Author Topic: First Six Month Checkup Results  (Read 4581 times)

Rob Mercer

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First Six Month Checkup Results
« on: March 14, 2005, 06:25:51 pm »
I had my first post-gamma knife checkup today.  I had my 1.3 cm AN irradiated on Sept 10, 2004 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical center.  Today's MRI showed that the AN is exactly the same size as before.  However, the good news is that the inside of the tumor is dark black.  This means that the gadolinium was not absorbed by the tumor.  Its blood support system is thus impaired and the tumor will likely shrink in the next few years.

I had a good talk with Dr. Lunsford.  I have almost complete hearing loss in my AN ear.  The loss occurred about two months after the GK procedure.  He told me that the loss was likely caused by tumor growth after the GK.  He said that I have only a 10% chance of recovering any hearing.  A conventional hearing aid will be no help.  He talked about something called a CROS.  He told me that this is very expensive and I should rent one to try it first.  About 65% of the people who try this don't like it and take it back!  Does anyone on this board have any info on CROS??

Dr. Lunsford also told me that there is little chance that I will have any other problems.  The chance of facial paralysis is less than 1%.  The chance of vertigo is very low since I did not have vertigo before the GK treatment.  He thinks that except for the hearing loss I should not have any other problems.  In fact he wants me to skip my next six month MRI and have my next one a year from now.  All in all I guess it was a good report.

alwaysanonymous

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Re: First Six Month Checkup Results
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2005, 01:48:08 pm »
i copy/pasted this from the house/ear website

CROS & BiCROS AIDS
CROS (Contralateral Routing of Signal) and BiCROS hearing aids may be useful for patients who have useable hearing in only one ear. A hearing aid is worn in each ear. Sound from the hearing impaired ear is transmitted to the better hearing ear, allowing the patient to hear sounds presented to the impaired side. BiCROS hearing aids are sued when the better ear also needs some amplification. These devices may be helpful in small meetings or dinner-table situations.

click the right link to go to the page where i found ithttp://www.houseearclinic.com/hearingaids.htm

wanderer

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Re: First Six Month Checkup Results
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2005, 04:45:08 pm »
Look into a BAHA instead.

It is a bone anchored hearing aid.    I used the test band and it was really great it sounded like I was talking on a cell phone but the sound came from the side that is now deaf.    They said the quality will improve once it is anchored to the bone.    It is made by Entific.    WWW.entific.com

It is very expensive though,  about 15K for surgery and 3K for the actual unit.   May or may not be covered by insurance.    Right now I'm trying to get my insurance company to cover it.