Hi Everyone,
I am really getting down 
reading all these side effects from AN's. People who have had surgery, people who have had radiation, people who are on W&W like me. Doesn't anyone ever feel good again?? I get the same dizziness when I drive and feel so sleepy. The motion just starts it off. Then when I get to the grocery store it's just as bad but the cart does help. The stress is always there and I know that doesn't help matters. I try to be happy but it is getting harder to cope. It seems there is not any good options. If someone can respond to my post that has a good outcome with whatever procedure they decided on please let me know.
Thanks,
MG
Hi ~
I'm one of many AN patients that experienced a good outcome.
In May, 2006 I was diagnosed with a large (
4.5 cm) Acoustic Neuroma that had, due to my procrastination in seeing a doctor, taken the hearing in my right ear and was producing symptoms that included severe dizziness, intermittent stabbing pain at the tumor site, loss of the sense of taste and severe fatigue. The highly experienced and well-respected neurosurgeon I consulted (
and engaged) recommended immediate surgery because the growing tumor was pressing so hard on my brain stem that it was distorted. The good doctor was amazed that I walking around.
Due to a complication (
cancer false alarm) the surgery didn't happen until 3 weeks later. I had make it abundantly clear that my greatest concern was facial paralysis so the neurosurgeon decided to 'de-bulk' the large tumor, peeling off layers, reducing it's size (
to 2.5 cm) without disturbing the facial nerve any more than necessary. He chose the
Retrosigmoid approach to give him the best view of the tumor. The surgery took approximately nine hours and was completely successful.
When I came out of the anesthesia my symptoms had mostly evaporated although it took a few days for my sense of taste to return. I was not nauseous but extremely fatigued. An intensive, 9-hour surgery will do that to you. Day by day my strength returned and I was sitting by Day 2, walking the halls with my wife at my side by Day 3 and after passing a balance test administered by the PT nurse, was discharged on Day 5. I ate a hearty breakfast of delicious pancakes at a restaurant on the way home.
At home, I spent the first week or so in a recliner reading or watching TV. I dozed a lot, too. By the following week I was feeling much better and getting bored so my wife and I went on a daily walk (
about a mile) at a local park (
it was summer in the northeast) and within another week I resumed my usual activities, albeit at a slower pace. I was pretty much back to normal within the month. My doctor, who was both gratified and amazed at my recovery, gave me permission to resume driving a fortnight after my hospital discharge, which helped tremendously in my return to normalcy.
As part of a plan, I underwent 26 FSR 'treatments' over a period of six weeks (
total of 27Gy) starting approximately 90 days after my AN surgery. They were uneventful but successful. Subsequent MRI scans revealed the beginnings of necrosis and shrinkage, which delighted both myself, the radiation oncologist and my neurosurgeon. On completion of the radiation I resumed my normal life and have been enjoying it since then.
I was a lad of 63 at the time of my AN experience and suspect I might have recovered even quicker had I been younger. I had recently retired so returning to work was not an issue. I've never had any symptoms return and still feel great.
I responded to your request for accounts of good outcomes with procedures. I underwent both surgery and radiation and the outcome was quite good so I wanted to share that with you as encouragement and a reminder that on this AN support site the majority of posters are dealing with complications of one kind or another. Most AN patients that have no or very few problems don't remain here too long as it holds little interest for them.
I have chosen to remain for eight years (
six as a moderator) to help folks like you that need to see that AN surgery and/or radiation can be successful, with a good outcome. The hearing I lost never returned of course and I have one or two infinitesimal reminders of the surgery but they are easily handled and have no impact on my quality of life. I consider myself blessed and hope you can enjoy a similar outcome to whatever form of treatment you ultimately choose. This site will be here for advice, information and support whenver you need us.
Jim 
