Severe Ear Pain

[bern]

Before being diagnosed with AN, I had intermittent ear pain.  The last few weeks have been horrible.  The pain is constant and unbearable.  Does anyone else have this problem?  I called my doctor and am waiting for a call back.  Any advice or information you can provide about this would be great.

Bernadette

[Tisha]

I do have ear ache now and again.  That was one of my first symptoms before I found out.  I thought I had an ear infection.  Sometimes it hurts more than others when I try to sleep on that side.  It hasn't been severe like yours.  Let us know what your doc says.  have you tried some OTC to help it?  I'm sorry you are in pain.

tisha

[bern]

I am taking 800 mg of ibuprofin and that isn't even putting a dent in the pain.

[Tisha]

ibuprofen never relieved any pain for me...any kind at all.  I always take extra strenth tylenol for pain.  Why don't you try that until your doc calls you back.  Are you in watch and wait mode?  How large is your AN?

tisha

[bern]

I had gamma knife in July.  I really don't know the size of my AN.  He said the size of an m and m.  I guess I am in denial about this whole thing. I can't accept the fact that I am going to be deaf and have this constant ringing and pain forever.  My doctors are sending me to an ENT for my ear pain. They don't believe it is related to AN but I know it is.

[Boppie]

Bern, I believe that onthers who had gamma knife as recently as July will write soon and share with you about pain.  I have read often here that post treatment swelling causes pain for some.   Your tumor sounds on the medium side of AN's so you should be able to look toward some hearing preservation.

I can't offer notes from Gamma Knife experience.  As you can see below my tumor was removed in 2005.  Life looks better at 12 months, 24 months, and grrrreat at 36 (coming up for me).  Wishing you better days.

[bern]

My doctor put me on gabapentin.  I think it is for nerve pain.  Does anyone know about this drug? Is it a pain med?  Any info on this drug would be great.

[Boppie]

Bernadette, your drug is also named Neurontin.  Type Neurontin on the search line of the Home page and you will find posts from others.  If you get onto a whole thread which addresses this drug, Neurontin, you should be able to read about other AN patients who have used it.  I think most of the posts will be in the Community folder.

[windy]

Yes, I have had ear pain post GK.  I, too, had some intermittent pain prior to GK.  My GK was in Aug.  Since the treatment, strangely I have had pain in both ears.  On Thanksgiving Day, I almost went to the ER for the ear pain.  My pain spread somewhat into my face, directly in front of my ears.  Even to touch my face, was painful.  I took 800 mg of Advil two times that day and made it through.  It seemed to settle down days later.  It has come back, but to a lesser degree.  I hope your pain starts showing improvement.  I really do wish you much better days ahead!