Thanks for caring, it realy helps and gives me hope

[leelee]

Thank you all so much,  you all have made me feel so much better already.  My tumor is just inside my skull at the base on the top of the eighth nerve and the MRI said it was small about 2x2x3 mm.  The doctors I have now are my family doctor and a pain specialist that has been treating me for my existing Fibromyalgia that I was diagnosed with in 2003.  I am going to a specialist at PENN in PA on August 26 for the tumor.  I have to get a hearing test yet to see how much damage I have.  They think my bells palsy was caused from a virus but are unsure because it started when I was at the dentist and he injected the needle for the second time and while I was laying there my left eye slowly opened and I couldn't shut it.  Later that night it shut, but then the next night my eye wouldn't close again and my face was all twisted. At first I thought I was having a stroke.  The surgeon I am going to specializes in the Gamma Knife and acoustic neuroma's so hopefully he can give me some answers.  Thanks again for caring, it means alot.  Lee Lee

[Cheryl R]

leelee, your situitation isn't typical AN and I wouldn't be surprised if it is bellspalsy as your AN is so small that it would be unusual for it to be causing such effects.     Plus how it started isn't typical AN.                    I had a 2 cm facial neuroma with just the start of facial problems only a month before my surgery.              If it bells palsy then problems should be gone in time and the AN could be a long term wait and watch issue and will depend on what symptoms happen in time. 
                    Good luck with this and keep us posted.                     Cheryl R

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

Lee Lee,

Can you indicate as to whether the Bells Palsy is on the same side of your tumor or not.

My concern with you only seeing your primary care physician (PCP or general practioner) and a pain management specialist is that you may not yet be getting the specialized care you need. August 26th is a while a way still and I would be most concerned about your eye.

The key thing with facial palsy is that you must, at all costs, keep the non-closing eye from getting dried out. One too many acoustic neuroma patients (and other Bell’s Palsy patients) have had significant damage to the cornea of their eye- due to it drying out. You need to see an ophthalmologist ASAP!
Dr. Levine is actually going to be at our upcoming symposium and has produced a good pdf about eye care, here on the web, that I implore you to read.

http://www.Levine-eyesurgery.com/pub/acoustic3.pdf

IT is essential that you see and ophthalmologist for eye care ASAP and to not just rely on your regular doctor- who most likely is not trained in this area specifically.

Is it probably a good idea that you at least get a temporary stick-on eye weight until normal eye function returns or until after treatment.
Here is a link to a PDF you can share with your doctor (or ophthalmologist)
http://www.fci-ophthalmics.com/files/pdf/blinkeze.pdf

It is also very important that you have the cornea of your eye checked by an ophthalmologist ASAP. You should be applying either eye drops or lubricant to that eye. If you need some input on what eye drops you can get over the counter there are many here, on the forum, who can chime in about which ones worked best for them.

This LA doctor has some other good information on his website
http://www.Levine-eyesurgery.com/rel-education.htm

Also the ANA, our NON-profit group, has produced some booklets that give you information- specifically about eye care and facial issues. Here is how you can order those
https://anausa.org/items_for_sale.shtml


Please Please Please go see an ophthalmologist before your August 26 appointment- as you do not want to risk having your cornea dry up. One too many AN tumor patients have lost their eyesight when this is SOOH preventable with early intervention.

Hang in there- you will get through this. Be sure to ask lots of questions if you are troubled- as there is a wealth of experienced patients that can answer you here on the forum.

DHM

P.S. Also know that there is this excellent Bells Palsy website with information
http://www.bellspalsy.ws/symptoms.htm

http://www.bellspalsy.ws/eye.htm