basilar, Inerceribral hemoraging, A 1x3cm void in my rt temporal lobe. And that is the part that gives me irrational anger, aggression, and wanton recklessness. It has been some time. Have you talked to speech pathologists? They Might have a trick in their bag. You may need to speak to your neuropsychiatrist they can direct you to poly-rehab.

GBM remove front temporal lobe in 2 weeks and did not know what is ahead. You insight was very helpful and I plan to avoid keppra if the prescribe. Unlike you I am an old person with daughters and grandsons. It hurt me to see you choose limited contact with your mom and dad. If one of my daughters had this she would be on our minds day and night and we would miss the opportunity to be with her especially in hard times were we could comfort her. My doctor is a personal friend and I mentioned my most used inner thought to not go through any of this any longer. He said while you think it would help you you are robbing your family of the moments they need to deal with this. He is right family has come together and has healed themselves because the purpose of the gathers are simply to comfort me and remember the great times and funny times and the tough times bring no drama at all. I really did not want anybody around I just wanted to suffer by myself. Love to you and your sweet soul. Love old man

Beware of Tegratol. It gave me Stephen Johnson’s syndrome with Mersa inside my head going to my brain because it took out my immune system My cause turned black after my skin started blistering and falling off. Look up Stephen Johnson’s syndrome. Several meds can cause it

Mersa in side my head
As a result of the med. Stephen Johnson’s syndrome can be fatal

I just had a craniotomy on May 10 th to remove a cavernous malformation from my right temporal area.I have been having severe headaches and crying for no reason, I don't feel right mentally and am still having gait issues and falling. I am at my wits end and have no hope, can anyone tell me if this will get better. I am a nurse and scared to death that I won't be able to work because I feel like my brain isn't working right. Thank you and God Bless you all

I have a right temporal lobe cavernous hemangioma which was discovered after a full blown seizure while I was driving (no one was hurt) causing 3 different types of epilepsy where my memory is wiped and I don't remember even getting up that day, and sometimes don't recognise my surroundings for a hour or so, much more happens to me. I came to this site as I am considering surgery, but honestly I'm terrified, and what I've read doesn't help.