HELP! Freaking out with facial numbness out of the blue

[Ellen K]

Hi All - I have a really tiny AN that was discovered last December due to dizziness but no hearing loss.  I've only had one MRI for it, as my dr. said it was so small I should wait a year for a follow up.  He said likely the tumor would not grow as it is so small and said it was probably too close to cochlea for radiation.  For the past two days I've had a bit of facial numbness, which I chalked up to paranoia.  However, it's really clear to me this afternoon that I really and truly am experiencing this.  YUCH!  I also had a twitch yesterday.  My questions are:
1. Is this common with such a tiny IAC tumor?
2. Should I demand an MRI sooner rather than in December?
3. Has anyone else gone from symptoms related to dizziness to sudden facial numbness?  The free consult that I got from House said that my facial nerve would likely not be involved, as the tumor was so deep in the IAC.
I'm at work but want to stand up in my cube and do a PRIMAL SCREAM!!!
-Ellen

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Ellen ~

Please try to refrain from screaming in your cubicle as it may frighten other employees and get you escorted out of the building by large men wearing uniforms and badges.   

O.K., I'll cut to the chase now by stating that (a) I'm not a doctor and, (b) an unambiguous yes to question #2.   If you are feeling sensations in your face, something may well be happening with the AN and only an MRI can detect it.  Have it done.

Jim

[Ellen K]

Jim, as always, your thoughtful and timely reply was incredibly comforting. Thank you so much. I also went through past posts and found a few other examples of watch and wait people with small IAC tumors and occasional numbness.  So I am feeling much calmer (not screaming) and will ask for an MRI asap. 
Best of all I am not feeling any numbness or that cold feeling on the right side of my face today. And for a change it is not pouring rain.  Yeah!

[nftwoed]

Ellen;

  Guess I'd want the Dr. to be telling me exactly which nerve the "small" AN arises from and show me on a chart where it is arising on the nerve.
  Would say; I've never heard a radiation providing Dr. mention an AN was too close to the cochlea to treat. It is not that uncommon for anyone irradiated to suffer a hearing hit several months after radiation due to cochlear, ciliary hair death. A large goal is to stop tumor growth by inhibiting bodily DNA from replicating new tumor cells. The greatest goal is, of course, tumor death.
  I'm not a Dr, but if nominal growth is occurring, I don't feel a Dec. MRI is too distant, except, for sanities sake!