differences in sizes of AN's

[sarah]

Hi everyone,
I'm sure you have answered this question before, but as a "newbie", I am curious.  I noticed the many differences in sizes of AN's that you all have had.  Why is it some people can have symptoms when the AN is as small as 2mm, then others have no symptoms until the tumor is much larger?
Sarah

[amymeri]

Hi Sarah!

Welcome.

I think the answer is....nobody knows.  Something like 95% of people have hearing and balance issues as their presenting symptom and I had a large tumor with only chin numbness and normal hearing and balance.  Some people have tiny tumors and go suddenly deaf or walk into walls...

I have heard that the location of the tumor (Mine was mostly outside the internal auditory canal) can amke a difference but no other theories.

When I asked my NS why I had no symptoms until 3:30 pm December 28th, 2005 but had such a large tumor he said "just lucky, I guess"...but I think finding the tumor small is much "luckier". 

Also, some people have sticky, fibrous tumors that stick to other cranial nerves and are hard to remove, and some just slip out.

I am sure other people have lots of good ideas.

[marystro]

Does AN grow from any part of the vestibular nerve that sometimes it arises from inside the IAC or sometimes outside between the IAC and brain stem?  I thought it always comes out from the inner ear canal where the nerve is then it grows out into the brain cavity.  Not true?

[DeniseSmith]

Sarah,

I had symptoms for about 3-4 years before I ever went to the dr.  I think if I had gone in when my hearing started to go, I would have been better off. I was loosing my hearing back in 2002 and chose to write it off as getting older.  When i started feeling light headed and dizzy,  I wrote it off as not eating right and low blood sugar.    I figured I would know best as to what is happening to me, so i didn't got to the Dr. until i was kind of pushed by my boyfriend, and then I went for an entirely different reason, and while there only mentioned I might be having some hearing problems, and the rest as they say is history!

I don't like going to the dr. and I just figured i could handle what was going on  myself, guess i made an error in judgment about my health. 

I am happy you have found your tumor while it is still small and you have options. Surgery was my only option. My "little friend"  was 3.8cm when they found it and when i had the surgery 34 days later it was over 4cm. When they went in they discovered I had a blood vessel feeding the little intruder and it was growing. So, I basically, was lucky I said something when I did, and I have my guy to thank for getting me in there!

I wish you the best of luck in your search for treatment or if you "watch and wait". This is a great forum, full of very helpful and kind people.

Denise

[tatianne]

mine is 8mm and IAC....i have some hearing loss, about 30% and loud tinnitus that seems to go up and down. I do have dizziness and pressure headaches that come and go...so i fit into the small and causing a disturbance category. I do know that mine is pushing against the nerve so that is probably why, i think its all about where it is and how its sitting.
but what do I know.....i wish this pest would just disappear !

[Survival Nate]

Mine was 5.05cm and I didnt find it till I started going blind (military doctors) lol I miss it, now I have to watch what I eat 

[vcschaub]

My an was initially diagnosed at 4mm. I was very unbalanced and had ear fullness. So as you can see, small ans can cause symptoms, just as very large ones can cause no symptoms for a long time. As it grew to 6mm and my balance got worse and my hearing threshold dropped, I decided on surgery while it was still small. I do not regret my decision. I was fortunate and came out very well. Good luck to you!

[tatianne]

nate....i guess my situation doesnt seem so bad vesus your big one LOL
i should realize and remember that things could be much much worse, thanks for
reminding me and thank God that you have come out in good health with a beautiful baby!
 
vcschaub.
a lot of the time i want to just get it out as you did, and pray that my outcome will be not so bad as yours was, but i see so many negative outcomes from surgery, its made me so afraid....i seem to see more negative then good. I at least have a few more months to consider my options. Im happy to hear you have done well and made the right choice for you. I love to hear the good stories and the confidence in those choices from my fellow ANers. 

[vcschaub]

Tatianne-

The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your choice. I felt very confident in the hands of the House Clinic and Drs. Brackmann and Hitselberger. I received excellent care and feel I owe my good recovery to their expertise and the care at St Vincent's Hospital. Again, you must feel comfortable and confident, so take your time.

[tatianne]

i hear so many great outcomes from house, i really wish i could have my treatment done their, however i live in Montreal Canada and that could not be an option for me.....im not in the financial situation to ever be able to cover something like that. I know that if house was an option, i would have the surgery. My confidence in the experience of the surgeons here is not high right now.

[Survival Nate]

ya luckly they had me in the hospital and on good drugs before they really explained my problem, My wife was like cut it out lol . But if you have a fast grower it can only do more damage, if you get it cut out or GK at least theres a chance, I still have AN left that they hit with GK but they cant tell me if its dead, but I think any size is bad the little ones can do as much damage as the big ones. everyone is diff im only one person i was VERY LUCKY my doctors were like WOW hes OK lol, - If I affend anyone with my morbid sence of humor im very sorry just shoot me a PM and I'll cool it.

[tatianne]

not at all, no worries,  humour is the only thing that keeps most of us going !!
Keep dancing !
T