Post by Stephanie L on Jul 25, 2011 18:30:45 GMT -6
I'm glad to have found this board. A year ago (I'm 31) doctors found a small 5.5mm x 5.5mm schwannoma at the atlas/C-1 level. This is after two years of symptoms: vertigo, dizziness, tingling and partial numbness in my left hand and foot, almost passing out when turning my head, difficulty swallowing, headaches and neckaches. I had several diagnoses including viral labrinthytis, silent migraines, anxiety, and I also found out I have 4 bulging cervical discs.
75% of my doctors say to leave the tumor there because it's so small: neurologist, neurosurgeon, GP. Only one says to take it out: pain management (I had one nerve block done, useless). Consultation with Cyberknife doctor also ended with "leave it." There was no growth at 6 months, I haven't been back for my year MRI yet.
The neurologist is convinced the tumor isn't causing my symptoms. I had a cerebral angiogram done because the tumor is so close to my vertebral artery that they thought it could be a vascular mass, but it wasn't. If it's so close, don't my symptoms seem to make sense? I can literally position my head to make myself black out.
Do you think I should seek yet another opinion? Or just let the symptoms continue and disassociate them with the tumor once and for all?
I really appreciate your input. I know surgery isn't always the answer, but leaving a growing mass inside my head just seems weird.
75% of my doctors say to leave the tumor there because it's so small: neurologist, neurosurgeon, GP. Only one says to take it out: pain management (I had one nerve block done, useless). Consultation with Cyberknife doctor also ended with "leave it." There was no growth at 6 months, I haven't been back for my year MRI yet.
The neurologist is convinced the tumor isn't causing my symptoms. I had a cerebral angiogram done because the tumor is so close to my vertebral artery that they thought it could be a vascular mass, but it wasn't. If it's so close, don't my symptoms seem to make sense? I can literally position my head to make myself black out.
Do you think I should seek yet another opinion? Or just let the symptoms continue and disassociate them with the tumor once and for all?
I really appreciate your input. I know surgery isn't always the answer, but leaving a growing mass inside my head just seems weird.
