Hi there! Thank you for your question. It’s common for people to feel worse immediately after their surgery than they did before. This can be quite scary and upsetting if you are not expecting it. Removing a brain tumour is a major operation so it might be a while before you feel the benefits from having the tumour removed.

This is because brain surgery can cause swelling in the brain. Brain surgery can also cause bleeding in the skull. Your doctors will monitor this closely and will give you treatment to reduce the swelling and prevent bleeding.

These are the short symptoms to look out for nausea and vomiting (which is why your doctor asked you to bring your mother to the hospital), weakness, dizzy spells, poor balance or lack of coordination, personality or behaviour changes, confusion, problems with your speech and fits (seizures).

Your symptoms might be worse right after the surgery. There is also a chance you may notice symptoms that weren’t even there before. This might be due to the swelling or bleeding. But symptoms usually lessen or disappear as you make a road to recovery. Your doctor will inform you in the pathway to recovery and the problems that might arise. This will give you a clear picture on what to expect about your mother’s recovery.

Some people completely recover from their surgery and be a healthy as they were pre-tumour but this can take some time. Other people have some problems, or long term difficulties. The problems you may have depends on the location or area of the brain that the tumour was present.

The problems might include weakness on an arm or leg, difficulty walking, difficulty concentrating or remembering things, problems with speech and behaviour changes
Bring your mother to the hospital and consult your doctor if your mother experiences any of the symptoms above.

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