Hoping this is just nervousnesss and not nerve

[stoneaxe]

Recently (last month or so) I've been experiencing same strange feelings in my face on the AN side. It started as a feeling like I had been sleeping on that side of my face....not quite numbness or pins and needles....but just a slight sensation. I've also been noticing that it feels like the outside corner of my eye is pulling and it seems to tear up without reason occasionally. Now for the last week (this may be completely unrelated) when I bite down I get pain in my jaw on that side. It also seems to come and go. I had to reschedule my MRI so I won't know for a bit exactly what is happening but when they looked at the last films one of the comments made was that the tumor was now close to the facial nerve. Do these sound like typical symptoms to you folks that have had facial problems?

My current understanding is that if it has grown close to the facial nerve that further radio-surgery would be ruled out because they couldn't do it without killing the facial nerve.

I hope I'm just getting nervous but I have a bad feeling about what is going to be found on this MRI. The facial issue isn't the only indicator/symptom that things may be going on in there that aren't good

[Sue]

Once that facial nerve gets messed with, all sorts of sensations can occur.  Mine started out as a noticeable numb spot right beside my ear.  Then it quickly spread out from there.  But, even as we speak, I have nervy things around my lips, and nose.  I'm guessing it's the nervy thing, but always wise to ask the dr.

Sue in Vancouver USA

[Kaybo]

Stoneaxe~
Let me get this straight because I think I missed something - I thought that you had already had treatment for your AN - I am looking at your signature and it sounds like you did, but now it is growing again??  Is that correct?

K

[stoneaxe]

K,

I had radio-surgery (proton beam) 5 years ago. Last march I had an MRI that showed growth to 11mm...I had previously been at 6mm post treatment. Another in September confirmed the growth but showed no additional change. When the growth was first noticed was when it was mentioned that it had gotten close to the facial nerve. I told myself I wasn't going to worrry about it until we see what this next MRI shows but these symptoms have started creeping in. I'm calling tomorow to get the MRI rescheduled. The last couple of months I've felt and heard (tinnitus) some changes but wasn't sure if it was just due to a combination of headcolds and low pressure systems (both of which can mess me up) and wasn't too concerned. The facial issues are something completey new though that I've never experienced before. I guess I knew the numbness and the eye were symptoms but was unsure of the jaw pain.

Bob

[sgerrard]

Grrr. I sure hope it is not a growing AN messing with your facial nerve, Bob. I thought the facial nerve was supposed to be fairly resistant to radiation damage? I also wonder if it something that could be smacked back down with steroids.

Don't let it eat you up while you wait to find out what is going on. Go do some more paddleboarding. 

Steve

[mk]

Bob,

what you are describing sounds to me more like trigeminal nerve rather than facial nerve issues. Like Steve said, the facial nerve is pretty resilient to the pressure by the AN, but it is not uncommon for ANs to start pressing on the trigeminal nerve, causing numbness, odd sensations, altered sensation to the cornea (which can lead to dry eye) and/or pain. Having said that, I think it is a good idea to schedule your MRI earlier, to figure out if these new symptoms are because of new growth, or because of inflammation.
I was also feeling some weird sensations these last few days, and it just happened that my MRI was scheduled at the same time. I don't see any growth, so it is probably due to inflammation (or simply stress, as I was so stressed out). I found that high dose of ibuprophene and warm compresses to increase the blood flow help. If inflammation is the cause of all this, then a short course of steroids might help too.
I hope that your symptoms are simply due to stress and they will disappear soon.

Marianna

[cindyj]

Hey, Bob - sorry to hear you're having some odd things going on.  I did have some jaw pain and tooth pain prior to my surgery.  I was told it probably wasn't related to the AN, however, it is gone now...

As Steve suggested, try not to worry too much - we know what a great attitude you have and I'm sure you'll use that attitude now.

Let us know what you discover,

Cindy

[stoneaxe]

Thanks for the replies all.

MRI scheduled for tomorrow morning. Should know what the little bugger has been up to shortly.

The jaw pain has been explained...I need to have a super erupted wisdom tooth extracted (saw my dentist today for a cleaning and he took x-rays). Relieved that its unrelated.

[Kaybo]

whew...that's good...in a way...

K

[stoneaxe]

LOL....yeah...who would have thought that being told you need a wisdom tooth pulled would ever be "good news"...

[Kaybo]

I just found out that my oldest daughter doesn't have ANY wisdom teeth (but she is smart!) - all I could think was, "YAY! no money for them babies to be taken out...& no pain for her!"

K

[MissMolly]

Hey Bob,

I have been experiencing the tearing and 'heavy' feeling on the left side of my face (AN side) as well.  I'm still new at this, but I can guess that its AN related.  My tumor is roughly the same side as yours.  Symptoms can be so confusing!

Let us know how the MRI turns out.

Miss Molly