regrowth

[Karen]

How can you tell if there  is a regrowth when you are deaf and have facial paralysis on that side .I had a MRI last Sept and the doctor said is was fine  when they did  the surgery they said they got it all.   that side feels different  and I worry about regrowth

[CHD63]

Karen .....

Understandably, we all worry about regrowth.  An MRI is the only positive way to determine any regrowth.  Keep in mind that regrowth is a rare occurrence.  If you had translab (the best view for surgeons), it would be even more rare to have regrowth.

That being said ..... in my case, my very first MRI post first surgery (retrosigmoid/suboccipital) showed an "area of enhancement" that was being watched to determine if scar tissue, then residual tumor, then determined to be regrowth when it began growing.  I had no additional symptoms, although the pre second surgery (translab) audiogram showed reduced speech discrimination, which had been 100% after the first surgery ..... but I had not noticed it.

What do you mean by "that side feels different?"  Do you mean a recent change?  If so, you should contact your doctor and tell him/her.  Your doctor can make the call whether to do another MRI now or not.

Best thoughts.

Clarice

[wwarr]

Karen,
Like Clarice said, an MRI is the best way of knowing.  If your concerned, I would call your Dr. and get an MRI with contrast and then you will know.

Best wishes and good luck!
Wendy

[Kathleen_Mc]

I would think the only way to know for sure if there is a regrowth present is an MRI. Some doctor's might recommend a schedule of frequency for follow up MRI's, mine did not however, my regrowth was found while I was having investigations done for something else that also required a brain MRI.
I did not have any symptoms of the regrowth however being that all the associated nerves were removed the first time around I likely wouldn't have started to have any symptoms of it until it was big enough to compress an area of the brain so I guess I'm lucky they needed to do the MRI when they did....I was able to deal with the regrowth while it was tiny!
I would think if you still have nerves intact you would start to have symptoms but if you don't you wouldn't.
Kathleen

[leapyrtwins]

As others have said, only sure way is an MRI - with gadolinium contrast.

Jan

[nftwoed]

Karen;

  Beings you have facial paralysis that side, how does it feel different?
  Sept. to near Aug ... Avg. growth is about 1 or 2 mm. per year.
  Of course MRI is the only way to know for sure. Was the AN aggressive before Tx?
  Understood, are your concerns, and regrowth is definitely a Dr's call, but I'm not thinking it so likely. But please, don't let my feelings delay you from telling the Dr. how you feel. I'm wondering if you're regaining sensation in the facial nerve.

[Kathleen_Mc]

Karen;

  Beings you have facial paralysis that side, how does it feel different?
  Sept. to near Aug ... Avg. growth is about 1 or 2 mm. per year.
  Of course MRI is the only way to know for sure. Was the AN aggressive before Tx?
  Understood, are your concerns, and regrowth is definitely a Dr's call, but I'm not thinking it so likely. But please, don't let my feelings delay you from telling the Dr. how you feel. I'm wondering if you're regaining sensation in the facial nerve.

NFT: Loss of the 7th nerve does not cause loss of sensation, it causes loss of movement as it is a nerve involved in movement of the face, if there is some loss of sensation from the loss of the 7th nerve it is not total loss......I know cause I can feel my face! I do have some decreased sensation but not sure if that is from the loss of the 7th nerve or something to do with all the reconstruction I've had done in the area (possibly the decreased sensation caused by one of the other surgeries).
I did loose sensation to my face pre DX of the AN, the tumor was putting pressure on the posterior lobe and THAT was the cause of the lack of sensation.