Top Tips For The 'Watch & Wait' Brigade!

[judyl]

Hi Derek - how did you self reduce your ANA? Interested in learning more.

[Derek]

Hi there Judy...

My antecedent history of living with my AN is well chronicled in the 'Top Tips' thread. In a nutshell there was no 'magic bullet' for the reduction in the dimensions of my AN. I made the decision to rely on conservative management of my condition after very lengthy research and medical advice following my initial diagnosis of a 2.5cm AN in 2002 aged 57 years.

I have since maintained a healthy lifestyle including moderate exercise, a healthy diet, and increased water intake. In February 2022 I will be celebrating 20 years since diagnosis as I head towards my 78th birthday in April. Throughout the past two decades my AN has reduced in size to the current 1.3cm and has been stable for many years. I now have MRI scans with contrast every three years and my only symptom is total hearing loss on my affected right side which is of no problem to me.

Treatment options are of course a personal choice but from the outset I resolved not to have any form of invasive treatment if I could possibly avoid such, based upon regular MRI scans and the advice of a neurosurgeon in whom I have complete trust. In my opinion any form of surgery runs a greater risk than conservative management. I have always maintained a positive mindset in that I have never accepted that I have a 'brain tumour' per se but that I have a small benign growth on my audio nerve with consequential hearing impairment. I am now at the fortunate stage whereby my AN condition is no longer a prominent factor in my life and I have periods of many weeks when it does not even enter my thought process.

Overall this strategy has worked for me and I am sure it could work for many others.

Best Regards

Derek

[judyette]

Hi Derek.  I like your strategy.  So glad it's working for you.  Thank You so much for sharing!!

[Moselle]

I had my first consult today with UCSD Dr Friedman.  It’s a relief that he recommends watch and wait, and to get a second MRI in October and as long as I don’t get any new symptoms I can wait till October for the next MRI.  I like the conservative approach.  He said it is a 15mm tumor so still in the small range. As for things to do:   I haven’t been walking 4 miles a day but now at about 1.6 miles a day.  The tips here are very useful. 

[davebanninga]

Was wondering if there is anyone on the W&W list that has a tumor size greater that 4cm?

Hi Abetpds, yes! i'm in the watch and wait with a 40mm sized VS i barely have any symptoms / complaints besides 45db hearingloss and  very subtle tinnitus and a nasty headache. Maybe it has to do with my ages since i'm only 29 y.o so pretty young for a VS that size.

they concluded my quality of life atm is higher then it could possibly be after surgery, i've been diagnosed in november.


What's the size of your VS, and what kind of symptoms do you experience?

[Derek]

Hi 'mwatto'...

I have never taken any form of supplements following my AN diagnosis some 21 years ago and prefer to rely on natural aspects akin to a healthy diet / lifestyle and regular exercise. However this is my personal and somewhat sceptical view but I can well understand anyone who seeks anything that will have a positive effect on dealing with the AN condition.

With specific regard to serrapeptase which is believed to be useful as an anti inflammatory, I note that prolonged use in excess of 4 weeks can be dangerous resulting in joint pain; muscle soreness; nausea / stomach pain; poor appetite; skin reactions a cough and blood clotting particularly if blood thinners are being used. I would therefore personally not be inclined to want to take such medication.

Regards
Derek

[swissguy]

The way you reduced it is amazing.
As my AN is 1 mm x 2 mm, I must admit I wouldn't mind to be able to do the same...

Apparently, you did "nothing much more" than eating healthy, drinking a lot of water, cycling, walking a lot, doing some relaxation and avoiding smoking and alcohol?
Which is already very considerable and very brave, considering you had absolutely no guarantee of any results.

I'm already doing absolutely all of it, except walking 4 miles a day. Which is something I really dislike. Of course I would do it, if I could be sure it would make a difference. Anyway, I'm doing some daily sport instead, something like 20 minutes in an intense way.
Your optimism maybe also did something. It's another element too difficult to reach for me.

Do you think it would be interesting to take some supplements or daily aspirin in my situation? Apparently, you never did?

[Derek]

Hi 'swissguy'...

Sorry for the delayed response. Whilst as you know, I have never taken any form of supplements or aspirin I see no problem in you taking them notwithstanding you are acting upon medical advice particularly so with regard to the daily use of aspirin. In my opinion anything that you believe may be helpful in assisting you with dealing with your AN problem is worth a try having due regard to the all important caveat of acting upon reliable professional medical advice.

Regards
Derek

[Derek]

Hi all...

Just a personal update re my recent MRI scan has indicated 'no change' following a period of 3 years since my last scan. The consultant intends to arrange a further MRI in 3 years time and if that result also indicates no change he intends discharging me from any further MRI's or consultations which fully accords with my wishes having due regard that I was diagnosed 22 years ago a month before my 58th birthday and I recently celebrated my 80th birthday.

Best Regards
Derek

[judyette]

Derek, That is such Awesome news!!  Super inspiring too!
I have now been on wait and watch for a right-sided AN for 10 years.  Hope I make it as far as you   

[sera]

Hi Derek,

I just see your post. I’m very happy you celebrated your 80. Birthday in good health,
and your MRI was good and you will be MRI free three years later.
I wish same good results for all that decided to watch and wait.
Happy and Healthy New Year to you and All,
Sera

[Derek]

Hi Sera & Judyette...

Many thanks for your kind comments and very best wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year!

Derek

[drajeshmail]

Hello everyone,

I was recently diagnosed in Feb 2026 with a very small intracanalicular acoustic neuroma (~3 mm) after getting an MRI because of tinnitus.

My current hearing test results (April 2026):

Left ear: ~13 dB HL
Right ear: ~24 dB HL
Audiologist interpretation: little to no hearing loss

Symptoms I currently experience:

Tinnitus in both ears
The tinnitus in my left ear is constant and more noticeable
The tinnitus in my right ear is milder and sometimes barely noticeable
I sometimes feel ear fullness or a blocked sensation in the left ear that comes and goes
My hearing technically tests as normal, but subjectively it sometimes feels like sound is not “fully satisfying” or balanced

Mentally i am very disturbed, i am just 43 and have responsibility of kids and need active life for another 20 years atleast for my kids . This condition and future losses are very concerning for me , i am just crying when i get a thought about it or having a nice time , my mind always things nice times are not going to last . how did you guys cope up with your conditions .  More than physically, mentally affected a lot . i dont know whether its stress or bad eating brought me this . please give me some advice to stay strong .

[ESH]

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!