possible AN....and scared

[tenai98]

Hi Everyone
Well, I have all the symptons of AN...loss of hearing in my left ear, which two yrs ago, I had tested and they told me to get use to it as it due to old age...but, my gut feeling told me NO, its not old age....I have loss of balance, not great, but slightly noticable by me.
Slight vertigo, some numbness on my left side of face and headaches or should I say borderline headache...I more or less have pressure at the back of the head. Plus ringing in the ear.  After nagging my GP, she finally sent me to an ENT.  After testing me the results were the same as before, but because of the symptons, they did a BAER test.  Then after that, they sent me for an MRI.
Here in Ontario Canada I was told there would be a nine month to a yr wait....AGAIN, my gut feeling said dont wait...So I went to Quebec and paid for my MRI...in return, I got a copy of the imaging. Which of course when I got home I looked at the cd...I must say it is very interesting to be looking at your brain...low and behold, there is a white "growth" on the left side that is not on the right side.  I have compared the images with others on the net and I know, again in my gut it is AN.
Now I am waiting for the confirmation.  I have spent many hours on here reading the posts....and I am armed with a thousand questions for my doctor when the time comes....If it isnt AN, then I am flabbergasted as all the sympton correspond...Time will tell...
say tuned for verdict and it is so nice to meet all of you on here.

Joann

[Sam Rush]

Greetings,

Hope it's not an AN,,,   but on the other hand, AN's are benign and treatable

Sam

[MAlegant]

Hi Joann,
Perhaps it is not an AN, but if it is, there is a ton of information and support available to you. There are also several Canadians on this forum that can help guide you.  Let us know when you get a diagnosis and in the interim, try to worry too much.
Marci

[Debbi]

Joann-

Well, I am no doctor, but the symptoms sounds suspiciously AN-like.  How long are you likely to have to wait to talk to your doctor about this MRI?  Even though ANs are usually slow growning, and not malignant, there is some urgency just from the standpoint of having as many treatment options as possible.  Hopefully some of your fellow-Canadians can help out with recommendations on experienced treatment teams.

In the meantime, welcome to our little world.  It is quite exciting, and not always fun, but at least you are in wonderful company if it turns out that you DO have an AN...

Debbi, south of the border in NJ..

[tenai98]

The private clinic said it would take two weeks to get the report to my ENT.. That will be this coming Tues.  Then he will have to send the information to my GP...I will be calling my ENT as he should be able to inform me as to what it is....The heck with the privacy act....I want to know now!!!!!!...Either way I hope to have the information by the end of this week.
Joann

[Jim Scott]

Joanne:

Welcome to the ANA site and the fabulous forums.   

I think you've been wise to be pro-active in your attempt to discover the cause of your symptoms.  Did you receive a copy of the radiologist's report along with the CD?  Those reports, with verbiage that looks like gobbleygook to the non-physician (lots of Latin words and undecipherable terms) usually can tell you whether you have an acoustic neuroma.  Use an online medical dictionary to help translate or just ask one of our more savvy members and they'll probably do it for you.  If it's in French, Marci ('MALegant') can translate. 

If you didn't or cannot receive the radiologist's report (I don't know how the Canadian system works) then try to do so.  In the meantime, we'll await your doctor's opinion along with you.  Of course, we hope your symptoms don't indicate an acoustic neuroma and that the MRI comes back 'clean' but as Sam Rush stated, an AN is (almost always) benign, slow growing and treatable.  Remember that.

Jim



   

[Pooter]

Joann - Welcome to the forums.  I certainly don't wish that it's an AN, but you've found a great place if it is.  Given your reaction, I would venture to say that it's relatively small (possibly medium).  While AN's are generally benign, that opens the door for treatment options.  That's good news.  Mine was on the border of being large, 30mm and putting some pressure on the brain stem, so I really only had one choice of treatment.  I'm 3 months+ post surgery, and life is normal in every material aspect.  I still have a few "issues" but generally I'm okay.  I wish you the best and let us know what the outcome of the private clinic.  Ask us anything because we have everything from surgery posties (i'm one of those), to radiation posties, to watch-and-waiters, to those who have had multiple surgeries, to some that had surgery and radiation.  We have it all!  Besides, Jan knows EVERYTHING anyhow.    Keep us updated!

Brian

[wendysig]

Hi Joann,
Welcome to this forum.  It is a place everyone wishes they didn't need to be but also  a place we are all glad we are able to come to.  Your symptoms do sound  AN-like but only a doctor can confirm that.  Please feel free to ask us any quesitons your have -- we are all here to help and support each other. 

Wishing you all the best,
Wendy

[leapyrtwins]

Joann -

I hope it's not an AN, but as Sam said AN's are benign and treatable -  and most of us here are living proof of that.  Those who aren't living proof just haven't had treatment yet 

Hang in there and don't be scared.  If it is an AN, we'll all be here to help you get through it.

Please let us know what the docs say.

Jan