Pre-Treatment Options > Pre-Treatment Options

Welcome a new member to this AN family

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Musicman:
Hello everyone!  I received my official "diagnosis" in the mail on December 16 of 2006--the day after we teachers went on Winter Break.  Quite a shock.  I had the MRI about 2 week prior but could not connect with my doctor during office hours to get the results.  I have had almost 20 years of hearing issues.  A couple of bouts of dizziness where I could not get on to my feet out of bed, but was prescribed predinoze at that time.  The ringing in my ears is almost unbearable.  It is actually only in the ear on the side of the AN but it is so loud I had always assumed it was in both ears.

Mine is fairly small compared to some, between 5 and 12 mm depending on the place one chooses to measure.  (Apparently some doctors don't count the measurement of the AN that protrudes into the inner ear canal.  I was initially told that surgery was about my only option.  However, after poking around the ANArchive for awhile, I began to look into radiosurgery options.  This has led me to get an appointment with Dr. Chang at Stanford (only about 10 miles away).  So, I have that appointment on the 13th of February (Happy Valentine's Day!) followed by an appointment with a Kaiser neurosurgeion on the 26th.

My big concern is side affects of either treatment.  I am a music teacher in a public school who is already struggling with some hearing loss, and now I have to look at what might happen post surgery.  And this was on top of getting my Administrative Credential.  I have to put some of my important life goals on a hold cycle until this thing in my head plays out one way or another.

I have read many of the postings on the Archive over the last two months.  Anybody want to re-offer a list of questions to ask a potnetial radio or neurosurgeon?

Thanks for any feedback!

Lorenzo:
HI Musicman,

I was treated by Dr Chang about two years ago! You're in very good hands if you're thinking of going to him for Radiosurgery.

In my case I lost an extra 5% of hearing on my AN side, so got slightly worse. Tinnitus is slightly louder, on and off, depending on how tired I am, or the weather, or if a buterfly flaps it's wings in China! :) Recovery from CK wa an up and down affair intitially, causing me to scael my leacturing activities considerably. However, I found that after about 8 months I was back to normal, and possibly better than before treatment.

For me recovery was not that easy, mainly on the emotional and cognitive side of things. Not everybody has that kind of problems, or not as bad. Some come through with no side issues at all.

The only issue I have now is noise. I am very sensitive to noise and had to get a separate offcie as a class room so I could deal with students. Class rooms are now just too noisy for me. But that's more to do with the tinnitus than the AN I suspect. I don't think it's CK related as other ANers have the same problem after surgery.

Also, remember that when you see Dr Chang, he also is a surgeon who performs surgery on ANs regularly. So he can probably answer your questions from both points of view. IT's important to get the best advice you can from each speciality, but you probably know that already.

All the best,

Lorenzo

kat:
Hi Musicman

When I chose to have GK here in the UK one of the reasons for my choice was preserving the hearing that I had left on the AN side . As it has turned out 21 months later my hearing has stayed the same and I still get a satisfactory stereo effect when listening to music and going to see shows .  I wish you luck with your decicion and hope that you will get an unbiased opinion about which treatment to go for .

Best regards Kat 

Obita:
Hello there and welcome Musicman:

First off, I can't believe you found out you have an AN by getting the diagnosis in the mail???????  Thats not very nice.  At least my ENT had the words benign out of his mouth within 1 second of saying "tumor".  I knew something was up when there was a doctor on the phone at 7:00 pm on a Friday night.....etched in my memory forever, that phone call.

Sounds like you have the ball rolling in the right direction.  I have heard many, many good things about Dr. Chang.

There is a list of questions on this site.  Click on the Acoustic Neuroma Assn. logo at the top right.  Click on Overview and it will take you to the Questions for Physicians.

Good luck with your appointments and please come back and let us know they go.

Happy Valentine's Day - yikes, another right before Christmas diagnosis - kinda put a damper on the holidays, I bet.

Kathy

Musicman:
I was NOT aware that Dr. Chang did surgery as well.  That's good to know.  Thanks for pointing that out.


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Also, remember that when you see Dr Chang, he also is a surgeon who performs surgery on ANs regularly. So he can probably answer your questions from both points of view. IT's important to get the best advice you can from each speciality, but you probably know that already.

All the best,

Lorenzo

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