questions about symptoms and managing work/driving

[hapicap]

HI, I have a newly Dx sm (11x8mm) AN right ear.  My early Symptoms included balance issues (fall), tinnitus and head/hear pressure.

Just curious if anyone experiences Symptoms in their non-affected ear.  I feel as if the tinnitus is in both ears, and I also have fluctuating ear/head pressure, but it occurs in both ears.
I know that the tinnitus and pressure is normal, but I forgot to ask why I would feel it on the non-affected side?


I am working very hard on regaining balance and compensating on the left side, but I feel so fatigued all the time.  Have not returned to driving/work yet and was curious how others are managing and are there days you can't do either?  I can't believe that a smaller tumor would be giving me so much difficulty, but I was told it's how the nerve is compressed.

[Sanderson]

I didn’t drive for almost four months. I would go grocery shopping with my neighbor or husband. When I went grocery shopping with my husband, we would get home with ridiculous items—cheese and cereal. When I started driving again, I only drove in my neighborhood—to the close grocery store. It was wonderful to do things on my own and concentrate on recipe items! I just got on the freeway three days ago. I drove myself to acupuncture. I’m feeling better all the time—some of which is from having autonomy again. I officially go back to work in a week!

I have left side facial paralysis. The vision in my left eye is a little blurry/cloudy from ointment, but it is time to move forward with life.

I go to yoga twice a week. I believe my balance has benefited greatly from the practice. I also walk a ton. I get good rest and don’t push myself. I’m not ashamed to lay on the couch.

[jsteph]

I can drive but I have good days and not-so-good days. On the bad days, I have to work at driving straight on the highway. The lanes seem narrower than they used to be! I don't feel I'm a danger, though at my worst it's sometimes marginal, it's just a lot more work as I have to concentrate and drive more cautiously.

The concentration required is sometimes very tiring and I avoid longer drives so I am not able to travel like I used to.

Work and just about everything else is harder. My senses: hearing, eyesight, balance, seem about 10 years advanced from where they were pre-AN. Most, I believe, is the AN but a portion may be that I am getting older.

[notaclone13]

Two years prior to finding out about my AN, I started having panic attacks when driving on the freeway.  If I did drive on the freeway, I only felt comfortable driving in the right lane.  It seemed that I was OK when driving at lower speeds, but when the speedometer hit 55 mph, I started to feel uncomfortable and panic would set in. Driving in the middle lane was particularly nerve racking. Cars driving past me at high speed on either side would set it off.  Now I only travel on surface roads.  I cannot help but wonder if this has something to do with the AN. Anyone else notice they feel uncomfortable driving a higher speeds?