Author Topic: 5 days post op retro surgery  (Read 3382 times)

Steve2014

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5 days post op retro surgery
« on: August 09, 2015, 10:13:16 pm »
Hi everyone, I wanted to give you all an update and hopefully end to my surgery story. After 14 months, 3 mri's and a growing tumor around 1.7mm. I finally made the decision to have surgery at USC with doctors Friedman and Giannotta. I think I wavered between surgery and radiation till the moment they wheeled me off. What made the decision hard was the fact that I had no symptoms other than tinnitus, hearing was still pretty good and they only gave me a 50/50 chance of keeping it. Surgery was aug 4, released on aug 7. I appear to have kept most of my hearing, no facial issues. Now just need to get that balance stuff back. Couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Day 1 and 2 were terrible for me because of the dizzyness but each day is really exponentially better. My piece of advice if you choose surgery is go someplace where they do LOTS of AN surgerys! I also need to say that the entire staff at USC were awesome not just the docs and specialists but the floor nurses fantastic. I don't want to sound like an ad but... Thanks to everyone in the group, your stories have been helpful, humorous, and a bit frightening too.

Diagnosed May 2014 at age 56, 1.5cm right side, definite growth shown at 6 month and 1 year MRI May 2015. Surgery on Aug 4, 2015 at USC with Dr's Friedman and Giannatta, retained hearing!

GaryWNT

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Re: 5 days post op retro surgery
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2015, 11:58:47 pm »
Great news, Steve2014! Posts like this are very helpful for folks like me who are struggling with a decision on where to have surgery. I've had a consult with Dr. Friedman and am leaning towards surgery at USC, but I'm from overseas and I don't have any family in the region. Now looking for friends who could come help support me!
Sudden hearing loss in left ear 02/15
MRI 07/15 showed 2.5cm AN
CK at Stanford (3 days) 11/16
No change in symptoms (Mild tinnitus, mild balance issues, moderate hearing loss)
1st follow up MRI coming 04/16
some evidence of central necrosis on the treated left acoustic neuroma 05/10/2016

mcrue

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Re: 5 days post op retro surgery
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2015, 03:51:16 am »
Fantastic news!
5/19/2015 - 40% sudden hearing loss + tinnitus right ear

6/26/2015 - AN diagnosed by MRI - 14mm x 7mm + 3mm extension

8/26/2015 - WIDEX "ZEN" hearing aid for my catastrophic tinnitus

12/15/2015: 18mm x 9mm + 9mm extension (5mm AGGRESSIVE GROWTH in 5 months)

3/03/2016:   Gamma Knife - Dr. Sheehan

CHD63

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Re: 5 days post op retro surgery
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2015, 06:02:13 am »
Hi Steve2014 .....

Yaaaaay for the great report ..... just what we like to read!!  Now rest, walk, rest, walk, etc. and listen to your body as you complete this recovery time!

Thoughts and prayers.

Clarice
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011