Diagnosed in 2003. New to forum

[Dizzy Jean]

It's comforting to know that there are others out there that have an AN and can answer questions that I have. After frequent bouts of vertigo that lasted 2 or more days, I went to my GP and was told that I had benign positional vertigo and to go home and call him if it came back. That seemed a little vague to me, so I took matters into my own hands and saw a ENT doctor who immediately ordered an MRI. At last I had a diagnosis for all the misery I had been through. I am from Massachusetts that is known for it's world renowned hospitals and was sent to see Dr Michael McKenna at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. My AN  was 6mm and  was considered small and to watch and wait. I have been having MRIs every year and the growth has been slow. My last MRI was last week and it has grown to 9mm. I have no hearing loss, so any treatment besides surgery is not an option, as they would not risk my hearing. Strangly enough, I have not had any bouts with vertigo in over 2 years in spite of the growth. After every MRI I spend weeks worrying about my condition. Thanks for listening. Any and all advice and experiences will be greatly appreciated.

[PaulW]

Hearing loss often begins once the internal auditory canal becomes full. That's about now.
You could continue to watch and wait, have surgery or radiation, all three options remain open to you.
Hearing preservation rates treated with Gamma Knife and Cyberknife are very high especially for small tumours and people with good hearing. Surgery is not the only treatment option to retain hearing. Please do your research on hearing preservation. I believe radiation and Watch and Wait have better hearing preservation rates than surgery.
I am 3 years post CK and my hearing is better than pre treatment and is considered normal.

 

[nftwoed]

Hello;

   Is this like saying 97% 3xs? : ) Watch and wait much longer and the AN will be in the CPA cistern, if not already. In the CPA, w&w hearing reticence is usually pretty good.
   If the growth continues at that rate, one might remember it's about 3.00 ( 30 mm. ) cm. to the brain stem. That's 10 years given the same growth rate.
   How old are you, Jean? One might be able to guess a growth rate from your current baseline and age.
   A tumor in the IAC will likely stretch and flatten at least the auditory nerve and probably the vestibular branch by smashing them against the bony, IAC wall.
   Would say Dr. McKenna has a great record, however. W&w is the latest Tx trend, much as FSR ( irradiation ) was a trend in the mid 90s until sometime after 2007. I wonder about the psychology to "trends".

[Dizzy Jean]

I'm 61 and most of what you wrote I don't understand but I'll have to say one thing. You made me more frightened than I was when I wrote my original post. I will see Dr. McKenna on July 29th and see what he has to say.