what are the chances?

[Peggy]

I think I'm getting paranoid, but I was wondering since I have AN in my left ear what are the chances that one could grow behind my right ear?  I do have some hearing loss in that ear as well, not as much as my left, also I think the ringing is in both ears , its so hard to tell though.  Also, I posted under the physicans section about 2 doctors I'm going to see in August and I've only received 2 replys,  doesn't anyone know of Dr. Willcox at Jefferson or Dr. Ruckenstein at Univ of Penn.  I was hoping to "hear" good things about both but I haven't heard anything, now I'm really getting concerned about my choices.

I wish this was over, I'm so tired of thinking about all of my options (such as they are)  I'm tired, and I don't feel like doing anything

Peg

[sgerrard]

Pegg, if it is any help, I also have some minor hearing loss in my right ear. I think if there was another AN, it would have shown up on the MRI.
I don't know the doctors you mentioned, but it sounded like someone in that other thread had met Dr. Willcox.
There is another thread (called AN Cause...) where several people are commenting about fatigue caused by ANs. Sleep seems to help...
You sound a little down, which is certainly allowed, you have an unwanted growth on a nerve, you are entitled to that.
If you have two appointments setup, it sounds like you have taken some positive steps. See what you find out then, and go from there.
Meanwhile, take some naps and find something distracting to do. After an hour of gardening, I am so fed up with weeds, I forget the AN for a bit.
Take care, Steve

[Obita]

Hi Peg:

The older you are, the less chance you will ever get an AN on the other side.  I just read your previous posts and saw that you are 49 so don't worry about it. 

Static had her surgery done in '04 at Jefferson but I don't know who her surgeons were.

Good luck Peg.  Sick and tired of the whole thing is normal.  Once you have decided which treatment to have and who will do it, you will want it done yesterday so you can get on with your life.

Kathy

[madshackle]

Hey Peggy

The chances that you will have an AN on the other side is extremely low. That said, if you have concerns, you should bring them up to your doctor. Don't worry about bugging your doctor, having one AN is serious enough to warrant their complete attention and besides, they chose to be a doctor and patients come with the territory  .

I don't know the doctors you mention, but I am curious to hear about any doctors in the Greater Philadelphia area.I am seeing Dr. Bigelow (ENT) at Penn for my AN and I am satisfied with his approach.. I was not satisfied with the first doctor I saw there mainly due to the fact that he took nearly a month to inform me that the MRI showed that I had a tumor. That is a long story and best left in the past.

Please write back and keep everyone here updated with your progress.

peace
Dave

[Yvette]

It was my understanding that ANs on both sides is strictly a hereditary thing. What do ya'll know?

[mema]

Peggy,                                                                                                                                                                                   

I went to Thomas Jefferson for an evaluation for my AN.  I don't know who Dr. Wilcox is or his title.  I saw DR. David Andrews who is a Thomas Jefferson physician.  Dept of neurosurgery and steriotactic radiosurgery.  He is located 909 Walnut Street phone 215-955 7000.  He was very good and I would have had my treatment there, but he confirmed everything that MD Anderson did so I went there because it is in my home state.                                                                                                                                                     



                                                                 mema

[Cheryl R]

  50% of NF2 cases are not thought to be  herediatary but a genetic mutation.       NF2 is still very rare and most pts get it while young.               Only 5% of AN's are NF2.        The odds are very small you would have NF2.        It sounds like it had not shown up on your previous MRI.      I know it is hard not to worry when weird symptoms show up.
All that said, I am an exception to all the conventional AN rules.          My first AN was found in 2001 and had surgery in 2001 at age 49.      The tumor on the other side was found by accident in 2003 at age 51 on follow up MRI with no symptoms.     The next tumor was a super fast growing one again on my surgical side and was the facial neuroma with surgery in 2006.       0 to 2 cm in a year.                           I have not come across any one else with a similar history like mine.
It sounds though from listening to Dr Slattery that I would still be classified as  only mild to moderate since so far I have no other types of tumors.                          Keep me in your thoughts tomorrow that that continues as it is MRI day again.    Only got to go 6 mos this time.
                                           Cheryl R

[matti]

Peggy - I think to some extent the thought of a re-growth or Nf-2 never strays far from our minds. I recently went through a scare where I was experiencing symptoms on my non-AN side that were eerily similar to what I felt with my AN. I am 9 years post op and do have yearly MRI's, and this situation happened close to the yearly mark. I had facial numbness/tingling, increased tinnitus, and ear fullness. My doctors assured me that it was not an AN, because I have yearly MRI's and since these are slow growing it would have shown up at last scan. AN MRI showed sinus polyps, wierd how they would mimick AN symptoms   I still have the symptoms and now looking at a sinus surgery.

One more thing, anxiety/stress seems to increase some symptoms.

Take care,
Cheryl

[FlyersFan68]

Hi Peg,
  I went to Jeff and doing well 3+ years later (knock on wood). All your concerns are expected. The things you mentioned I'm sure have crossed all of out minds and have no dubt crossed my mind too.
  NF2 is usually found at an earlier ager but there are late onsets which are rarer and in some case (maybe most) usually milder meaning that the tumors may grow slower and not as many. The only way to ever know is either through testing or MRI's but as already stated the older you get the chances are less and it's still relatively uncommon. Most AN's are sporadic. History reflects this.
  If the AN takes your hearing you still have hearing in the other ear and if that ever goes you still have options. There's aids, cochlear implants and even those with NF2 have the ABI. We are at a time with options thank goodness.
  All this makes me think of a movie I watched the other night (The Hills Have Eyes 2). It starts off at a military training camp and the soldiers break down the door and start shooting. A woman in a black gown runs out crying my "MY BABY, MY BABY" so everyone feeling guilty relaxes their guns. The woman then opens her gown where she is strapped with explosives and she replies 'BOOM"! The sargeant is especially pissed at this one female soldier because when she saw the explsives she dropped her gun and covered her ears preventing deafness. The drill sargeant screams at her saying "Its better to be deaf and above ground then hearing and below ground"....made me laugh a little because even though many of us are completely down an ear we still have the other.
   It's normal to think of these things because anything can happen to anyone. Just keep your head up and stay the course!