Meningioma: Anyone else? I'm frightened

Yes I had stereotactic radiation“one and done” 3 years ago. Had terrible migraines and vertigo like symptoms that they couldn’t get a grip on afterwards. Finally have me on Topiramate 100mg twice a day which alleviates the dizziness and mostly stops the migraines. MRI says the meningioma grew larger yet went to a new neurosurgeon who disputed that finding and went back to the “wait and see” idea. Now I’m waiting a year again for next MRI.
No surgery for now.

Hi,
Have had mine at base of my skull.
Although benign it grew a bit.
I am starting stereotactic surgery (radiation cyber knife)next week.
Am very anxious..
Anyone have this kind of radiation?

They are mostly benign. I had a baseball sized one removed 6/24/24. Unfortunately, it was Grade 3 malignant, which only 1-3% of them are. Only 300 a year in the USA, so there is very little information about them. I had to follow up with 6 weeks of daily radiation. That ended in September, and now I am on MRI every 4 months to watch for regrowth. I had an MRI this morning, but won't know until next week what the results are. If its relatively small, NS will usually watch and wait until it has grown to a certain size (I believe it's 4cm) before doing surgery.

Like you, I was diagnosed around the same time. They were looking for a cause for my newly developed tremor, but found the meningioma instead (lucky me). I've spoken with a few doctors and they agree that surgery is a good option if it's at the stage where they need to act. Right now they got me at "wait and see" and have done another MRI to see if it's grown (stable so far). Keep asking questions and documenting their answers and your health.

Wishing you a speedy healing with which ever method you and your doctors choose.

Thank you for your reply, back when I was diagnosed with the meningioma (in June of 2024), the neurologist told me that many people live up to 30 years with these things in their heads, because they grow slowly. When I had this second mri done, it has grown. Now I went to see the neurosurgeon and right away he said I should have it removed. I have so many questions, I am really nervous and anxious. I don't know what to think. I told him yes that I wanted to have this surgery done, but I'm really having doubts if I should have the surgery. I'm afraid of all the things that can during the surgery and also after, like possible side effects.

I would also like to mention that I had Leukemia as a child, when I was 10. I underwent treatment including radiation. This neurosurgeon said that a lot of patients that had radiation treatment might develop this meningiomas.

Mary, when I was diagnosed a year and a half ago with a 2.7 centimeter close to my optic nerve the neuro-oncologist said radiation. But a different neurosurgeon I consulted said remove it. Did the neurosurgeon you saw explain both and then state why he was suggesting surgery rather than radiation? I think removing it is always preferred unless your age and general health precludes that possibility. (General anesthesia is harder on older people.) Radiation would be the second line of defense if the location is too dangerous to operate in. Or, if the meningioma is too large (I was told 3 centimeters but others on this forum have quoted 4 and 5 centimeters) radiation is not an option. With all that being said, I did have a craniotomy and it was not the nightmare I imagined it to be. A much easier surgery than the hysterectomy I had years ago.