Sudden Hearing loss _{Page 36 of 105}

Mertie,
Just a quick reply while I am in the process of baking different sorts of cookies.
Thanks so much for your kind words.
When it comes to the weather, Yes they have a lot of snow in the West especially Colorado. But here in the North East (New England) we have weather that looks more like we are getting close to Easter. So far no White Christmas in sight for us on this side of the US.
Again thanks
Be safe and be well

Hi, everyone. I spend almost 1 1/2 hours in commute each way. I get so exausted when get home. Even with ear protection, daily sounds are still a torture. I am really looking forward reading your postings. I especially wonder how Laughingarcher is doing... He(?) and I share this sensitivity, phamtom sounds..

Anyway, I found a new product for One sided HL from other forum. It is newer than BAHA and no surgery needed. Check out the website, TRANSEAR.

Take care! Love you all!

Hello all.

first let me start by saying Merry Christmas. so many business's i know still say merry christmas and i love it, i hear all the talk on tv about people saying happy holidays instead and thats just not right. its christ birthday and merry christmas is tradition. you dont mess with tradition.... with that said. i miss hope and you guys alot. i pray that all is well.

my hearing remians the same. 'knock on wood.' my left ear is restored to full hearing. I still have tinnitus in my right ear but its not so bad. from time to time it does sound worse but i think diet and reast have alot to do with. i have 2 or three really bad days a month and the rest is fine... both ears rings in total silence but the right ear is the one that rings louder and it does scare me from time to time. i always wonder if it will go back down in loudness and the next day i wake up and its all better. cant figure it out to save my life.

I have been cheating so I imagime that dont help my hearing. I cant help it, I have a secret love for eggnog. 'what do they put in that stuff. I love it!!!!

Mommy hope. I hope your ok. i owe alot to you and think of you all the time... I pray for all of us to be normal but ask yourself this question.... what really is normal? is there such a thing anymore?

I read about the new technology ear piece that is helping so many. every month is a step closer to helping us.

this problem of SSNHL drives people crazy. do any of you do these things?? Im to scared to do anything now. no concerts, no snorkling, no beach or waves, no loud music, always feeling the back of my ear and front to test it to make sure I can hear, I got pills daglore, i got steroids ready and waiting by my bedside, I wont fly, refuse to have stereo up loud. dont want to eat anywhere they have live music. the list goes on and on... am I just crazy or does anyone else do this??

Merry Christmass, I pray for you all. This board gave me the support I needed when I thought there was no hope at all.

Ironic that a lady that names herself hope gave me the hope that I needed. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

nitrams2000

Glad to hear (no pun intended) that you continue to retain your hearing.

In answer to your question, I finally sold my SCUBA gear that I have never worn because I cancelled my 1st lesson in 2005 when the 1st episode occurred and now, with the 2nd SSNHL episode I have decided to skip SCUBA. However, I do snorkel, but with an ear plug in my left ear.

I probably attended my last loud rock concert, which was the day before my hearing went south this last time. However, I attend small venues and bring ear plugs just in case. We were on a Christmas boat cruise with live jazz and I found I had to get up and go out on the deck---so I am protective of my hearing, but have not eliminated things that bring me joy...I just have to come prepared.

I do check my hearing periodically (I really hate it when I am watching TV and the sound drops---I have to ask my wife if it's the TV or me) and massage around it a lot just like I do to any part of my body that I have problems with. No issues with flying and have flown since this last episode...just the normal air pressure altitude popping that goes on for all of us.

Had steroids around after the 1st one that came in handy when the 2nd one occurred (it was a weekend) and still have them around, however I don't have them by my bedside...they are 20 feet away...:-). Took them to Mexico in November and will take them with me to the Caribbean in January as well (sort of like Linus' blanky).

I have also added a couple of more pills to my daily supplemetal arsenal that might help mitigate an episode in the future. Since we really don't know the exact cause for any of us, I act 'as if' I know and take some things that might help, but certainly won't harm me.

I have to admit that I say Merry Christmas to folks, but purchase cards that say Happy Holidays.

Hi all,
Thanks Hope,Nitrams and all for your wishes and hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.
Yes Nitrams I have and do all the crazy things you do. I am always testing my ear to make sure I haven't lost any of what I got back, wont fly yet, scared to swim, wont leave home with out the steroids, avoid loud music and venues. When the ringing gets loud or I wake in the night and its loud I'm sacared its happening again and to my good ear.
Had my first glass of wine the other day for a pre xmas drink and was petrified it might set off the ringing louder again, but all was okay.

Apart from all that paranoia I live as normal as possilble and Christmas eve had about 20 family and friends over and for those that didn't know about my hearing didn't notice so I'm coping ok and am always aware of placing my self in a position that I hear most things so all in all its ok, and will have to be.

I wish you all on the forum a happy new year for this weekend coming, am going away for a few days but will always check in on the forum from time to time.

Take care for now and best wishes to all.

Mertie,
I am glad you got most of your hearing back. But I am wondering why you did not check into hearing aids? unless your hearing is good enough and amplyfication is not an issue.
In any case have a blessed New Year.
And that goes of course for all of you reading the posts under this forum.

Thanks for your wishes hope.
My ENT has said to wait for the full 6 months before I get a hearing aid, which will be in March and I will give one a go then. His theory is wait until it stabilises, which i feel it has now anyway.
So it will be something to look forward to in the New year.
He did try to put me off saying they are more trouble than they are worth, but really he has no Idea what its like to have an ear that is muffled and sounds like your'e underwater.
once again A happy HEALTHY new year to all.

Hi all
Had an interesting day yesterday at work. I was straightening out and rearranging shelves at work. This involved looking up and so I got dizzy and knew I should quit, but wanted to finish so did. I got dizzier as the day went on and had to get my husband to come and get me at work. At home I could not watch TV, could not focus and the room was turning slowley. I had to go to bed and I slept 14 hrs. Could still feel it in the morning so took gravol and was able to work today. Am going back to vertigo clinic in Jan. so hopefully with time and exercises will improve.In the meantime will try not to look up anymore than I have to.
Seattle stan... I am going to start the applecider vinegar tomorrow. Thanks

Sharing to all:

Here's the text of an article I came across in my Business Week a couple of weeks ago on tinnitus....

Tuning Into A Treatment For Ringing Ears

Tinnitus, a chronic ringing, whooshing, or buzzing in the ears, affects up to 50 million Americans, says the American Tinnitus Assn., including 49% of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. (In 2005, disability payments to veterans with tinnitus reached $418 million, says association CEO David Fagerlie.)

Some 12 million Americans with the condition—linked to exposure to loud noises and certain drugs, hearing loss, and aging—seek treatment. But most get little or no relief from existing herbal or masking therapies.

Now an Australian health-care company, Neuromonics, has come up with a treatment that seems to be getting good results using an mp3-like device. With $12 million in venture capital, the company, founded in 2001 by a clinical audiologist, now has a U.S. operation in Bethlehem, Pa. Its six-month treatment is being used in 33 U.S. clinics, with plans to expand to 165.

The Neuromonics device uses a patient-specific mix of music and high-frequency white noise to ease symptoms. Later, it habituates sufferers to their tinnitus. The idea is to train the brain to block the noise even when the device isn't being worn. The treatment (device and audiologist time) costs about $5,000. Neuromonics says more than half of 700 patients who have had the therapy report relief months after completing treatment. Ear and Hearing, the American Auditory Society journal, will publish an article next year on the company's clinical trials.

At Ohio's Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Craig Newman has used the system with 25 patients. Though 'it's still very new,' he says, 'it seems to have worked better than existing treatments.' The device, says Ian Bund, a partner at Innovation Capital, one of Neuromonics' investors, has 'the ingredients that make venture capitalists very excited,' among them, a big market and 'a great deal of interest from practitioners.'

By Aili McConnon

Hey everyone- I have been following this site for over a year now. Total loss in left ear. Still don't know why. I was wondering if any of you have been on Zoloft? I am trying to pin point a common area. Any suggestions on this drug would be great.
Happy new year!!!

mich18 - I have lost all hearing in the right ear last January 22nd and I was never ever on Zoloft.
However I have a relative who took that stuff for several years about 8 years ago and that person has no hearing problems at all. I have the feeling that this antidepressant medication has nothing to do with hearing loss. But I could be wrong, I am not a doctor, but a software engineer so I have no medical background at all.
Have a good New Year

mich 18-- I have never taken zoloft. I'm pretty sure the cause of my sudden hearing loss was a viral flu I had the week before. I was very sick and had to go to the doc. for medication to straighten my stomach out.
That was Sept. 5th. Very little improvement and the left ear is still way below hearing level.
Spend most of my time working on my vertigo and tinnitus problems and are tired most of the time after being at work even though I'm supernummery at this time.
Tonight my tinnitus is very loud even though today was slow paced.Can't figure it out.
seattlestan----- My husband found a site on the internet right after I got SHL and could not sleep with the tinnitus.This site played white noise and really helped me at that time so the mp3 type player sounds good. I don't listen to it now as I am able to sleep.
happy new year!!!

mich18 I have nevver taken zoloft but I have alos looked for common things that would seem to tie this all together and I have found a few.

Alot of peopple I have spoken to that have SSNHL jave a high cholestral or they have had a really bad viral flu or the have a high potassium level. also alot of them take aspirin.

I have learned a few new things since my last post. Sometimes SSNHL can be a immunity problem and Vetenerains that I spoke with say that they see this all the time in dogs, they have done more studies with dogs and are much further along then with humans. 'isnt that crazy!!!'

with dogs they have found out that the 3 main causes for hearing and eye site loss is
1. Bacterial- Bacteria attacks the body in high forms for animals.

2. Yeast - all dogs have high levals of yeast and are prown to get yeast infections. both male and female.

3. Immuniy disorder. this is a form of AIED. This is where the immunity attacks its own body. in dogs this is very bad because usually they die.


back to humans and things in common. what I have notcied as a similarty.

1. High Cholestral.
2. Stress.
3. high levels of yeast.
4. Red yeast rice. A big NO NO It raises your poatasium levels.
5. aspirin
6. This one is strange. I have spoken to 3 people with SSNHL now they have told me that they were with some friends, they were out drinking and having a good time, and it just happened out of no where , it seconds they were deaf. that tells me that something triggered t to happen. they did something and suddenly it was gone just like that, 'action and reaction' I call it... this is where you did something wrong and now its gone like that. For many people it could be different but thats wierd to talk to 3 people that had the exact samething happen and mine happen the first time at a party too.

Happy new year.

I hope everyone had a great new year. I was gone with the family celebrating the new year on a cruise. My ear were fine the whole time. I did feel some ringing in my right ear and the acustics of the room were horrible. I could hear my ear everytime I walked in the room and I have no idea why. other then that we had a great time.

I learned something really neat on the cruise. One of our stops was Belize and at Belize you can buy any drug you want right over the counter with out a prescription so can you guess what I bought???? that's right I bought a big back up supply of prednisone, the nice thing about prednisone is it has a 4 year EXP. date so you can hold on to it for a long time. I never knew that about Belize but allot of people did because there was people on the cruise just to go to Belize to buy the drugs, the drugs there are extremely cheap. and you can get anything you want. perfectly legal. I wonder if that's such a good thing but I was happy to pick up my Prednisone.

Happy new years all.

Now for the not so good news, I allready sent a email to hope about it and I want to tell the board because the lady I'm going to speak about may join the board. try to help her if you can guys, because it maybe to late for her too but she is trying hard and she has a big heart.

Now for the not so good news and something very sad. .. I spoke with a lady today that was referred to me from a friend. She is 52 and has SSNHL. or possibly Labyrinths. She told me everything that she has been threw, we spoke about her hearing loss and she has had it since the beginning of October. She also gets the vertigo. , She said that a few times the vertigo has been so bad that she freaked out and everything was spinning tell she passed out. She went to 3 ENT doctors and they all told her there was not much they could do. one ENT gave her prednisone but they only gave her 40mg a for 7 days. that's the wrong amount. its 60mg a day for 12 days. She has had the hearing loss for over 3 month now. I told her everything I did and everything I took and what to do but I didn't have the heart to tell her that it was probably to late. I didn't want to crush her hopes. It was so sad and depressing that I almost cried my self. I wish there was something I could have done. If only I would have met her sooner.
The ENT doctors are going in reverse and hurting instead of helping her. now they have given her a type of generic anxiety medicine that's probably very Ototoxic.

More on yeast!

Yeast Overgrowth: Is There a Connection?

this site talks about the connection with yeast and allot of the symptoms it explians I have.

This is a strong connection with this.

http://www.mwilliamson.com/yeast.htm

Hi everyone,
Nitrams, I want to tell you
that prednisone does not
necessarily cure SHL.
I had a high dose of prednisone the day after my hearing loss which was profound in my left ear.
that was 8 months ago, and my hearing has not returned.
prednisone did not fix it.

My ENT tells me that in MOST cases Prednisone does not work - it did not work for me either!

actually im not sure if prednisone fixed what i had because i tried so many different things. but something worked. so i got it just incase. i feel it was most likely the prednisone or the shots to the ear the helped the most.

Funny how many different answers are received on SSNHL. Having been through it twice now, both times I was treated with 60 mg of Prednisone for 2 weeks, within 10 days of the hearing loss and it came back both times. The last time I needed a shot of Decadron in my ear to bring back the last 20%. I am still left with tinnitus and unsure what caused SSNHL both times, but have been taking proactive steps around yeast, allergies, etc.

The one thing that puzzles me that Nitrams mentioned as a 'no no' was Red Yeast Rice, which is a more natural solution to reducing high cholesterol (versus statin drugs like Lipitor). I take that daily and my cholesterol and triglycerides have been radically reduced. Guess I will have to follow up with somebody and see what they say. It's like squeezing a balloon...squeeze in one place and it bulges out in another...fix cholesterol which may be a factor in SSNHL and with the remedy that made that possible, help foster SSNHL?

My cholesterol has always been really low! I think we are just constantly highlighting how much is not known about SSHL! Why is there not more research being done? In the UK there is not even a forum like this one to help/support people like me. I am being fitted for a hearing aid next week but will have to wait three or four weeks to try it as my Audiologist wants to make sure that my haring has stabilised. The last test showed a tiny recovery but I can't tell, possibly because of the tinnitus, distortion, recruitment etc. Anyway, I am keen to see if it will help.

I am back home and see how wonderful it is that this forum is still alive.
And yes it was Nitrams2000 that brought it back to live.......Thanks so much.
For me also the Prednisone did not do the trick. And further more, the doctors from the famous MEEI clinic, keep on telling their patients that they do not believe that Prednisone does help. They think or pretend that when the hearing comes back it is 'probably' because of spontaneous recovery. I do not think so at all, but I am not a doctor. The first 6 days of Prednisone did bring back some hearing for me. Then I received BIAXIN-XL and that destroyed some of the hearing in my left ear. Plus about a week later, the hearing in the right ear was gone again. I would say Nitram, and Seattlestan hold on to your Prednisone, I believe it did help you guys. And if you go back several months ago there was a discussion on this forum about the shots rigth into the ear. I also believe that this helped some of the posters, yet again when I questioned MEEI, I got the same reply 'it was probably spontaneous recovery'.
Bottom line for me is that I firmely believe that not enough had been done for me and now I am deaf in the right ear and have moderate to severe loss in the left one.
The BIAXIN was not prescribed by MEEI, but the ENT guy who gave me that stuff should have known how ototoxic that stuff really is.
And I see that some others on this forum are stuck with the same deafness as I.
There is a need for much more research into sudden deafness on humans.
Take care all

Thanks Hope01

It does not hurt to go with the Prednisone, even if no one can prove that it is responsible for recovery. I would hate to believe some of the ENT community and wait for the miracle of spontaneous recovery. However, to give it the best shot, all the literature I have read says to start it within 10 days, 60 mg./day for 10 days. This last time, it wasn't until day 6 that I started getting recovered hearing (Prednisone or not) and another 4-5 days before I got back to where I had been after the 1st SSNHL episode.

I agree with JeWel41 that our comments are highlighting how much conflicting information is out there and how much the ENT community does not know. As I have mentioned in previous posts, we are guinea pigs. Sharing what we have read, learned, experienced, or are trying on for mitigating any future occurrences, etc. is all we can do. This forum has certainly provided me some ideas for consideration, and hopefully I have shared something that somebody else will find useful in pursuing. What we have to remember is that one person's solution is not necessarily going to work for another. This SSNHL appears to be person-specific.

Today and yesterday have been sorta strange for me. I just noticed that I feel sorta light or a sort of drunk or stoned feeling. Its not really dizzy light vertigo but it is definitly noticeable. sometimes I wonder if its just me and my mind playing games on me but i definatly feel something. I cant really describe it. does anyone is feel this??? it feels like I took a valium or I had to much to drink. its sort of a swaying feeling. It could be from the cruise. myabe a after effect or something. I sure hope it goes away. it makes it hard to concentrate.

Game starts in a hour.... im a Florida state fan so im going for ohio state to beat the gators... I want to get even for when the gators beat my seminoles!!.. LOLOL

Nitrams2000 - Your feeling could be an after effect of your cruise.
Many many moons ago, as a student I went with a group of young people to Algeria and the Northern part of the Sahara desert. We flew there by plane but came back by ship.
And the funny thing is that out of the 36 of us young women, 29 (me included)felt very funny the next day, not really dizzy, but like we were on some kind of medication, but we were not and then the following day, we had to take a train to get back to the North East (Alsace-Lorraine) and the strange feeling left us.
We never did find out what it was, but several of the students ended up seeing their doctors and were told that it probably was an after effect of the time on the ship??????????
Take care