Symptoms seem to match AN - waiting for MRI & Specialists

[navooo]

Hi All,

I was glad (?) to find this forum after a rocky December of symptoms. I think that my first bout of balance issues (not severe like vertigo) briefly occurred in the summer, then they went away. But I also recall having some issue with a weird sensation on my right side, near the ear, back in April 2012. The more recent series of events occurred Dec. 1 when I woke up, rolled over & felt like I was falling. This sensation went away, but gradually it came back. For 2.5 weeks I convinced myself I was suffering from anxiety, as the balance/dizziness issues occurred primarily at night, and were localized to the right side of my head. I also though that maybe this had something to do with my right eye, which is weaker than my left. And since there was/is a pressure sensation localized to the right front part of my brain, I keep thinking it's related to my eye. Nevertheless, all of these sensations caused me to have many fitful nights & lots of anxiety, until I finally went to see the DR just before X-mas.

Although nothing has yet been determined, they did do a CT scan & gave me a battery of other tests (all negative). They convinced me that I'm in no immediate danger & to try & relax, which I have been. That said, the symptoms persist. in fact, the addition of some very minor facial twitching (which went away as fast as they appeared) and some tinnitus, led me to this forum. Once I added tinnitus into the balance issue, the ANAUSA popped up as the first result. About the only issue I am not having is hearing loss, although i gather from the forums that this can be very subtle. So i am getting through each day, sleeping slightly better, and the symptoms remain. I am getting an MRI soon & have appointments lined up with an ENT & a neurologist - all occurring over the next few weeks. I'll post-back once I get some answers.

Anyway, just thought I would post this & see if anything sounded similar to those who recall what they went through prior to a diagnosis. I haven't read many people complaining about sleep problems, but I suspect I'm not the only one. I'm trying to live a "normal" life, but it looks like my new normal will be different than the old one. 

Take care all,
Navooo

[PaulW]

There are many other things that can cause AN like symptoms...Many are temporary, so hopefully what you are going through will get better.

Also I believe 80% of people diagnosed with AN's have hearing loss, you don't another great positive!

Other Good News is your CT Scan is negative so if you do have an AN its small.

My CT Scan came back as suspect with a 10mm x 5mm x 5mm AN

This is no substitute for a real hearing test, but good to find out if your hearing between ears is different.

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

[navooo]

Thanks for the reply. I have appointments lined up with an ENT & neurologist. Hopefully the MRI will happen soon. I'll report back.

[leapyrtwins]

Navoo -

your symptoms may or may not be consistent with an AN - only an MRI can tell.

Make sure your MRI is done with gadolinium contrast.  MRIs done without it may detect ANs, but not always.  It depends on how good the MRI machine is and the size of the AN (if there is one).

Good luck - and keep us posted.

Jan