Greetings Dan!  I want to follow on this thread.  I am 60 and was hoping to retire early, but the tumor and follow up might delay that.  I am on an every 2 year MRI schedule now after translab.  Had Gamma prior and that was a 1 year schedule. My thought is maybe push MRI to age 62 - 62 1/2 (retire) then next at age 65 on Medicare. Interested to know if anyone else has delayed MRIs. And anyone on Medicare - any issues with getting the MRI covered?

Hi, I'm Roberta Hutchings, one of the moderators on the ANA site. I felt compelled to respond to your post.

Please have the MRI with contrast. A neurosurgeon with extensive AN experience will not do surgery without diagnosis without an MRI scan to confirm the tumor.

I'm close to your age, 16 years out from retrosigmoid surgery to remove a 3.5 cm. acoustic neuroma. My hearing was gone years before my diagnosis, but symptoms were exhaustion, tinnitus, facial numbness, dizziness and balance problems. Those are typical symptoms of acoustic neuroma, some of which you are evincing.

Please ask your doctor how much experience they have with acoustic neuromas. If he/she is only doing the surgery occasionally, please another neurosurgeon who's experienced with them. There are several centers around the country who specialize in treating them.

Like I said, please get the MRI done asap. At that point you'll know exactly what you're dealing with, and can make a plan for moving forward.

If you'd like to talk, my number is 720-225-7421.

Bert

Hello, new here.  I am a  73 year old woman with a slew of medical issues  but hardy.   Spinal stenosis in neck with radiculopathy and myelopathy.  Lupus and possible scleroderma.  Had  breast  cancer, am being treated for osteoporosis and  have several spinal fractures.

For maybe two or even three years I have had increasing  numbness of my left cheek. Feels like I had lidocaine at the dentist.  All the time but intensity fluctuates. Also what has been diagnoses as trigeminal and occipital neuralgia also on left side.

I can't even remember when tnnitus started but it got a lot worse two years ago from music.   It has been louder in the last 6 months for no reason.  I also seem to have  hyperacusis  though only certain frequencies (leaf blowers!). Loud noises greatly increase pain and numbness on left side of face, I would say  8-9/10.     

I tried playing rain sounds overnight last year to deal with tinnitus, and woke up with terrible balance. Not room spinning. I felt like I was being pulled to the side and couldn't tell where I was in space.

Some high frequency hearing loss on left side, going again for hearing test tomorrow.

Neuro had an MRI done 2021 w/out contrast . Report said it could not tell about tumors  w/out contrast.  He took that  MRI as a no.

I have bouts of vertigo and have been told I have "central vertigo" and "vestibular migraine."   These are brief one day episodes. Also nystagmus on one side at times- jsut did paraneoplastic  syndrome blood test because nystagmus warned me of cancer in the past.


My neck and shoulder issues definitely pull on muscles that could press on nerves or blood vessels. My left arm is often shorter than the right because of a knot in  that shoulder, and pain goes down my arm.   My back is very tight from fractures and that affects the neck too.

A couple of doctors over the years have suggested I have MS.

So?  My PCP has ordered   MRI brain, MRI brain angio, MRI neck.   I am seeing an acoustic neuroma doctor this week to address that possiblity.

I am concerned about MRI's effect on tinnitus.  Has anyone had their tinnitus worsen on an  MRI? This would be a long session and I am wondering if I should prioritize brain over neck and just do one, since I already know about my neck.

I am also concerned for kidneys with contrast and want to talk to MEEI about newer  contrast that is more benign.

So neck issues causing symptoms or acoustic neuroma?  It seems that my auditory and facial nerves are affecting each other since loud noises like  leaf blowers  cause the pain and numbness on left side to get worse.   I have been living with these symptoms for quite awhile but they have kind of reached a crisis point.   The thing is, if I don't have surgery, is there a point in doing MRI's?  Thanks!

I was walking to my car, dizzy in my head, as usual, and I started having a strange sensation as if a force was trying to push me down. I slowly made my way to the car and was unable to get my arm to move to open the door, then my legs collapse and I fell to the ground.  My husband had to pick me up to get me in the car, went straight to ER ( we live in a very rural town in Arkansas) so they started treating me as a stroke patient. I told them all about the tumor and that my symptoms may be related to the tumor...although never any thing like this. Anyway after several cat scans and an MRI
that all came back negative for any cranial bleeds, they administered the clot buster drug TNKase. I must note, I couldn’t lift my legs and was having a very difficult time moving.  Ended up being transported to Little Rock where I was monitored  had more scans that revealed nothing other than my VS.  Home now, and am having similar symptoms just not as severe although I have fallen several times since home and having that crazy feeling of a force pushing my head down.  I was actually going to have GK next week and now it is postponed.  My VS team is in Houston and I’m waiting to meet with them regarding the event.  Anyone ever experience this? It was so scary, I thought it was best to take the clot buster, better to be safe than sorry. 

Thanks, a dizzy blonde from Texas living in Arkansas heaven.

Diagnosed: 8/2023
VS: 7.3 mm x 7.5
Treatment: waiting for Gamma knife surgery 

Yes I thought so! I am a retired teacher who is still academic and plays a lot of chess. I do think that stress and inflammation are more likely than education myself.