Tingling tongue

[gary.s]

I have been suffering with hearing loss, dizziness and headaches for three years and was diagnosed with an AN January 2017. It measures 1.6 x 1.2 cm and is on my right side. Due to my age (66) and the size of the tumor, my neurosurgeon has me in the Watch and Wait group.

I have slight tingling on the right side of my tongue and would like to know if anyone else has this symptom. Thanks

Gary

[ANSydney]

Yep, I also have a slight tingling to the right side of my tongue. My only other symptom is mild loss of hearing and very low-level and intermittent tinnitus. (Also, if I spin very fast to the left 180° I get dizzy, but not if I just spin 90° nothing happens). My tumor is somewhat larger than yours. My 6 month follow up MRI shows "stable", so I'm going to have a few more 6-monthly MRIs to see its natural progress.

The facial, nerve provide taste sensation to the front two thirds of the tongue on the one side, so it's probably responsible.

[gary.s]

Thanks for your input on the tingling tongue. I also get dizzy if I spin around too fast. If I am looking up at the stars, I really get disoriented and dizzy.

I take another MRI in May to find out if my tumor is growing. If it is, I will do the Gamma Knife radiation procedure instead of microsurgery. Providing my tumor remains small, this is the best option at my age of 66.

[ANSydney]

Hi Gary,

Does the spinning dizziness occur for spinning in either direction or just one direction? Mine is only if I spin 180° fast to the left, but not right spin.

Good luck with your MRI in May. Given that you had symptoms for three years, like me, I suspect your growth rate is small or non-existent, like me.

I'm glad your neurosurgeon has you on watch and wait. A very responsible, at least initially, response.

[gary.s]

Hi ANSydney,

I also get dizzy when turning to my left real fast. Probably the right side balance nerve is not responding properly and we feel dizzy. I also get vertigo at times, much worse a couple of years ago.

Thanks for your good luck wishes on my upcoming MRI in May. Hopefully you are correct and the tumor is not growing anymore. Sounds like you have been doing the watch and wait thing for quite a while now. I guess this is the best case scenario, just dealing with the symptoms on a daily basis.

And yes, my neurosurgeon is taking a very responsible approach. We talked about all of the options, and we both agreed to watch and wait.

[Patti]

Mine tingled for a number of years though it was numb.  It is still numb but only tingles occasionally now.

[ANSydney]

I've been doing watch and wait for about 9 months now. My tumor size, which is large, is such that such an approach is not the norm. Given that there was no growth at the 6 month follow up MRI, I will now go 2 years (5 MRI's) before deciding the next step.

[Abetpds]

Gary, It's good to see someone around my age here .  I will turn 69 in July and have  a 2.7cm tumor.  Did your radiologist indicate at what size radiation would not be the item of choice for a tumor.  I am concerned about surgery at age 69
Regina

[ANSydney]

"The available evidence indicates radiosurgery to be the best practice for solitary vestibular schwannomas up to 30 mm in cisternal diameter." http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/3/2/e001345.full.pdf