Hi "denwig." The neurosurgeon at UCSF told me the same thing that Jimmye stated his doctor told him, that once a particular symptom appeared the surgery wouldn't necessarily result in the disappearance of the symptom, in your case, tinnitus. 4 months ago I had a 2.7 benign meningioma removed that was 1.6 millimeters from my optic nerve. The neurosurgeon was able to extract the entire tumor without damaging my optic nerve. I was very stressed about the surgery as well. But, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be. I actually had very little pain. I was discharged 2 days after surgery and didn't take any pain meds at home. If you haven't already, your next step might be to consult a neurosurgeon. I have been told that your outcome is often better if you don't wait "until it's absolutely necessary." I had seen two neuro doctors (neurologist & neuro-oncologist) and once I saw the neurosurgeon at UCSF I put my trust in his decision of what was best for my situation and that made a difference in my stress level. I wish you all the best during this difficult time.