Sudden Hearing loss _{Page 44 of 105}

Hi JeWeL41
Yes it has gone a bit quiet lately. So, good to hear your news.
I had profound loss last Sept and have about 55% back on various levels. I go back this month to try out a hearing aid so your post is very encouraging. Everyone is telling me I dont need one but then when we get in crowded situations they have to repeat themselves or talk on my good side so I'm going for the free trial and see how I go. Its amazing how you get used to the loss and our good ears adjust.
Hope eveyone else is dong OK too.

best of luck with your trial, if nothing else you will undoubtedly notice that you feel more 'balanced' and it is much easier to locate the direction of sounds!

Hi there, I just came to this site to see what others had said about sudden hearing loss. I too went completely stone deaf in my left ear about 6 months ago now. Just hanging around, watching a movie and bang, I went deaf with my head feeling like it was filled with cotton and really LOUD ringing in my ear (I think that was the worst part). Went to a walk-in clinic after my hearing didn't return (the same night) and was told it was probably just my eustation tube, go home, spray Flonaze up my nose. I ended up going to 3 walk in clinics and everyone said the same thing .. basically, don't worry about it. 5 days later I went to the ER as I was going crazy with the ringing and really afraid I'd never get my hearing back. Luckily there was an ENT doc on duty, he said I probably had SSHL and the chances of me getting my hearing back was not good, said the only thing to try (and it could be too late) was to go on prednisone and anti-viral drugs. I started taking a huge amount of prednisone (120 mgs per day - 60 mgs every 12 hours) and by the same night I started to take them, my hearing started to come back. A week later I regained ALL of my hearing. Went to see the ENT doc, he gave me a hearing test, both ears were 'normal' and he was litterally shaking his head at my recovery. Had an MRI to rule out a brain tumor (don't have one) and I'm still hearing fine. I tell everyone I know now to RUN to the nearest ENT doc to get on prednisone if they have sudden hearing loss, it saved my hearing. I'm so grateful. Just wanted to add a positive result/recovery. I try not to think about it ever happening again. My ENT doc said it was 'un-likely' (didn't give me stats, so I'm going with that). Good luck to others. It was a pretty scary thing and I'm glad it's over. Thanks for listening.

Hi everyone,
Although my hearing is back to normal, I come and read whenever something is being posted. I am one lucky dude and I feel that something is not fair with my miraculous recovery; I do not know how I would handle this if I was a teacher, or a musician...
Lot's of courage, I can relate to you guys.
From cold stormy Québec.
Al

Hi you all. It is so nice to read about the positive things being said about SSNHL. I am glad for all of you who did recover. I did get some distorted hearing back in the beginning but my ENT did not give me more prednisone.
The moral of this post is that should you get an onset of SSNHL, be in your doctor's face and DEMAND more prednisone and also the shots directly into the ear.
I am now deaf in one ear for the rest of my life and I suffer from this terrible Tinnitus in the deaf ear. My doctor (Seven Rauch at MEEI) calls it brain static...
Deaf musician, we are also burried under the snow here in New England.
Hopefully this post will not shut down the forum again, seems that each time I post something, the forum goes dead.

Hope01,
I think it is just a coincidence, but it is true that you happen to be the last person to write something (meaningful!), you sum it up! Here I am caught again with my language's limitations. I mean to tell you that you are very interesting and I can feel from here that you are 'une personne très sensible et délicate'.
So please, keep on posting.
Al

I'm so thankful---just got the notice from my insurance company that the baha implant should be covered under my insurance. It's good news for me...and less worry. I was afraid they wouldn't, that they'd find some way to extend the 'review' of my case until past mid-june, when my coverage ends, but the letter came that as long as I have the baha surgery within the next 2 months, it should be covered.

And I am now 98% sure, I'd guess, that I want the surgery. As I've been teaching, it's completely obvious to me that I am at a major disadvantage. I accidentally ignore or miss students who speak on my right, I can't hear what a kid says (regardless of where they are sitting) if the room is noisy....and I know it's because all my sound is coming in on one side. This surgery should help restore some of the balance. It won't be the same, I know, but if it's better than this, it'll be wonderful.

I go in about 3 weeks to meet with the surgeon (once he's finally healed from the broken leg). I'm anxious to get this process started.

deaf musician - I thank you so much for your kind words. I just have to find the strength to go on with this terrible noise in the deaf ear. But I am much older than you and therefore I am glad that you got your hearing back at your young age.
Ulricha1 - I am so glad to hear that the insurance will be covering the Baha surgery, I am sure there will be more balance in your hearing as you will have hearing on both sides again with this Baha. We are lucky to live in this day and age (not thinking about the terrible war) but on the technology side, I sometimes wonder how the HOH people went on with their lives after they lost their hearing.
So your ENT doctor could not help you regain hearing in the ear where you had the onset of SSNHL?
Take care and be well

Hi all, how is everyone? I had a scan on the lump near my ear yesterday but no biopsy because it 'looks like just an enlarged lymph node', no explanation of why it is enlarged or when it will stop growing! I have an appointment with ENT at Royal Throat.Nose and Ear Hospital but not until the end of May as they did not prioritise me, way too late for the shots I think. On the upside, school is good!

Hello everyone! I was wondering if anyone else has lost the lower-tone frequencies with their hearing loss. On jan 2nd, I experienced loss of hearing in my left ear, terrible tinnitus and ear fullness. I have done a 1 week of stereoids,- not much effect. The doctor believe the damage is in the inner ear due to excess fluid, (wrong pressure), because all the tests show my outer and middle ear is fine. Now I have started with diuretics to see if it can help. I have experienced no balance problems so far. The doctor think it can be beginning stage of Meniere's , but I have no certain diagnosis yet. I wonder if anyone else has lost mainly low-tone frequencies, feel ear pressure and have tinnitus,- but no vertigo? I have tried hearing aid, and wear it to work. I was advised to avoid stress and see if I can work less for a 3 month period. (Easier said than done) This situation is very stressful in itself, I sleep poorly at night. Wake up all the time , even after I manage to fall asleep!

kimno - yes most of us! The symptoms you have are entirely consistent with SSHL. Have you only lost the low frequencies? Has your hearing really settled as it seems very early to be using a hearing aid. Did you experience distortions such as echoeing etc, did voices sound like daleks, has the tinnitus changed? Have you been hosptal;ised for Carbogen gas treatment and have you had antiviral drugs? Take some time off work until you feel more normal, you will by the way! My SSHL hit on 25th Nov last year and I went back to work 4 weeks ago with a hearing aid.Bear in mind, like the rest of us, you are unlikely to have a diagnosis of anything other than Idiopathic Sudden SensoriNeural Hearing Loss.

Hello JeweL41.
I have lost some hearing in the higher frequencies also, but my audiogram is very upwardsloping,- VERY bad until I reach 1k, then I can hear 1k at 40db, from 2k and upwards I am in the range of about 30db. The doctors say it's typically Meniere's slope. However, I am also bothered with ear fullness and two tinnitus sounds, one high pitch signal and some lower noise as shhhh sound. I live in Europe, have seen 3 spesialists. Was not taken seriously first few weeks,they thought it would go away. Have taken ALL tests last week at major hospital. Shows nothing wrong with conductive hearing. Have not been given antiviral drugs or carbogen gas treatment. If this diuretic treatment does'nt work, (into 3rd day today)maybe I should ask again for stereoid. Basically, I am just wondering if I soon will experience dizziness or vertigo, but of course, no one can tell. Well, the doctors think it might be Meniere's but without vertigo,- may come later. My hearing has been tested 4 times last 2 months,- 3 latest times no change. Hearing aid helps against the fullness of the ear-feeling. No distortions or echoes, but I have trouble with where the sound comes from. (Hearing aid is experimental phase now, I have paid nothing until decision is made which one is best) I guess I am just praying I will not go on to classic Meniere's, as it seems so unpredictable. I am not working full time now,- will try to take 3 months leave from work after easter.

Hi Kimno, I don't know anything about the Menieres slope on an audiogram and can only say that my SSHL was not associated with vertigo, only a bit of unsteadiness (even though I have had labrynthitus twice in the past 18 months). Locating sounds is a problem when you have one-sided hearing and the aid , I find has helped with that in most instances. If you have SSHL, the dreadful fullness and pressure does improve over time though I suspect there is always a slight feeling and my aid does help with this too. I have a friend who has had Menieres for 19 years, she was fantastic when the SSHL hit - I will ask her how it first started.

JeWel41,
Thank you for your answers. I have almost normal hearing in my right ear. I thought the fullness of the ear was only a symptome of Meniere's, but if others with sshl experience it,- maybe I don't have beginning of Meniere's. I don't really know what to think of this very strange, sudden hearing loss. I'm worried since it seems my audiogram slope is upwards, biggest loss in lower frequencies. Well, it's a relief to have someone else but the doctors to ask questions. They can't really tell me much.

Kimno, I think most people on this site have had the fullness and pressure and none have Menieres although of course this does not mean that you don't. I had normal pressure tests too so this may be significant for you. The main thing is to really badger your GP and specialists. Have you had an MRI scan, most of us have.
Google 'sudden hearing loss', there is masses of imformation about it even though we are a select group.
Remember, sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency and there is very little known about it, most ENTs seldom see it and there is controversy about types of treatment or even whether to treat at all as a lot of recoveries are spontaneous (though these are usually in the first two weeks)In my experience, no two hospitals will respond in the same way when faced with SSHL.

Yes I have had MR scan, and I believe all the other available tests. Blood tests fine, scan fine,conductive hearing fine. Now I'm on my 4th day of diuretics, so far worse tinnitus(which the doctor said could happen) and a headache later in the day, and dizziness in the evening. I believe side effects of the loop-diuretics. Stereoids also gave me side effects, so I think I'm sensitive to medication. I have been very healthy all my life, not used to even aspirin! Well, it's worth a try, to see if it can help the hearing, even though the side effects are bad.

I was admitted as an emergency 3 days after onset and had steroids (one month), betahistine, diuretics, carbogen, painkillers, indegestion tablets (to counteract all others)so it sounds like you are getting standard treatments but possibly should have been sooner. I still have three types of tinnitus - loud whistle, whooshing and 'musical' chimes when I shake my head! Spoke to my friens with Menieres today and she had gradual hearing loss and ever increasing dizzy spells over a period of many months before diagnosis. she did not know of anyon who had suddenly lost their hearing and didn't have dizziness but who knows?

yes, who knows? I did go see a spesialist 3 days after it happened (happened over night, went to bed happy, woke up nearly deaf!)but was first treated for an ear infection middle-ear. Did not help. Saw another spesialist (ENT as you say in the U.S), was told to wait another few days, and so on. Time goes by. My steroid treatment started 3 weeks after. Was then started to be treated with more respect, and referred to a surgeon, but he said he could do nothing. Is in the inner ear, and he called it 'sudden deafness'. Last week at a major hospital I had a a computer test with electones on my head, which showed that the signals go to my brain as they should, but they suspect innear ear fluid not being as it should.
Now trying loop-diuretics. How long did you try this for? Did you feel a bit dizzy,headache in the afternoon, and trouble sleeping? I hope it is side effects that will go away,- it's my fourth day. By the way,I am 53 years old, but in very good health (except I can't hear and take all these medications that make me feel rotten!!)

Hi Kimno, lots of cases of SSHL like you and me go to bed fit and fine and wake up deaf! I had the diuretics for 8 days. I have not heard anyone mention the electrode test, most of us are just told it is the nerve or the cochlea and you will never know which so I will ask my GP about this as I'd like to know.Felt really out of it for the first month when I was on all the meds and then had earaches and headaches which have begun to tail off recently. I am much more tired than I ever was before and lack energy but had some blood tests a couple of weeks ago which were all normal. I do have trouble sleeping, sometimes due to tinnitus or earache or just restlessness. I am 42, non-smoker, tee-total, slim,reasonably fit and have never had a major illness in my life.My MRI was normal too but not gadolinium enhanced as I believe it should have been - this whole process is very frustrating. How do others respond to you? I find they are beginning to lose their patience and cannot understand the trauma associated with this invisible affliction.

The test is called auditory Brain Stem. (I think that is what it is in english) My family is very supportive, but my youngest children (13 and 16) can't really understand what I am going through, and I don't want to upset them too much with this. My spouse is very supportive. Friends and collegues at work have been told, but I think it is very hard for anyone not experiencing it themselves to really understand the 'pain' and frustration. Tinnitus can be awful some days, but getting used to it being there all the time. I am also much more tired than usual, and I am the kind of person who likes to 'do things',- I am not used to only sitting around in the chair! I really hope there is still a chance it will get better, even though I have had it for almost 3 months soon. My deepest sympathy and compassion goes out to everyone experiencing this trauma!

Kimno, at least we are not alone and we do learn to live with it. Great news too, I've just read that Betahistine (for tinnitus) is about to be licensed as a weight loss drug!!! so every cloud has a silver lining.

Hi
I haven't posted anything here for several months, but still read the posts.

KIMNO : just wanted to let you know when I woke up deaf in my right ear, I did not get treatment in time and not because I didn't try. I just could not into see an ENT for 6 weeks.
I have lost the hearing in my lower range as well. I do hear a bit out of that ear but it is a very distoreted sound.. I became very sensitive to noise, to the point where I could hear the hum of neon lights in department stores. It was awful. I had the ABR test done with the electrodes and all that was normal as well. I am still no better than when I was hit with this in September last year, but have become more accustomed to the weird hearing I have in my right ear. I am becoming more used to noise now so it does not bother me as much. I live with it. I did not suffer with dizziness too much except when moving my head suddenly but this was before the SSHL. I have not got a hearing aid because of the cost. Can't afford it. I did try one out and it made a huge difference. Maybe one day I'll be able to afford it. I am so glad to hear your husband is supportive. Mine was as well. I still have to remind him not to speak so loudly on my bad side as it really hurts. Your case sounds a lot like mine. I feel for you.
Take care
Barb

Hopebc, I am so sorry for you and I feel so lucky to have been given a hearing aid by our National Health service. We brits moan about the system but in a medical emergency we are seen immediately at no cost and while we may have to wait (sometimes several months) for routine appointments or operations they always happen in the end. I hope you can get a hearing aid soon.

Hopebc - Darn it, I just got so upset and frustrated when I read your post. So you had to wait 6 weeks to see an ENT??? If I recall well you live in Canada right? don't they realize that here in the States an onset of sudden deafness is a Medical Emergency????
Of course not all is great here. In my case, in New England I could not get the shots directly into the ear, and now I am totally deaf in the right ear and I have brain static noise 24/7 in that ear, this is how a famous doctor in Boston calls that noise. I have learned to live with it. I have a hearing aid in the other ear but it did cost $3,172.00 and there is no insurance coverage here unless I believe you are a war veteran.
I wish we would stop the kiling machine (the war) and take care of our seniors and our poor and people in need.
Hopefully my post will not once more shut down the forum as my posts have done in the past.
I wish you all well

Hope01
Your posts don't shut down this board.. I think many like me get so fed up with our problem and the way, so few know it all, know nothing, that we just learn to live with it.
Yes i am in Canada and our health system does not cover hearing aides. We pay high monthly premiums but nothing like you guys in the richest country in the world pay through your private insurance.
Yeh, I waited 6 weeks for my appointment even though I truly CRIED on the phone to the ENT nurses. They didn't give a damm, Said they would pit me on the cancellation list. Thats how I got in , in such a short time. SIX WEEKS!!!!
I hope one day to get a hearing aide as the one I tried at the auduiologist 's office made a great difference.
I keep buying the lotto. Maybe I should start saving that weekly stipend and put it towards my hearing aide. I was born in UK so maybe the next time I am over there I could try and find out if National Health would cover me.
I still have that full feeling but not as bad. It all seems less bothersome as time goes by. I know if I block my right ear things sound clearer.
Take care dear lady. You are a inspiration to all of us.
Barb

6th day of diuretics and worse tinnitus than ever! I will call the doctor to see if this is normal, also have new tinnitus in my good ear! I also have become sensitive to loud noise,- couldn't wear the hearing aid in public yesterday because suddenly everything was too loud and uncomfortable. I am still trying out two different hearing aids, but can now manage pretty good without. Although the ear fullness goes a bit away with the aid. I live in Scandinavia, and luckily the hearing aids are covered pretty much through our welfare system. By the way, Barb, I was so lucky to get into the hospital, I first received a letter saying that I had to wait 12 months to see the the specialists. But then they called me to see if I wanted to come for consultation in a few days, but if I accepted to have medical students present during examination! I said YES. So, in one of the richest countries in the world the health system is full of waiting lists. I had seen 2 other ENT doctors in private business before this. Well, no one can tell the cause of this hearing loss, but one doctor think it's beginning Meniere's, although I am not experiencing balance problems (yet). Sleep is on and off all night, but better than the first month! I will test my hearing on april 19th again to see how it is, it's very difficult to say if it's any better because the tinnitus is so much worse than when I started on diuretics. I can only hope for a miracle, I think. I really feel that my hearing was nearly like I was deaf in the left ear, then i came up to 70 dcb, and for the last audiograms it has been between 60 and 70, for my lower frequencies loss. When people talk about fluctuating hearing, how many decibels change are you talking about. Does it go bad,better,good,worse,bad and so on, or are we talking about real small fluctuations only noted in the audiogram test?