Sudden Hearing loss _{Page 55 of 105}

I just started an additional therapy, to my ear injections. I am also seeing Dr. Brammeier at Scott & White Hospital in Temple, TX and he put me on histamine IV for 3 days in a row. Basically what he is trying to do is jumpstart my nerve ends. I am also getting 2 more medications, one diuretic pill and one for blood pressure, both aimed at better blood flow, circulation and less swelling / pressure in the ear. Again, this is in addition to the ear injection which for him are still the most promising. But he asked me if I want to try EVERYTHING (heck yes), so we are going this route as well. If the hearing does not come back (and today it actually feels worse, more numbness in the left ear than yesterday before the IV), at least I know I have tried everything. He is not optimistic about my prognosis because the loss it just too severe, but he is willing to give his all...

Hello, thanks for your replies - had my mri results back today and mine problem has turned out to be a neuroma - benign fortunately and this does mean the rest of my ear is perfectly healthy - it has come about due to the pressure on the nerve. Have been told I will probably need to have it removed - being referred to specialist in this field. I can come off the steroids in the next couple of days - they may have helped with its reduction slightly anyway apparently. At least I know exactly what I am dealing with. The information on the head noises have been really helpful. Just to know it really will improve helps. Thanks again, I am so sorry we are all having these problems. Hoping for good results for everyone.
xx

Hi Esperanza, I have suspected that i might have an acoustic neuroma but when I had my MRI it was not enhanced and i have read that it should have been. Was yours? good luck

Hi Jewel,

Yes my mri was enhanced, took over an hour with the before and after shots. I think neuromas can be difficult to pick up unless they are over a certain size as well and was told that usually, when they are found they are so slow growing mri's are suggested once a year to monitor their progress. I have been unlucky. Unfortunately for me I had no typical symptoms to alert me, my hearing was was very sudden and apart from suffering on and off tinnitus for a few months before which certainly didn't bother me enough to get it checked (I know lots of people who have varying degrees of tinnitus) I may have also felt a little pressure but again have a tendency for waxy ears so there was really nothing to alert me to the seriousness of what was to come. It is sad that it's just that little bit that is the problem but once the blood supply is reduced that is it for the nerve isn't it - unless they can re-boot it in some way wouldn't that be nice... I am hoping to sleep a bit better tonight - really not slept at all since this started. I have a bit of a journey ahead but I am so glad to be among people who have got through their difficulties - nice to know we can help eachother.
x

Hi Esperanza, well at least you know what it is now and can be treated -cold comfort I know. I have another hearing test on Monday and if as I suspect, it shows more hearing loss I am going to try to insist on an enhanced MRI through the NHS but if not I have found a clinic where I can pay for one. Are you in the UK?

Yes, I am in the UK. I am surprised they didn't do an enhanced MRI as a matter of course as they had you on the machine anyway? It is all a bit hit and miss in the UK isn't it. Which area are you in?

Please feel free to email me anytime Jewel (it is on my profile), there aren't many of us on here from the UK and things seem to be handled very differenty over here...

Hi, I'm in Bournemouth, where are you? You are right, it is hit and miss here. Would be good if we had a support group wouldn't it? I did ask at the hospital if they could put me in touch with other sufferers but apparently not, though they obviously had not seen many patients with SSHL before.

Has anybody but me had that histamine IV therapy (again, additionally to the ear injections and the oral steroids)? I wondered because ever since I have been experiencing pressure in my ear and more numbness. I tried to call my Dr. but of course can't reach him on a Sunday. Not sure if this is a good or a bad sign... I just feel more off balance with the extra pressure and it 'feels' like I can hear even less. Before I was able to feel vibration which now is gone as well...

Btw, my MRI came back clean. No neuroma...

Now I didn't like the idea of a virus as i wasn;t sure what was happening to me and didn't know when I would feel better BUT i like the idea of the neuroma even less - very scary stuff....
I have been on the BANA website for neuroma sufferes, I would push for a contrast MRI as soon as possible to set your mind at rest Jewel....

I will push for the contrast MRI.
Sahmo3babies, I have not heard of this treatment. You say that you have 'numbness' do you mean in the sense that your ear does not have any feeling? Did you have a contrast MRI?

Yes, I did have the contrast MRI, first before shot then after shot. After the MRI, the Dr. decided on the new therapy with the histamine and diuretic pills. I have been reading up on it on the internet but have not found any information about the new numbness and less 'hearing' (although my loss was around 95 dB already, so basically total deafness in the left ear). I am just worried that instead of making it better, it will make it worse because until yesterday, I at least did not have any pressure in the ear, which now is constant. Very irritating, to say the least. I was sometimes able to forget that I could not hear in this ear until noise it me from the deaf side, but now I have a constant reminder...

I did have diuretic pills as part of my initial treatment when I was in hospital for 48 hours and I know that this is a common treatment. When was your onset? I think you might just have been lucky not to have had the pressure before because this is a very common symptom of SSHL which does settle down to bearable levels. I felt like I had a tennis ball in my ear for about the first three months, now it seems like cotton wool (14 months later)

It has been 18 days (Jan. 3 was when it happened). I keep pressing the phone to my ear hoping for a miracle because of this new sensation, but it just gets more depressing... No changes whatsoever... Just more numbness, more ringing and more pressure... Things I did not have until Friday...

Is your doctor a specialist ENT? I assume you will go straight back to him tomorrow to tell him your worries and the new symptoms. Are you in the UK? I know it is horrible for you at the moment but it really does get easier. you will go through emotions from hope-sadness-anger-acceptance, pretty much in that order I think. Remember, we are all in the same boat and it helps to talk.

I really feel for you, I have had moments of despair that I can actually live with this noise/sensation all the time.
Take heart that you have no tumours...
Someone surely should be able to shed a little light on your condition? Maybe you should see a different specialist for a 2nd opinion...

Jewel, I am in Shropshire and feel pretty out on a limb... the fact that SSNL is rare makes for more of a feeling of isolation....
I do know some people who are deaf in one ear to a greater or lesser degree usually it happened in childhood or they were born like it and don't remember life any other way....

Hi, I saw every ENT in Bournemouth and Poole (all 4 of them)and then i went to the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital in London and saw professor wroght who is supposed to be an authority on this condition. However, none of them repeated any tests they just looked at my original notes. None of them looked at my MRI other than the first and they all said the same thing. ie we don't know the cause, we have done what we can, it's idiopathic and permanent so you will have to live with it! The second ENT I saw even commented on the fact that he sees 'really sick patients with cancer so I was lucky'.

I had my hearing test today and there is no change from this time last year so it seems that it is just that my tinnitus is louder! Audiologist agreed I should ask for an enhanced MRI but felt it unlikely that I would have a neuroma because I did recover some hearing in the first few weeks.

Hi Jewel, I am so glad your hearing remains the same.. that must be a relief. I would settle for hearing AND tinnitus at the moment rather than this horrible whooshing and fullness I can't block out. The little tinnitus I had in the run up to this did not cause me much of a problem hardly noticed it most of the time. I wish now it had been worse then I would have got things checked sooner...
Play up your symptoms big time if that is what will get you your contrast MRI and set your mind at rest. If only I could turn the clock back....

Hi Jewel41,

do u still remember me?
sorry to hear your tinnitus gets worse. Mine also gets worse, more intrusive,more unbearable,besides the fullness also comes back again...does your hearing aids still help masking your T at this stage? I am not wearing any aid now.
How long have u taken Serc? do u think it really helps lower your T ? what is your dose?
sorry for so many questions.
I wish u all the best

Hi, my hearing aid is unfortunately not masking the tinnitus so well any more. I have taken Serc since the start (Nov 2006) I take 3x 16mg tablets per day. I did run out over Xmas and that was when the tinnitus got worse but I can't say for certain that it helps. My head is so noisy and full today that I have actually taken a day off work and I am going back to my GP on Wednesday hopefuly to be referred to an Otolaryngologist. Best wishes to you too.

Here's some of MY tips for dealing with tinnitus.

Noise increases it. Excites it.

So try quiet activities for 30 minutes or so.

READING does the trick for me. My mind is focused and occuppied elsewhere.

MASSAGES help.

WARM BATHS help.

We know that stress excites it. These two activities are anti-stress.

The silence will calm the tinnitus down.

Overtime, you'll adapt to the tinnitus. It won't bother you as much as it does now.

Today I will be getting my last injection of the set of 4. Nothing has helped so far, so I am guessing that will be it from here on out for me. It has been almost 4 weeks since the onset, and now it is just about taking me slowly off the medication without causing any shock to my system. Only good thing is that they send my husband home from Iraq to help me out and he won't have to go back either. 14.5 months were long enough...

Hi samhmof3babies, you and your husband have my absolute respect! Remember too that it is still early days and you may still recover some hearing. Loads of luck.

Hi Sahmo, - yes I've had last Wednesday my first steroid injection ito the middle ear after being on oral steroids for almost 3 weeks. My hearing after the steroid shot did not approve and the first night I felt very dizzy (bed spinning) and nausea. Could not drive and stayed home resting. I did not have dizziness before the shot. Today, 4 days after the shot the dizziness is far less but hearing did not improve at all. I have a second shot coming Wednesday. I surehope this will help after all in the long run.....
Good luck to all !