is this normal?

[Peggy]

I just found out about 3 days ago I have an, what I'm curious about is that I have pain in the back of my head, it comes and goes, is this normal?  Does this mean its growing?  I'm sure that probably sounds like a stupid question but I know nothing, but I'm sure learning a lot FAST!!  I truly appreciate all responses I've been receiving.  I knew something was wrong quite a while ago, but I thought it was stress or my imagination, I even joked with my husband that I had a brain tumor, I guess I'll choose my jokes more carefully from now own.  I go to bed thinking about this and I wake up thinking about this.  Can something bad happen to me before I have this taken care of?  Needless to say, I'm scared, very scared.  I'm trying to be strong but it sure is hard.

thanks for being here!!!

[matti]

Hi peggy - I know you are very scared and hopefully we can help ease your fears. Once I received my diagnosis, I would say that it pretty much comsumed my thoughts, how could it not, but it is important to step back and take a deep breath and know that you will be OK. AN's are benign and treatable.

 Several years before I was diagnosed with my AN, I also would joke about having a brain tumor to my husband. Any time I would get a headache or head pain, I would say "must be the stupid brain tumor", little did I know there was actually one there   What is scary is that I  always said it was on my left, which it turned out to be.

I often experienced neck, back and jaw pain before surgery, but it all disappeared after surgery. I would also have the most excrutiating and searing pain in my AN ear that would come on suddenly and last for several seconds. I know others on here have mentioned having neck and back pain as well, hopefully they well respond.

hang in there, and please feel free to get in touch with me.

Hugs,
Cheryl

[neal r. lyons]

Hi Peggy!  Welcome to the forum.  Sorry to hear what you heard, but this is a great place to get some of your questions answered.  Lots of good people with lots of experience.
     Did you find out about your AN from an MRI?  What size is it?
     I had episodes of light-headedness, headaches that were not severe but longlastring at times, and numbness that persisted once it started on the right side of my face.  I found out about it from an MRI on May 4, 2007 and had it surgically removed on June 22, at the House Ear Clinic (St. Vincent's Hospital in LA) 
     I sent for the Medifocus Guidebook on Acoustic Neuromas which can also be accessed online for a year.(www.medifocus.com)  It was helpful for me.  It contains info on choosing a doctor and lays out your options for treating your AN with sound explanations of each option. 
     Best wishes, Neal

[sgerrard]

I'm not sure anything about AN's is "normal", except that you get to experience some strange and annoying symptoms.

One thing I can tell you is that it is easy to stress out about it, especially when you first find out. I know my neck got stiff and sore the first week, and I think that was all stress, not the AN. Maybe your headache is due to the stress.

You don't have to be scared, there is time to get treatment. Besides being strong, you should also try to relax a little. I have stopped drinking coffee, which seemed to help me. I'm not exactly comfortable or happy about it, but I have settled down now, and realize that a lot of things in my life will still be the same, even if a few things will have to change.

Take care, Steve

[Betsy]

Hi Peggy,

Have you been spending more time online lately, reading about ANs?  In the first few days after my diagnosis I spent almost every waking moment in front of the computer and it gave me terrible problems with my neck.  You could be having muscle spasms.  I'm not sure if you can feel an AN growing...from what I've read most grow very slowly.  You're also under a lot of stress right now, which can cause tension.  Is your husband good at neck rubs?

Having an AN is a scary thing.  There's just so much uncertainty about it.  It helps me to know I'm not alone, and this forum has certainly been helpful and supportive.  We're going to get through this Peggy!

Betsy

[tatianne]

I found out about my AN a year ago this month, and it consumed me completly at first. Anxiety was really high.
Ive experienced all kinds of symptoms on and off. I know one thing forsure whne Im distracted or focused on something else, I dont even notice the AN symptoms.
Lately Ive been under a lot of stress and everything seems worse and more.
Over the past year Ive seen many come to this forum, get treated and mov eon with their lives. You will get past this, its a bump in the road. thats all.
All the best to you,
T

[Joef]

we all get different sorts of pain .. I had a special neck pillow for years... I thought the neck pain was from falling asleep while watching TV ..

since the surgery...(almost 2 years now!) .... zero neck pain !

[hendi51]

Peggy, I don't know if it is normal but months before my husband was diagnosed with a AN he complained of pain in the back of his head that shot over the top of his head and stopped between his eyes. He don't have them as often now but still does occasionally.

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Peggy:

I believe that head pain is a pretty common symptom to those of us who have (or had) an acoustic neuroma tumor.  Prior to my surgery, I experienced rather severe intermittent shooting pains on the 'AN side' of my head (left) and occasional pain around my left eye which was due to the tumor growing and compressing nerves.  Your intermittent head pains are very likely due to your AN tumor, too, although you won't know for sure until it's been removed or radiated and shrunk.   

I'm sorry you have these symptoms, common as they may be to AN patients, and I hope you can find some relief in the knowledge that they are common and not specific to you, alone.  Please use the site and this forum to strengthen your knowledge and in doing so, find some much-needed comfort as you deal with this sometimes difficult and confusing medical issue.

Jim

[Patti]

I had headaches for years that were worse in the morning and eventyally accompanied by vomiting.  After that happened a few times I was diagnosed and then had surgery.  I toowas surprised that the doctor did not put any restrictions on my activities in between.  The head pain stopped after surgery.