3 weeks after the scan I received a letter today saying "the MRI report is reassuring with no abnormalities detected in the region around your inner ears". Although hugely relieved I still don't know what's causing my symptoms. The letter also said there wouldn't be a follow up appointment but if I wanted one to discuss the report in detail I could ask for one.
Thanks to everyone for your advice and support
Well done, but I'd request a follow-up to find out what they DID find out!
I'm happy to hear of your good results. Now at least you know what it's not! Best wishes on finding out what is causing your issues.
Not to dampen your good news, but did they only do an MRI near your ears or of your entire brain. An AN can be anywhere along the acoustic nerve as far back as the brain stem. Make another another appointment and ask them. It is good news though that there isn't an AN in the vestibular (ear canal) region; be well.
That point has been bothering me too. The scan was of the internal auditory meatus and took about 10 minutes. So I think that's just the inner ear. I thought an AN always starts growing in the inner ear outwards. Perhaps because I didn't have any of the symptoms associated with pressure on the brain stem, my doctor didn't order a more thorough scan. Although having said that, since all of this started I've had a couple of headaches at the back of my head. I woke up during the night with them and they stayed all day - painkillers did not help. That's unusual for me. Of course we trust doctors to know what they are doing. I may take him up on the offer of an appointment to discuss the results
I found this on GP online "The current standard radiological investigation is MRI of the internal auditory meatus". So it would seem that this scan has been used with everyone who has been diagnosed with an AN
It seems that my definition of a vestibular schwannoma was not correct. The terms VS and AN seem to be interchangeable. What I meant by a VS was the very tiny section of the skull (close to the cochlea) that nerves and blood supply passes through. Most AN's occur inside the skull just past that tiny opening in the skull. See the following reference for a picture of what I am referring to: nidcd.nih.gov/health/vestib...
My VS occurred inside that tiny bony area, which is why my hearing and balance died off in less than a month.
I am happy to hear that your MRI was sufficient to diagnose the absence of an AN. Sorry if I mislead you (and myself).
Awaiting first mri results
How often do you have MRI scans?
MRI Results waiting time 
MRI scan 
Annual MRI scan for AN after surgery 
