Longevity after acoustic neuroma

[silverdolphin]

I am 11 years out from my surgery and am almost 70 years old, and I'm wondering if having had an acoustic neuroma affects how long you might live. Will it knock some years off my normal lifespan (whatever that is). I started thinking about it because lately my head feels weird.I've been feeling more lightheaded and off balance than I have for years. Thanks for any comments.

[UpstateNY]

silverdolphin,

I would recommend that you consult with your physician regarding your specific symptoms, but my understanding is that having an AN surgically removed does not affect your lifespan.  I presume the exception could be if the AN caused damage to some of the critical structures near the brain stem, or other complications arose.  I had an AN surgically removed and certainly plan to live a normal lifespan.

Regarding balance, one's balance will naturally deteriorate with age.  I would expect this could be worsened in one that had an AN removed because the vestibular nerve on the AN side was cut.  Vestibular exercises and/or tai chi can help.  Have you tried these to see if they do?  Something else could also be contributing to your imbalance, so it is best to consult with your physician.

[ColleenS]

Silverdolphin - I see you had a CSF leak 3 months post op. That is quite a long time out from what I understand. Did you have an incident that reopened your wound?