Hello everyone. My name is Stacy, and my 17 yr old daughter Katie was diagnosed with a 4 mm AN last week. She suffers from severe allergies, and after a particularly bad attack she showed stroke like symptoms (facial paralysis, slurred speech). She was initially diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, but contrast MRI showed the AN. Today we found out she also has a potential arachnoid cyst in the medical temporal lobe. We live in South Alabama, and is going to BUA in 2 weeks. The neurologist today started her on topamax for her headaches/migraines. She's been having headaches almost every day, and with those comes the facial paralysis. They keep saying her allergies are causing swelling and aggravating the facial nerves, complicated by the tumor. They also think that the headaches could be caused by a vitamin deficiency. She has to have another MRI to get a better look at the arachnoid cyst.
I am planning on sending her MRI and report to the House Clinic. I noticed they ask for the abr and vng resuts as well, but no one has mentioned those. I'm worried that her dr's so far are in over their heads and really don't know what they're talking about. The ENT that initially diagnosed her convinced my husband this tumor was no big deal and she could probably live her whole life with no issues. Should I push for the vng and abr tests? Are they necessary? Has anyone else heard that allergies could be worsening her symptoms? Thank you.
