I had my second follow-up MRI this past Friday—without contrast. The good news: no growth.

The delay between scans was due to other medical issues, so this was only my second MRI since radiation 2.5 years ago.

Choosing no contrast sparked a few lectures. The technician questioned why, saying contrast provides better information. Since I’m at a teaching facility, I got the “two-for-one” experience—a fellow also came in and asked why I declined contrast, mentioning it makes it harder to assess size and changes. I explained that I don’t like how it makes me feel, though I still got a bit of push back.

When I met with the doctor, we discussed the next MRI. He recommended doing it in a year since I’m still under five years out—but confirmed it can be done without contrast. I appreciated that. He did add that some contrast may not fully leave your system, though I’m not entirely sure what he meant. Either way, I’m relieved I can continue without it.

I also want to thank this group. About 34 months ago, I felt lost and alone. Finding this community was a turning point for me. You helped me realize I wasn’t alone, answered so many of my questions, and provided invaluable resources—especially the past videos, which meant a lot during the early stages of understanding everything.

Thank you all.

Remain AN STRONG,

Dan

Hello,

I am a 36 year old male who was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma last November. My current symptoms are tinnitus and mild to severe hearing loss on the left hand side. My AN measures 24x24x23mm.
I was referred on to an ENT surgeon who took a look at my case and decided to take a wait and see approach with another scan to be conducted in September.

From what I've read this size of AN would warrant a more immediate reaction but maybe I'm just being impatient. Has anybody had an AN of that size that they've continued watch and wait on? Would anyone recommend getting a second opinion?

Thanks.
run 3 online

Hey, sorry you’re going through this — that’s a lot to take in.

From what I understand, a 24mm acoustic neuroma is kind of in that grey zone where some doctors may still suggest “watch and wait,” especially if symptoms are manageable and there’s no rapid growth or brainstem compression. But you’re not wrong for questioning it — a lot of people with tumors around that size do end up discussing treatment options like surgery or radiation.

Personally, I think getting a second opinion is always a good idea in cases like this. Different specialists can have pretty different approaches, and it might give you more clarity or peace of mind about whether monitoring is the right call right now.

You’re definitely not being impatient — it’s your health, and it’s totally reasonable to want to feel confident in the plan.

Hope others here can share their experiences too.

Hello! No, I haven't taken any tests for these syndromes. And none of my relatives have hearing loss or a brain tumor diagnosis. My neurosurgeon, who removed my vestibular schwannoma five years ago, believes that I have a spontaneous combination of two tumors: a vestibular schwannoma and a meningioma. He says I don't have neurofibromatosis. I really want to believe him.

Suz,

When I first started on my journey it was said radiation did not hurt hearing, however over time that has changed and it can be delayed. Here s a recent presentation on the subject:

 Radiation Treatment for Acoustic Neuroma - DH VSG        5/1/2025

Good Luck,
Dan

Hi drajeshmail! Welcome to the club we all would prefer not to have joined. We all react differently to the news but it's a blow no matter how you look at it. I reacted with more anger than anxiety but I do recognize the anxiety. I wrote a lot of very angry and anxious (and bad poetry) haikus and it helped me adjust. I currently am on watch and wait and was diagnosed a year ago January. I am older and this is not the first difficult diagnosis I have ever faced.

Each person finds a way to deal with the anxiety. I find that my anxiety ebbs and flows. I do not worry much at this point about hearing. (I have lost much of the useable hearing in my AN ear and wear a CROS. I do quite well although the merger between my hearing loss and my travel anxieties is particularly challenging as I travel with a husband who hears but does not listen. Sigh.) I am older, my sister just broke her hip, and I worry very much about balance.

I try to take each problem as it comes and approach it as an engineer does. The key questions for me are (1) "TODAY can I do what I want to do? If not, is there something I can change that would make it doable?" and (2) "Is there something I can do TODAY that may mitigate problems in the future?" An example of using the first question would be that I now wear a T-shirt that says "Hard of Hearing" at the airport because it makes TSA people much more patient with me and that TSA experience is otherwise difficult. An example of using the second question would be doing vestibular and balance exercises regularly. The focus on function and here-and-now helps me.

My approach to tinnitus has largely been to make friends with it to the extent possible. It bothers me most when trying to meditate or trying to sleep so I use soft music (through headphones) to mask it then. I have headband headphones that I can sleep in. I find fighting with tinnitus makes it worse.

I have faith that you eventually will find that you are more resilient that you thought you were but it can be a rough, rough journey. Good luck!