Anyone else diagnosed with acoustic neuroma, a benign brain tumor?

An acoustic neuroma on the right side of my brain destroyed hearing in my right ear. It was discovered when I had an MRI to diagnose hydrocephalus. When the neurologist did surgery to insert a shunt, he decided that the neuroma should be "watched." Have some balance problems, but am able to function fairly well. Also have neuropathy in my feet, thanks to chemo and radiation, which probably adds to the balance problems.

Hello Saucy: I saw u posted that your having a ct scan for tumor in your ear scheduled. I had ear infections for 9 years, had massive amounts of anti-biotics. after ct scans, biopsy, and cultures. My doctor Finally did a MRI..Unfortunately an MRI is the only way they can see it. Sooo if I was you., and to save some time and frustration, just opt for the MRI.
By the time they found my tumor in my ear canal. It was 3.5 centimeters across and was pushing on my brain stem and causing hydpcephalys. I am by no means trying to scare you. I underwent a 12 hour surgery, ...If i would have not had to take all the antibiotics for years for ear infections, they may have found it sooner.
But as for now, because of my surgery, I lost complete hearing in my left side....Who is your Doctor? Talk to her or him...If they know theres a tumor in your canal, they should be doing a MRI

I was diagnosed with my Swannoma in 2014, Dr Huong is my ENT at The Mayo in Minneapolis...Go see her, She is AWESOME, The sooner they find its size out, the better.My surgery was a bit difficult because I'm alergic to lots of drugs and anasteshias.So keeping me asleep wa a bit of a chore for them, I did a lot of testing before my surgery.
Unfortunately Ive lost a lot of balance due to the surgery. Enough that I've had to go from working a full 40 hour work week to 4-5 hours , three days a week. I cannot tell where sound is coming from, an my balance is way off some days.
Everyones after surgery state is different I'm told...Good luck, I will keep you in my prayers, Please let me know what the CT scan finds...And how you are doing..
I find it interesting whenever I see a new post on the MAYO blog...

There has been much discussion about MRI diagnosis, so I would like to bring everyone's attention to an article in the September 19th issue of the Wall Street Journal which was entitled, A QUESTION FOR ANYONE GETTING AN MRI. This article basically says, "Patients need to know if the doctor plans to use Contrast or Gadolinium, because it may leave harmful metal deposits; a new FDA warning .....Earlier this month an advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted 13 to 1 in favor of adding a warning on labels that Gadolinium can be retained in some organs, including the brain, and even in patients with healthy kidneys." When this article appeared, I called my physician and found that our hospital used Gadolinium and I refused treatment there. I am now in search of an MRI complex that only uses Contrast. Check the September 19th issue of the Wall Street Journal at your library, so you can read the rest of the the article covering the effects of Gadolinium on a 55-year-old woman from Cleveland and decide what you want to do Floridaellie

Here is a link to the Wall Street Journal to which @floridaellie refers. Note that you need to subscribe to WSJ to access the article
- WSJ: A Question for Anyone Getting an MRI https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-question-for-anyone-getting-an-mri-1505751710

Also here is the FDA article posted May 22, 2017
- FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA evaluating the risk of brain deposits with repeated use of gadolinium-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm455386.htm

Thanks but cannot have MRI's due to a LYNX device

Thanks!

I am concerned that you cannot link to the Wall St Journal article of September 19 entitled "A QUESTION FOR ANYONE GETTING AN MTRI" unless you are a subscriber. If you wish, I will contact the Journal and ask if they could send this to you. If so, what would your email address be? floridaellie

No problem, Floridaellie. That is the business model of the WSJ. Subscription only costs $1 for the first 3 months. However, it is good Internet protocol to warn people when sending them a link to something that is behind a paywall. Hence my note. I like that you suggested people look for the edition in their public library. Great option.

My husband had radiation the gamma knife surgery worked for him. It has been 10 years and it is actually starting to shrink. It was worth a try rather than the surgery. He went to a balance center and learned how to stop some of the balance issues. There are exercises he does and they help with that. We were happy not to go thru the surgery. We had a great doctor. It is something he will live with the rest of his life. Would do,the gamma surgery rather than open his head.