Sudden hearing loss for 2nd time in AN ear

[Ric]

Hi all,
I was diagnosed with 5mm AN in Right ear in Feb.  after a sudden hearing loss that got better with prednisone.  Last Tues. night I went to a concert in the park with my family, and there was a band playing.  I could tell I lost my hearing half way through the 2 hour concert.  I was not wearing ear plugs.  As a result i have little to no speech discrimination in the right ear and am back on prednisone, I don't know yet if it is helping.  I know the concert had something to do with the loss b/c it was so sudden and I was having no problems in the hearing until the concert.  I know loud music is not good for hearing but my doctor never told me to be careful of wear ear plugs etc..... have any of you experienced this type of thing? and what exactly should I be doing or NOT doing to avoid further loss.  I am still trying to decide on how to treat my AN, with surgery middle fossa or radiation and it all depends on my current level of hearing.  This sudden loss which i feel is my own damn fault has me so upset!!!!!! Should i have know better? I did not think music would effect a tumor.  Now I'm wearing  ear plugs when i dry my hair or am around for 4 year old, or any potentially loud environments.  This also makes me think that if my hearing is THIS fragile surgery will hold a much greater risk of hearing loss for me than most.  Of coarse I will discuss this with my Dr. but also wanted to put it out there to all of you to get an answer. 
Thanks
Ric

[Boppie]

Ric, I doubt doctors believe that a concert is harmful to your ears.  How many other people were there hearing the music?  Your AN just happened.  You might help your hearing to heal by wearing protection.  But that's not a sure thing.  The only concerts I ever went to were the symphony.  I think the tumors are the luck of the draw. 

I lost my hearing over a long time but never noticed a symptom of the profound loss until one day I couldn't hear my wall clock ticking.  This doesn't help you but I do know the feeling of loss and the anger I felt about not getting in to see the ENT earlier.  All ANs look white and bright on an enhanced MRI, but it is not known where the thing is actually pressing down nor how involved it is with the hearing nerve itself. 

Since your tumor is so small why not go ahead with CK treatment and try to salvage?

Do you still have some word recognition when the hearing isn't acting up?  My approach would be to salvage hearing soon if just for the direction locallizing and some help with summation. 

[BB]

i didn't go to a concert, but did have a few times when my hearing just turned off in my AN ear.  In a few day's it came back.  My doctor told me it could do this due to the AN.  He told me it might come back or it could be a big drop in my hearing due to the AN.  My hearing did return. At that time I was on wait and watch. I did lose my hearing due to surgery.  Hope this is of some help to you.  This is only my experience, each person is different.  Hope all goes well with you.  BB

[neal r. lyons]

Hi Ric.   I experienced a sudden hearing loss on the r. side a few years ago and was somewhaat in disbelief.   My mistake (hindsight) was doing nothing about it, although I cannot say how significant not addressing the loss may have been.  I am certain that the loss was and is due the acoustic neuroma which I am going to have removed this Friday(Translab approach) at the House Ear Clinic in LA.  My tumor, however, is 2.6x2.8, which is at the cutoff point in size for potential radiation therapy.  Since the tumor has impacted the tigeminal nerve and the cerebellum(and likely the brainstem) I have opted to remove it.  Since yours is much smaller you have the luxury of watching and waiting, and or exploring other options.
     I started with the MediFocus Guide on Acoustic Neuromas(Medifocus.com,Inc)  You can send for a copy or get it online.  Certainly ther is a wealth of knowledge to be gained on this web.  Best of luck to you!  Neal
     See you folks on the other side!  I"m about to take my first Phisohex shower and hop a plane to start my trip to LA.  Will have a little fun in the sun before Friday!   
     My hearing has diminished with time.  I used to be able to hear a telephone conversation albeit mostly garbled in my right ear and can barely discern a sound now.

[Ric]

Hi,
Just an update on my sudden hearing loss.  My doctor thinks I have some Meniers type of thing going on (can't remember what he called it) as a result of the AN, and the loud music exacerbated that.  My hearing has come back some with prednisone.  But with that said, he also thinks my ear is very fragile as I am having more symptoms with a small AN than one would expect.  I have a hereditary hearing problem of some sort as well, All members in my family wear hard of hearing.  So I think the chances of hearing preservation with middle fossa are lower than 50%.  Dr. Jackler originally gave me that number and Brackmann from HEI said 60% and that he did not see a difference between AN folks who have had a lot of fluctuation in their hearing and those with out fluctuation.  He made it sound as easy as pie, and he said he has not had cases of chronic headaches with the middle fossa approach, but it seems some of you have had that problem.  The headaches scare me more than anything other sideeffect of either radiation or surgery.  I just can't make a decision.  I know I will at some point lose my hearing and am willing to accept that.  Oh what to do?
Ricki

[Ric]

Bruce,
Thanks for your replys.  Going with my gut, that is just my problem, I don't have a gut feeling, and just get tossed around in statistics and such.  I have educated myself quite a bit.  After awhile more statistic just don't help.  It is a very personal decision.   One minute I'm all for CK and the next I'm for middle fossa.  Dr. Brackmann and Jackler who are both top in the field prefer surgery because of my age (39) and the fact I could live another 40 years!  So I'm at the point of deciding if I want 10 years of good or great, because a malignancy could take me,or 30-40 years of not so good or even bad because of headaches.  I'm sure of you on this forum have had to face the dilemma.  I keep looking for my gut instincts or a sign from up above or anywhere, but it is not happening.  So at least I can come to this forum and know I'm not alone.   
Rick

[BeJoi]

Hi Ric,

I've read your posts.  You say you don't know what your gut is telling you, but I think you do.  From reading your posts, it seems to me that the headache fear is much greater to you than the low risk of radiation-caused malignancy or any of the other side effects of surgery or radiation.  As you've read I'm sure, the risk of a malignant brain tumor is very low and a lot of the info out about it is to scare people away from radiation.  Yes there are always risks with any procedure.

You have a fairly small tumor; to me, you can afford to wait and watch a while even with your family history.  I agree with Bruce; I think radiation would be a very good choice if you decide you want to do something now (or even later).  Some times you can overwhelm yourself with too much information and end up being more confused.  Just sit quietly with your feelings, and check inside for what you really want to do and what feels right to you.  If it isn't clear to you yet, then don't rush.  You have some time to get a strong "yes" inside.  And your choice may have nothing to do with statistics in the end.

I'm in the middle of a 28-day FSR treatment plan right now for a tumor larger than yours.  I also overwhelmed myself with lots of research, reading all the posts here, and meeting with 6 docs of different specialties.  I feel good about my choice, I feel good right now while I'm going through treatment, and I know that whatever happens, I made the choice that was right for me.   I know you will do the same thing.  Just give yourself time to digest all you've heard and read-- and be with your feelings.  You'll get some certainty at the right time.

I'll be praying for you,

Beverly

[Mark]

Ric,

I would suggest you consult with Dr. Adler or Chang at Stanford at Stanford in addition to Dr. jackler in order to get a broader based answer to your questions regarding radiosurgery. I also consulted with Jackler during my AN research and have the utmost respect for him as an AN surgeon and one of the most published physcians on AN SURGICAL results. If I was having surgery I would certainly feel in good hands with him. That being said, he really doesn't do radiosurgery as a primary approach and the information that you get from him will not essentially deviate from brackmann. Adler is primarily a radiosurgeon, but is the inventor of CK and Chang does both options on AN.

Just my 2 cents

Mark

[Rc Moser]

MY experience before and after is any noise is going to take a toll on your hearing. Loud music or sporting events (race Cars) or what ever are out without Hearing protection.  Even after you have something done the odds are the tumor side will be worse. IMO you will want to protect you good ear from now on to any sharp or loud noises. IMO loud noises will eventualy trun your headaches into migraine's if you are experiencing headaches now. So you will want to avoid anything that will set the nerves in motion.

[NF-2er]

Hi Ric;

   My feeling is the concert and SHL ( if a true SHL ) were a coincidence. The regaining of hearing may have also occured w/o steroid. It's been known to happen and the high, taper up, then taper down dose of steroid is hard on the internal organs.

   Best wishes in your Tx choice!

   NF-2er