Hello and welcome, Melissa ~
I'm sorry you have to deal with myriad physical maladies. My wife also has multiple spinal fusions and accompanying physical limitations but pushes though the pain and deficits to lead a relatively active life. I admire her, you and anyone, AN patients definitely included, that can surmount these kinds of physical challenges. That stated, your fears regarding an acoustic neuroma diagnosis are not unreasonable. However, as previously posters have wondered, how can a doctor offer a precise diagnosis of an acoustic neuroma (or any skull-based tumor) without MRI imaging? Granted, being without medical insurance coverage is problematic, to put it in the best possible terms. However, if you are without medical coverage now and cannot afford an MRI, obviously, you could not afford AN removal surgery that can easily cost $100,000. Irradiation treatments are equally expensive, but without the hospital stay, less so. Frankly, I think that $7,800. price tag for an MRI is exorbitant. My MRI scans (I've had 6) cost about half that, although my medical insurance covers all but 10% of the cost. I pay the balance in monthly increments, which the hospital gladly accepts, without question.
To answer your question: the growth rate for ANs can be anywhere from zero to exponential. Yes, in an 'active' growth stage, 2 mm per year is typical but that can suddenly accelerate (no one knows why) and quickly double in less than a year. Many AN surgical patients are diagnosed with a tumor that is found to be much larger once exposed and removed. Mine was measured at 4.5 cm at the time of my diagnosis but when the neurosurgeon debulked it, he said that it was approximately 5 cm. The salient point when discussing AN growth is that not only the growth rate but the location of the tumor is critical in both how and when it is addressed. If your AN diagnose is accurate than the tumor needs to be monitored via an annual MRI scan. I know this is not good news for you - but it is a reality. MRI monitoring is the only realistic manner of knowing whether the tumor has grown and if so, by how much, thus determining the growth rate and allowing you and your doctor to plan a schedule for addressing the tumor, be it with surgery or radiation.
The cold, hard fact is that, although acoustic neuromas are benign, they cannot be indefinitely ignored. As my usually avuncular neurosurgeon put it to me when I asked what would happen if we didn't do anything at all: "this thing can kill you". We scheduled debulking surgery for the following week.
I have no idea where your AN is in terms of growth but although you're without medical insurance, considering your diagnosis and the symptoms you're experiencing, I would advise you to seek alternative sources of financial help so that you can, at the least, obtain an MRI scan (and future scans to monitor the tumor) and, possibly, radiation and/or surgery to remove the AN or, at least, halt it's growth.
I've posted a link to the United Way '211' website that, by typing in your Zip Code, will give you information about possible financial help with your medical bills and other useful information. I hope this post and the information therein will be a bit helpful to you, and I sincerely wish you better days.
Jim
