ANA Discussion Forum
Watch and Wait => For those in the 'watch and wait' status => Topic started by: BigJoeBass48 on February 07, 2020, 01:46:33 pm
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I had my 3rd MRI brain scan yesterday. Much more pleasant tunnel this time, open on both ends.
Can someone please read this report? It starts out with my age and then: "Lesion: Redemonstration of the lesion in the right internal auditory canal with spillage into the cerebello pontine angle, consistent with vestibular schwanomma. When compared with previous MRI dated 1/15/19 there is mild laternal increase in the size of the lesion. The lesion currently measures 1.6 cmx 1.6 cmx 1.4 cm. It previously measured 1.2 cmx 1.6x 1.2 cm. The lesion abuts the right middle cerebellar pedunel without significant mass-effect. Thank you to anyone who can decipher this. The only thing I have noticed is increased tinnitus, no dizziness though I often drop things. Thank you, Joe
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Hi - how soon do you see your doctor? You should receive a proper explanation then. Other than that, that main things that strike me are that your tumor has grown a little in two directions. The "without significant mass effect" should mean the tumor isn't pushing stuff around (like your brain stem)
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Yes it sounds like possibly a small amount of growth. But this should be discussed with your doctor for sure.
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Yes, Doc will explain! These tumors start in the IAC (Internal Auditory Canal) and as the grow they push out of that, which is probably what they mean by "spillage." I don't know for sure, but it sounds like a pretty textbook AN description of a small to small/medium sized tumor.
Good luck!
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The brain surgeon is from a Kaiser 3-4 hours away. He sets an appt and phones me. He always sounds like this is a "life and death" matter, even when it was 0.8 in 2017 January. I see you had a successful surgery to remove yours and your hearing was saved. This brain surgeon wanted me to go through CK but that doctor said he would not know for 6 months if the surgery had any positive or negative effect on tinnitus. How much is 1.6 cm x 1.4cm x 1.4 cm? The size of a grape? Thank you for any reply. Joe
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My understanding is that the radiation route is good for some people, but is generally not a viable way to save ultimate hearing. (although that may vary from case to case.) With surgery, you take initial risk of losing hearing, but it can be saved for some people. There are three surgical approaches, two of which can attempt to save hearing. generally speaking, the approach called "Middle Fossa" has the best hearing prevention outcomes, but this approach only works for smaller tumors and not as many doctors are familiar with it as the other approaches. REtrosigmoid approach also can save hearing. Translabyinth approach results is no hearing saved.
If I were you, I"d make sure to get an opinion from a doctor who can do multiple treatment options. Or at least ask him why he's recommending CK. Does the doctor also do surgery? If so, how often and what are his percentage outcomes, etc. T/hose are good questions to get answers to.
Good luck!
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He is a former US Navy doctor. He is gloom and doom, telling me in 2017: "Let me get this straight, you want to WAIT to have this brain tumor removed?" It was 0.8. The Kaiser head and neck surgeon told me in January of 2017 that she almost missed it because it was so small after she got word from a malicious dentist that I believe caused it with multiple x-rays on an old x-ray machine from the 1930s.. The brain surgeon tells me 30% chance of PERMANENT hearing loss in BOTH ears. I think I'd rather be dead than deaf for life. His partner, the CK surgeon, told me I could live another 20 years with this tiny but growing AN. I'm not dizzy, not falling, no headaches. Just evil tinnitus that goes away 1-2 days a week. The head/neck surgeon told me she is "100% POSITIVE the tinnitus is from the AN." She never even saw the most recent x-ray on 2-6-2020! If I knew for sure the tinnitus would go away I'd go for it, but no guarantee. Nightmare scenario for me is I have the brain surgeon chop it out and he comes in my room post op and tells me (in writing) I will never hear again! But hey, they got the tiny AN out that wasn't doing anything and may grow back.
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It's complicated, that's for sure. I don't understand why they think your hearing is at risk in both ears, if the AN is only one one side.
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Thank you for your replies, Greece Lover. You obviously have more experience than I do. This Kaiser surgeon told me on 8-9-17 that I had a 30% chance of hearing loss in BOTH ears. The tinnitus is almost completely in the right ear though on bad days I can slightly hear it in the left. He told me I should listen to White Noise 6-7 hours a day. It gets old. Classical music is the way to go I think. The tinnitus seems to adapt and overcome everything I use on it, even Oflaxacin 0.3 which worked awhile, or even the OTC remedies work "for a while, usually 5 days like gingko baloba" but when I was taking Magnesium it seemed to help but I passed 38 kidney stones, they diagnosed them and it was magnesium.. 3 ER trips to get pain meds. No more since I stopped and had surgery to break up several stones.