I'm 47 and was diagnosed a couple of months ago with a 1cm AN. I'm in NC, even though I'm a "Damn Yankee", I figure I am supposed to salute you with a customary greeting like "Hey yall!" In hindsight, I've had my AN for about 8.5 years since that is when I had an attack of vertigo that lasted a couple of hours.
I am going to give you a bit of advice based on my experiences, even though I am in no way qualified to do so. Really, it's more of what to look out for as you take all this in and pass the time deciding on what, if any, treatment you choose. First, things will look better with time. This will go up and down. At times, it will seem very grim. Reading things online can be very upsetting. In time, this will bother you less. I have not had any treatment yet so I am the same as I was when I was diagnosed, yet I am much less concerned, frightened, by all of this. It's like any other kind of loss. Break up with your girlfriend when you are 17 and you think the world is coming to an end, yet a few weeks later you could care less. It might not be that easy getting used to all of this, but you will "get over" the shock and fear that you are likely feeling.
Next, symptoms. In my case, the symptoms vary. My hearing is for the most part "not bad". It ain't great, but it works for me. However, there are times where it is pretty bad and once it was like my AN ear was turned "off". It can vary throughout the day. My tinnitus is the same as is the feeling of fullness in the ear. All three symptoms come and go independently of each other. None of my Drs. have been able to give me an explanation of why this is other than "you have an AN, of course things aren't going to work right".
Dizziness, you will likely find yourself at times being dizzy. This can be to the point of it seeming like the world is spinning around you. You may be forced to crawl on the floor because you can't stand up. Likely, you will become nauseous and vomit. There are things that can mitigate these symptoms. For nausea, Zophran works instantly for me. It's like nausea/vomiting "off switch". It's chewable and it worked for me before I finished chewing it up. As for the spins, dizziness, balance issues, there are vestibular suppressants that work for me when I have a dizzy attack. They take an hour or two to start working, and they basically make me "stoned", but they work. Anti-vert (mecklazine) is a good one. It is sold over the counter as Dramamine Less Drowsy and it is an antihistamine. You can also get a Rx for it. Valium and Lorazepam also work well. I carry all three with me wherever I go on one of those aluminum pill caddies you keep on your key chain. If I get an attack, I chew up the Zophran which allows me to not vomit. Then I take a mecklazine and a Valium and wait for them to work. Promethazine is another antihistamine that works, but it is usually a suppository and must be kept refrigerated which is not practical for many situations.
