Tumor operation on face

M

missT

Member
Ok, so this might sound like a stupid queston but I just got diagnosed with a parotid gland tumor (which is on my face). It is 1 cm and benign. I have had the tumor for a year and a half and it has not grown. I just went for a second opinion and the doc says I should take it out...which is what everyone does. Here is the twist...my lungs are in really bad shape and I am afraid of getting knocked out...it is a 4 hour operation. I dont know how I wouldn't cough during the operation since I cough a billion times a day. My Fev1 is 40%. also, the tumor sits on the facial nerve and when they do the operation there is a chance of temp facial paralysis...so scarey! All of my fiends tell me to get a tune up and get it out. My question is:
1. Should I be afraid of the anestesia (sp)? will getting knocked out screw up my breathing? Anyone with experience? Is it hard when you wake up?
2. Should I just watch the tumor and leave it in? Obviously it will get bigger which can make it harder to remove and it has a chance of turning cancerous (under 5%).
As CFer's what would you do?
 
M

missT

Member
Ok, so this might sound like a stupid queston but I just got diagnosed with a parotid gland tumor (which is on my face). It is 1 cm and benign. I have had the tumor for a year and a half and it has not grown. I just went for a second opinion and the doc says I should take it out...which is what everyone does. Here is the twist...my lungs are in really bad shape and I am afraid of getting knocked out...it is a 4 hour operation. I dont know how I wouldn't cough during the operation since I cough a billion times a day. My Fev1 is 40%. also, the tumor sits on the facial nerve and when they do the operation there is a chance of temp facial paralysis...so scarey! All of my fiends tell me to get a tune up and get it out. My question is:
1. Should I be afraid of the anestesia (sp)? will getting knocked out screw up my breathing? Anyone with experience? Is it hard when you wake up?
2. Should I just watch the tumor and leave it in? Obviously it will get bigger which can make it harder to remove and it has a chance of turning cancerous (under 5%).
As CFer's what would you do?
 
M

missT

Member
Ok, so this might sound like a stupid queston but I just got diagnosed with a parotid gland tumor (which is on my face). It is 1 cm and benign. I have had the tumor for a year and a half and it has not grown. I just went for a second opinion and the doc says I should take it out...which is what everyone does. Here is the twist...my lungs are in really bad shape and I am afraid of getting knocked out...it is a 4 hour operation. I dont know how I wouldn't cough during the operation since I cough a billion times a day. My Fev1 is 40%. also, the tumor sits on the facial nerve and when they do the operation there is a chance of temp facial paralysis...so scarey! All of my fiends tell me to get a tune up and get it out. My question is:
<br />1. Should I be afraid of the anestesia (sp)? will getting knocked out screw up my breathing? Anyone with experience? Is it hard when you wake up?
<br />2. Should I just watch the tumor and leave it in? Obviously it will get bigger which can make it harder to remove and it has a chance of turning cancerous (under 5%).
<br />As CFer's what would you do?
 
C

CountryGirl

New member
I dont have much experience with getting a tumor removed but I can tell you this:

1) I have been under anesthesia quite a few times when my lung function was in the 40s and 50s and never had time waking up from general anesthesia. However there is always a risk, but my CF and Transplant drs werent worried about me waking up from anesthesia till my pfts got in the low 30s. Have you had problems with gen anesthesia before? Because that can give you an idea of if you'd have any problems or not.

Under gen. anesthesia you wont need to worry about coughing because you will be intubated and your cough reflex will be numbed and "paralyzed" while they are working on you. I never had a problem coming off intubation even at a lower lung function...but everyone's different, this is only my experience.

If it were me, I would have the tumor removed, especially since you said it will just keep getting bigger making it harder to remove. You dont want to be stuck in a situation where your lung function is too low to go under gen anesthesia and need the tumor removed because then youd be in a sticky situation. I was in a similiar one with kidney stones, they couldnt do surgery on me to get them out bc my lung function was so low and instead I endured months of pain..I always had a hard time passing them in the past and needed surgery every time. That was no fun!

I hope this helps. Sorry its so long!
 
C

CountryGirl

New member
I dont have much experience with getting a tumor removed but I can tell you this:

1) I have been under anesthesia quite a few times when my lung function was in the 40s and 50s and never had time waking up from general anesthesia. However there is always a risk, but my CF and Transplant drs werent worried about me waking up from anesthesia till my pfts got in the low 30s. Have you had problems with gen anesthesia before? Because that can give you an idea of if you'd have any problems or not.

Under gen. anesthesia you wont need to worry about coughing because you will be intubated and your cough reflex will be numbed and "paralyzed" while they are working on you. I never had a problem coming off intubation even at a lower lung function...but everyone's different, this is only my experience.

If it were me, I would have the tumor removed, especially since you said it will just keep getting bigger making it harder to remove. You dont want to be stuck in a situation where your lung function is too low to go under gen anesthesia and need the tumor removed because then youd be in a sticky situation. I was in a similiar one with kidney stones, they couldnt do surgery on me to get them out bc my lung function was so low and instead I endured months of pain..I always had a hard time passing them in the past and needed surgery every time. That was no fun!

I hope this helps. Sorry its so long!
 
C

CountryGirl

New member
I dont have much experience with getting a tumor removed but I can tell you this:
<br />
<br />1) I have been under anesthesia quite a few times when my lung function was in the 40s and 50s and never had time waking up from general anesthesia. However there is always a risk, but my CF and Transplant drs werent worried about me waking up from anesthesia till my pfts got in the low 30s. Have you had problems with gen anesthesia before? Because that can give you an idea of if you'd have any problems or not.
<br />
<br />Under gen. anesthesia you wont need to worry about coughing because you will be intubated and your cough reflex will be numbed and "paralyzed" while they are working on you. I never had a problem coming off intubation even at a lower lung function...but everyone's different, this is only my experience.
<br />
<br />If it were me, I would have the tumor removed, especially since you said it will just keep getting bigger making it harder to remove. You dont want to be stuck in a situation where your lung function is too low to go under gen anesthesia and need the tumor removed because then youd be in a sticky situation. I was in a similiar one with kidney stones, they couldnt do surgery on me to get them out bc my lung function was so low and instead I endured months of pain..I always had a hard time passing them in the past and needed surgery every time. That was no fun!
<br />
<br />I hope this helps. Sorry its so long!
 
M

missT

Member
Anna, thank you for your advice. I am veering towards getting it out but I am so afraid. Dealing with CF is hard enough...then throw something else into the mix and it just seems unbearable. I don't really understand why I was the "choosen one" out of four sisters (and no other person in my families recorded history) that got CF. I just cant handle anything else. I didnt cry when my right lung fully collapsed and I almost died but when I had to get this tumor biopsied for C--cer I cried like a baby. Cant even say the C word.
 
M

missT

Member
Anna, thank you for your advice. I am veering towards getting it out but I am so afraid. Dealing with CF is hard enough...then throw something else into the mix and it just seems unbearable. I don't really understand why I was the "choosen one" out of four sisters (and no other person in my families recorded history) that got CF. I just cant handle anything else. I didnt cry when my right lung fully collapsed and I almost died but when I had to get this tumor biopsied for C--cer I cried like a baby. Cant even say the C word.
 
M

missT

Member
Anna, thank you for your advice. I am veering towards getting it out but I am so afraid. Dealing with CF is hard enough...then throw something else into the mix and it just seems unbearable. I don't really understand why I was the "choosen one" out of four sisters (and no other person in my families recorded history) that got CF. I just cant handle anything else. I didnt cry when my right lung fully collapsed and I almost died but when I had to get this tumor biopsied for C--cer I cried like a baby. Cant even say the C word.
 
C

CountryGirl

New member
I completely understand. We dont have any family history of CF either and my mom is Hispanic, so the drs were amazed that my sister and I wound up with CF.

I'm sure you are a tough woman, all of us with CF are...we're used to those curver balls and I definitely know how you feel, like we're the only ones who get em and we are never given a break. But I think you will be happy after getting it removed.
 
C

CountryGirl

New member
I completely understand. We dont have any family history of CF either and my mom is Hispanic, so the drs were amazed that my sister and I wound up with CF.

I'm sure you are a tough woman, all of us with CF are...we're used to those curver balls and I definitely know how you feel, like we're the only ones who get em and we are never given a break. But I think you will be happy after getting it removed.
 
C

CountryGirl

New member
I completely understand. We dont have any family history of CF either and my mom is Hispanic, so the drs were amazed that my sister and I wound up with CF.
<br />
<br />I'm sure you are a tough woman, all of us with CF are...we're used to those curver balls and I definitely know how you feel, like we're the only ones who get em and we are never given a break. But I think you will be happy after getting it removed.
 
K

KingJames

Member
I would definitely recommend getting it removed, so long as your physicians can all reach agreement upon the issue. A tumor is simply nothing to play around with, and even though it is benign, it's probably a good idea to rid your body of it if at all possible.

As for the general anesthesia, the only concern my doctor ever expressed was regarding the breathing apparatus that accompanies such a procedure, because it really dries you out. I woke up from anesthesia once, after having a muscle related surgery, and it burned my throat when I tried to eat hours later (That's normal, btw). All I could do was drink, drink, drink (Not alcohol lol). They have an option that can moisten the supplemental air if you need to be put under for an extended period of time, though.

I've been under general anesthesia twice (Once for a tune-up in 2nd Grade), and I actually woke up in the middle of the tune-up with tubes all up my nose and down my throat. However, the physicians at Children's National Medical Center were on the ball, and they immediately knocked me back out. I was only eight years old at the time, and it didn't bother me afterwards. The second time around, I didn't wake-up until quite a while after the surgery was already done (They put me under deeper probably, because it involved cutting), and it felt like no time had passed at all! You basically go into a dreamless sleep mode, which passes by like the blink of an eye ;-) They will tell you to count to three, or down from a number, and I've never gotten past two numbers before I conked out (Even with a full night's rest beforehand).

For the record, I've also had minor operations while under local anesthesia, and I've been stitched up before without ANY anesthesia at all, so I've gotten used to it all. Don't worry, just be certain that you trust the doctor you're dealing with, and as I always advise people, get a second or third qualified opinion if in doubt! Best of luck, and please let us know how it all goes :-D
 
K

KingJames

Member
I would definitely recommend getting it removed, so long as your physicians can all reach agreement upon the issue. A tumor is simply nothing to play around with, and even though it is benign, it's probably a good idea to rid your body of it if at all possible.

As for the general anesthesia, the only concern my doctor ever expressed was regarding the breathing apparatus that accompanies such a procedure, because it really dries you out. I woke up from anesthesia once, after having a muscle related surgery, and it burned my throat when I tried to eat hours later (That's normal, btw). All I could do was drink, drink, drink (Not alcohol lol). They have an option that can moisten the supplemental air if you need to be put under for an extended period of time, though.

I've been under general anesthesia twice (Once for a tune-up in 2nd Grade), and I actually woke up in the middle of the tune-up with tubes all up my nose and down my throat. However, the physicians at Children's National Medical Center were on the ball, and they immediately knocked me back out. I was only eight years old at the time, and it didn't bother me afterwards. The second time around, I didn't wake-up until quite a while after the surgery was already done (They put me under deeper probably, because it involved cutting), and it felt like no time had passed at all! You basically go into a dreamless sleep mode, which passes by like the blink of an eye ;-) They will tell you to count to three, or down from a number, and I've never gotten past two numbers before I conked out (Even with a full night's rest beforehand).

For the record, I've also had minor operations while under local anesthesia, and I've been stitched up before without ANY anesthesia at all, so I've gotten used to it all. Don't worry, just be certain that you trust the doctor you're dealing with, and as I always advise people, get a second or third qualified opinion if in doubt! Best of luck, and please let us know how it all goes :-D
 
K

KingJames

Member
I would definitely recommend getting it removed, so long as your physicians can all reach agreement upon the issue. A tumor is simply nothing to play around with, and even though it is benign, it's probably a good idea to rid your body of it if at all possible.
<br />
<br />As for the general anesthesia, the only concern my doctor ever expressed was regarding the breathing apparatus that accompanies such a procedure, because it really dries you out. I woke up from anesthesia once, after having a muscle related surgery, and it burned my throat when I tried to eat hours later (That's normal, btw). All I could do was drink, drink, drink (Not alcohol lol). They have an option that can moisten the supplemental air if you need to be put under for an extended period of time, though.
<br />
<br />I've been under general anesthesia twice (Once for a tune-up in 2nd Grade), and I actually woke up in the middle of the tune-up with tubes all up my nose and down my throat. However, the physicians at Children's National Medical Center were on the ball, and they immediately knocked me back out. I was only eight years old at the time, and it didn't bother me afterwards. The second time around, I didn't wake-up until quite a while after the surgery was already done (They put me under deeper probably, because it involved cutting), and it felt like no time had passed at all! You basically go into a dreamless sleep mode, which passes by like the blink of an eye ;-) They will tell you to count to three, or down from a number, and I've never gotten past two numbers before I conked out (Even with a full night's rest beforehand).
<br />
<br />For the record, I've also had minor operations while under local anesthesia, and I've been stitched up before without ANY anesthesia at all, so I've gotten used to it all. Don't worry, just be certain that you trust the doctor you're dealing with, and as I always advise people, get a second or third qualified opinion if in doubt! Best of luck, and please let us know how it all goes :-D
 
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