Rare or what??

[tenai98]

Almost all of the websites I visit state that AN is rare....HMMMM...To me it looks like it is a common situation.  There are so many of us in the forum. 

[Debbi]

I believe the statistic is about 1 out of 100,000 people, which makes it pretty rare.  Or, as I like to think of it (and myself) - elite!

Debbi

[LADavid]

I seem to recall that only 3,500 people in the United States are diagnosed with ANs annually.  We are the elite few.

[hruss]

     

Like the elite title to call us!!

Yep, as far as i read it appears once in 100 000 - so it is considered rare!

Hrissy 

[28Lisa]

didnt know that

[tenai98]

I always believe that God never gives us more then we can handle...so we are a special group of people...lol...

[saralynn143]

This is from the main site:

How often do Acoustic Neuromas occur?
Most recent publications suggest that the incidence of acoustic neuromas is rising. This is because of advances in MRI scanning both on incidental scans and for patients experiencing symptoms. Studies in Denmark published in 2004 show the incidence is 17.4 per million or close to 2 persons per 100,000. Most acoustic neuromas are diagnosed in patients between the ages of 30 and 60.

The incidence of hemifacial spasm, which CROOKEDSMILE and I have, is estimated at .7 to .8 per 100,000. It seems to me that is a low estimate as wel, but it's published a lot of places. Lots of these rare neurological conditions floating around, unfortunately.

Sara

[calimama]

imagine how surprised i was when i found out that my husband's best friend's sister had radiation to treat her AN a few years back!

[Nancy Drew]

Sometimes I wonder if the 1 in 100,000 is off a bit.  In my group of friends, four people know of someone who has an AN.  That six degrees thing . . .  Also, Maureen, on this board has an old college roommate who also has an AN.  Freaky!!!  I still think they are rare.  Nancy

[Raven]

1 per 100,000 is what I've always seen............oh and only 5% of those have bilatteral ANs, trust me on that one.

John

[sgerrard]

A lot of people don't get the math on this - I guess it is a matter of understanding a statistic. 

The usually given rate is 1 per 100,000 per year. (It may be higher now, as noted in the Denmark study).

What people miss is that it also means 1 per 10,000 over a ten year period, and 1 per 2000 over a fifty year period.

It adds up over time.

Steve

[wendysig]

Even if ANs are not quite as rare as it was first thought, they are certainly not usual - we are a unique group.

Wendy

[mema]

This isn't meant as a boo-hoo, but comical to my hubby and I.     At age 50 my hubbys colon ruptured.  No diverticuli or anything.  All the surgeons agreed  it was bad luck, a 1 in a million thing, considering  his age and no problems.  Fast forward at age 57, my acoustic neuroma, and brain spasms.  Rare to get brain spasms.  They still can't figure that one out either.  At age 59 my hubby gets transient global amnesia.  Docs say its a rare thing to happen.  I now for 9 weeks have gone to three specialist trying to find out my newest lower abdomen problem.  Got them all puzzled.  Rare seems to be our  M.O.  I hope you laugh at this, as we do.

P.S.  We  were on well water,  so thats our big joke in the family.  It was the water!



mema

[al]

As rare as they say it is, what are the odds of 2 close friends both having it?  My girlfriend and I both had it, hers left ear and mine right ear.  It certainly helped when I had to go thru it all. 

[jazzfunkanne]

alot of people have AN and dont know about it so that would take the % up abit. what is a brain spasm?