"allergic" reaction after surgery

Submitted by KerriLRV on Thu, 08/04/2011 - 18:49
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Clival Chordoma

Has any one heard of having a "reaction" to a material put on the brain during surgery. The doctors told my husband that his extreme headaches after surgery were possibly from the material that used during surgery. They called it Dermagin. I have no idea how it's spelled. They put him back on steroids. We are 20 days out from first surgery. We are anxious to be off the steroids.

by mellimelwithchordoma on Thu, 08/04/2011 - 20:51

i had surgery thru my nose @UCSF in FEb. 2008. I have had a headaches ever since Oct 2007, thatis how they found the chordoma. The headache is always there and goes up and down in pain . I have been on so many pain killers and finally saw a headache specialst Dr Goadsby @UCSF Headache Clinic. I am on the wait list for a 3 week inpatient to see if they can control the headaches. Sometimes i have to go to the local ER for morphine shots which dont take away the headache but let me "forget" i have one. This is a common complaint with clivial chordoma.

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by johnny_b on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 15:52

Kerri. Did his initial symptoms ever include headaches?

I asked you to post this story because it was the first time I have heard of headaches resulting from the material used during surgery. If his initial symptoms did not include headaches, I'm not sure it is the same thing that mellimel experienced. Hopefully someone else can weigh in.

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by KerriLRV on Sat, 08/06/2011 - 10:57

We found this accidentally from a bicycle accident. He thought he had a concussion.During the CT scan they found the tumor.

He did not have any symptoms prior to the surgery. We are 22 days post surgery and trying to wean him down from the steroids. That is the only meds he is currently. We are on day 2 of the lower dosage and this morning is not feeling great. Our doctor said that he uses it on all of his patients and few have a reaction to the material.

We are praying that he can come off these steroids soon and be headache free.

Has anyone else experienced this?

by mellimelwithchordoma on Sat, 08/06/2011 - 22:56

I am 3 1/2 years out from surgery and still on dexamethsome a steriod for brain swelling but have you gone to the chordoma support group on yahooo? there are more people on there to ask but a common complaint is headaches, try googling it and see if you can get info,

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by KerriLRV on Sun, 08/07/2011 - 09:25

Thank you I will visit that site also. Thank for sharing , we appreciate it.

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