SMALL AN'S---Symptoms

[kjmema]

I'm starting to find more people who join this site with SMALL AN's.  We are indeed lucky but perhaps because we are fortunate to have caught the AN early our sypmtoms are not taken seriously.  So I'm on the search for others who have AN's that are still described in MM and not centimeters.  I'm sitting here with my on and off ear ache, face tightness/numbness/ or however one describes it and just can't imagine that I have TWO things going on. 

I spoke with a Dr. Luxford at House last evening and he assured me that a 3 mm AN could not cause the face numbness.  However he has never seem my MRI.  I did send it out today.   He said it had to be neuromuscular in nature.   

Also I noted that someone on the forum stated that her symptoms  seemed to start after a viral infection.  Mine did also.    I've posted my story  before but hope to snag some people with small AN's and compare our symptoms.  I have to figure that if a splinter that need a magnafying glass to see can make your entire finger sore what can a 2-5-10  mm tumor do sitting on a major nerve....Am I missing something here??

[Patti UT]

The size of your tumor does not discount the seriousness of it.  The loccation of our type of tumor is what's makes it so criticlal. Everyone's symptoms are differend varring in severity based on the individual and location of the tumor, not necessarrily the size. The one thing you do have going for you with a smaller tumor is you have a little more time to research your options and possible watch and wait for a while or go the radiation route that larger tumor patients don't have the option of. I have read many times where the very large tumors, although life threatining , pushing on the brainstem, left the patient wih fewer post op issues because the tumor protruded outside the boney canal to do it's growing and didn't impact the criticle nerves inside the canal as much, but of course each patient is different. So please, please do not feel as though your situation is falling on deaf ears. That is what this forum is for to gather info and gain help and support for your situation and treatment option you choose whatever it may be.

patti UT

[tcrnko]

Probably not, but your doctor is most likely speaking from his experience.

My AN was measured in centameters, specifically 1.4 x 1.6 x 1.8.  Than seemed small enough for me to wait fo 5 months to have surgery, expeciall after being told of the growth rate, (.5 to 1mm / month).  Using that figure, I should now be about 1/6 x 1.8 x 2cm or 2.1 x 2.3 x 2.5cm.  Hope it's not the later.

My symptoms have not changed much.  My hearing is most definately worse, but I have adapted.  My vertigo is worse, but again I have adapted.  Bottom line is I am 28 days away from surgery, scared to death but want it done.

You have what is classified as a small AN.  The expected growth rate is slow.  But you do have symptoms.  The doctors at House may come up with a totally different perspective that your other physician, hence the benefit of a "second opinion".  Yes a microscopic splinter can cause the whoel finger to not only be sore, but develop a huge infection.  The small AN could be in just the right spot to cause you many problems.. Hope not!  Wait for the consult from House..   Good luck.

[Windsong]

when i look back my sytmpoms also came about full force during what was diagnosed as a viral attack... ambulance to and ordered from the hospital btw...
why would someone say that an An in the Iac has those symptoms? if i go by the normal growth rate mine would have been a couple of mm then maybe 4
also, the nerves stretch.... so to my thinking, even if you begin having mumb spots on your face(which i did) they begin to accomodate which to my thinking might explain why some numbness lessens or becomes less noticeable

anybody else with face numbness way back before your An was discovered???

size does not i think answer the questions about symptoms... i think it has to do with where and how much any nerve is impinged upon...

W.

[Pembo]

My facial tingling preceded a viral illness by a few days, the dizziness started about 3 weeks later.

I find it fascinating that I had this 4 CM tumor with virtually no big symptoms until 3 mo before surgery and there are others here that have tiny tumors that cause big problems.

[Mark H]

My AN's are real small, about 2mm each. I have tinnitus in both ears and have had it for years. My balance isn't too great. If I stand with my feet toether, close my eyes and tilt my head back my balance is gone right away. Even looking up at stars I start to get a bit wobbly. I'm getting close to due for another MRI so I'll see then if they've changed any in the last year. Either way, I'm not much worried abbout it, I know I'm way better off than a lot of people with AN's. I'll just wait and see what happens when it happens.   
Mark

[BusyBonnie]

I used to get VERY severe headaches before I knew I had an AN. I went to the doctor for migraines and he told me they were tension headaches. I think they were from my AN. They are coming back now but are mild to moderate. I don't remember any numbness or tingling though. I could've had other symptoms but didn't realize it.

BB

[tcrnko]

Just gave me a number based I hope on their experience.  Thats why there is a range.

[tcrnko]

Just gave me a number based I hope on their experience.  Thats why there is a range.

[Sam]

I was informed by my ENT that the average AN grows 2mm per YEAR, and on rare occasion they have grown 12mm within 6months.

[lthompson]

Hi, I have a 8 mm AN.  I was diagnosed with this in March of 2004.  For about 1 1/2 prior I had two episodes of hearing distrubances which consisted of distorted and muffled sounds come from my AN ear.  The first time it happened my doctor thought that it was due to eustachian tube disfunction and a cold and it cleared up a few days later.  The next time it happened which was about 6 mos later I had a hearing test at that time and I had a drop off in hearing in that ear, which prompted him to order the MRI.  I had steroids then and my hearing went back to normal within a day or so.  The MRI diagnosed my 8mm left AN. Since then I go every 3 mos for hearing exams and I have 100% perfect hearing.  I have slight tinnitus in that ear, but it does not bother me at all.  Before my diagnosis I had tingling and a twitching in my cheek bone that would last sometimes all day and then disappear for weeks and then come back.  That symptom has not occurred in about 2 years.  I have also had facial numbness from my ear down to my jaw on both sides of my face.  Very periodically.  My doctor does not believe a 8mm would cause facial numbness and thought it was more anxiety related, but I am not sure on that one. He said the cheek bone tingling and twitching could definiately be related to the AN.  My balance can be off when looking down or turning my head too quickly.  But other than that I really don't have alot of bothersome symptoms.  Too date I go every 6 mos for MRI and no growth so far, the AN is still contained in the IAC and is on the hearing nerve, so I am currently waiting and watching.  One other symptom to note, is when I move my hand over my left shoulder whether to itch the shoulder or whatever I hear very weird sounds in my left ear.  The only way I know to describe this sounds is like crackling but the sounds is consisting with the movement of my hand.  This does not occur on my right side, where those is no AN.  I hope this helps.   

[vcschaub]

I posted this earlier, but is relevant to your question.

"Small tumors can cause many symptoms just as very large tumors may have very few symptoms. I was diagnosed at 4mm because of dizziness, and lack of balance, along with ear fullness. My an grew to 6mm in a year and my hearing deteriorated 15% during that time. At that point I chose surgery. My balance is great now and my hearing in my an ear has stabilized at 76%. Tumor size and location result in symptoms that may vary widely."

[kat]

Hi everyone

I tought originally that my AN 2.2 cm was small since it had not given me any more symptoms apart from some hearing loss and tinnitus all of which I thought were the after effects of a perforated eardrum after a bad cold. I did not think anything was amiss when 6 months along the line my ENT specialist told me that should have an MRI scan just to see what is going on. I cancelled one of the appointments once because of an extended holiday and finally had the scan 5 months after the planned date . It was about 3 weeks after the scan that I had the appointment when I was told that I had a benign brain tumour but I was not to panic about it since they are slow growing and might never give me any trouble . My ENT speciallist did promise to send a leaflet about it in the next few days or so . I did not panic at all and was really laid back about it all till the leaflet arrived and in it the dreaded D word was mentioned as the worst possiblle outcome ! AAARGH ! I HAVE A BRAIN TUMOUR ! HELP! AARGH ! After the initial pacic we setteld down to doing some research about my options and to cut a long story short I decided to have GK which I had in Sheffield UK 19 months ago .

The point of all of this is that from the first MRI to the last MRI one year ago there had not been any growth at all in the size of the AN . My symptoms are minimal compared to some of the really small ANs on this forum . I had my fourth MRI scan today and was told that I will have to wait till after Christmas to see and hear the results ! I am a bit annoyed allthough I have no real cause to think that there is any problem but all the same it would be nice to know sooner rather than later . I will just swicth off and have a good Christmas with the family and think about it all in the new year .

Regards to all Kat
 

[kjmema]

Thanks for all the information.  Every bit of input helps!  I had my first Neurologist apt today but had an accident last night and had to cancel.  I have a drop down ironing board and the iron sits above on a little shelf.  Apparently it wasn't sitting correctly and slipped off and hit me on the head.  Lots of blood but no real damage that my hubby could detect.  We got the bleeding stopped, had a good laugh about cheep brain surgery,  and I did my ironing and went to bed to awake with EXTREME dizziness, nausea, ringing in my head, headache etc.  Classic concussion.  So I had to cancel my doc. apt. and refused to go to the emergency room, which they suggested.   Just resting and sleeping and letting my addled brain recover...LOL  Much better this afternoon already.  If I was that dizzy with my AN I would be in immediate surgery.  I could barely stand up this morning.  Had to hold onto the wall and close my eyes.   Take care and hope everyone has a nice weekend.   Karen

[Volley]

Mine is 2.5 mm on the left side.  I'm hoping it's just dust caught in the MRI machine.  My symptoms have been on and off earache and sore throat on the left side for a little over 1 1/2 years.  I also started to develop slight facial numbness on the left side and a burning feeling behind my left ear, including earlobe, in the last 11 months.  These symptoms come and go too.  My feeling is that our various viral illnesses cause flare ups in our symptoms because they irritate the same nerves that our ANs are resting on.  I'm not seeing a neurotologist until next March (diagnosed via MRI in September '06).  I don't seem to have any hearing loss, but I've been known to run into the edges of doors!  I might have a little tinnitus but nothing even close to post-rock-concert tinnitus.  I have had on two occasions the sound of moth wings flapping in my ears; once on the right side even.  Now that was strange.  I could live with all these symptoms except for those loud moths in my ears.  Those would have to go!