ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: amymeri on January 11, 2010, 01:11:33 pm
-
My last post and all the replies got me thinking about all the odd adjustments I have made to having no hearing and no vestibular nerve on the right and I thought I would ask others about their experiences.
1. Noisy, busy environments make me feel hot and disoriented
2. If I am riding my bike, I can't turn my head to talk or I will steer off course and fall over.
3. If I lose balance it is often front to back, so squatting can result in me tipping forward if I don't concentrate.
4. I run into walks and doors on my "bad" side sometimes!
-
Amy,
I have the same problem on my bike. I always make my family ride in front of me so I don't have to turn my head. Good thing I have a place to ride other than a busy street, or I'd be in trouble! I also walk into things, but on both sides. That was fun when I was on blood thinners for a year - made for some nice bruises!
The noisy environments don't bother me too much anymore. I still don't like them, but honestly, I never did. I did have a hard time at my nephew's wedding recently - the dj was using those spinning lights, plus is was crowded, loud, etc. I was standing still trying to have a conversation and all of a sudden just started to fall over backwards. Fortunately, I grabbed the back of a nearby chair and was able to look like I meant to just lean on it casually. ;D
It's funny the little things that just become second nature to us after a while.
Lori
-
Amy -
if it makes you feel any better, I can relate to numbers 2 - 4. I've had all these experiences, even though 98% of the rest of the time my balance is not an issue.
Sudden turns of the head while riding a bike are NOT a good thing. I try to avoid them at all costs.
Be careful out there :)
Jan
-
Hi Amy
I have to agree about noisy environments -- they just make me frustrated because I can't hear well enough to keep track of conversations, ugh!! I have a huge family and we get together a lot, sadly for me, I don't enjoy these gatherings as much as I used to.
I haven't had the nerve to get back on my bike yet, so nothing to report on this matter.
I walk into doorways and brush walls and furniture all the time on both sides. I'm like a Weeble, I wobble but I don't fall down! ;D
Sudden turns when I'm walking, whether I just turn my head or my whole body aren't good so I try not to do that too often. If I'm driving I'm okay since I'm sitting down. For me, my body has to be in motion for things to go wrong.
Getting on escalators that are going down are a challenge and I wouldn't dream of walking down a flight of stairs without holding on.
Wendy
-
I'm laughing at #3. I was in a store, squatting down to look at a display, and fell right on my a*%. I also enjoy being on Wii Fit, and it telling me that I have balance problems. LOL
Noisy enviornments have gotten better but it's still hard to hear.
My other one, is the ceiling fan. I can't look at it or it makes me feel wonky-head. I put it on while I work out and have to turn it off when I do the cool down or close my eyes.
-
You explained everything perfectly at first I had a panic attack I thought I was going through the hot flashes again I said oh no not again once was enough....
Pat
-
dont feel like the lone ranger on this i experience the same symptoms the disorientation really bothers me but not so much as the balance issues you see i have a harley that i havent rode in three years and thats killing me lol
-
::)Oh lordy, don't even bring up the Wii Fit! If I hear it tell me I am a little shaky I am going to throw the controller at the screen. There are a couple body tests where they want you to close your eyes and balance! As if...I just laughed out loud.
-
I'm like a Weeble, I wobble but I don't fall down! ;D
Showing your age!
Heard the joke about the Bulls that didn't fall down during the tornado?
It was a miracle that they didn't get blown away with all the other animals/livestock.
Their response was "We bulls wobble but we don't fall down!"
Lame I know.
Here's to good balance days :)
Maureen
-
Actually I think the joke is kind of cute, Moe.
And, I confess, I too remember Weebles. Guess I'm an oldie also ::)
Jan
-
It's been over 8 years post op and I still don't dare get on a bike.
Walking - I have to look down at the sidewalk to keep my balance while walking.
Noisy environments - I avoid them like the plague!
Cecile
-
Cecile -
I'm surprised that you have to look down at the ground while walking.
The trick that always worked for me in the first few weeks post op (when my balance was a huge issue) was focusing on an object ahead of me and walking towards it. Once I reached that object, I'd focus on another distance object, and so on and so on.
Jan
-
Jan -
I did the same thing and on days when wonky head strikes again I still do. It works much better than looking down (which I also did at first after my surgery).
Wendy
-
I can't let go of the handles on the treadmill unless I'm walking VERY slow.
-
How about doing ANYTHING in the dark that requires walking or moving around? I find myself making those late-night trips to the bathroom with my feet wider apart than they would be during the day. Standing at the urinal in the dark is a feat, also. I'm a Private Pilot and enjoy looking up at planes as they fly by. The problem without stereo hearing is that I can't find the darn plane. I look around until the engine sound is fading away and I know I've missed another one. Listening to music isn't quite what is used to be either. I recently bought the new Beatles remastered CD box set. I opted for the mono version since I couldn't tell the difference with my iPod bud set anyway. The channel separation gets lost when I can only hear one channel. On the other hand, I've saved lots of money not wanting to buy that big home theatre system with surround sound!
-
Triman -
there's a very inexpensive solution to your iPod problem.
It's called a mono plug adapter and it's available @ your local Radio Shack and also online @ Amazon. The adapter is just what it sounds like; it puts stereo sound into a single source so that in essence one ear is hearing what two ears would normally hear.
I purchased a mono plug and a single ear bud shortly after my AN surgery left me SSD for under $10.
I just recently purchased a MP3 adapter from Cochlear and am now awaiting my BP100 (I currently wear a Divino) so I can try it out.
It's supposed to be a wonderful little "toy".
Jan
-
Luv the weeble comparison! I had a whole slew of them when I grew up. Thank goodness I do not have too many wobbling issues at this point. However with that said, I seem to be doing some silly things... juice in the cabinet... bringing in one dog and planning to take the second one out and instead put the leash back on the first one and walk out the door. Maybe they are stressed related issues or maybe not :P
-
I'm right with you on the walking into walls and things. I was once told by a physical therapist that I should put my hands out to prevent myself from banging into things so I wouldn't bruise myself. Yeah, well if I knew when I would bang into something, I would brace myself!
-
When I start to wonder if I'll ever be "normal" again, I come into this forum and read a lot and realize that I'm not alone! I wish I could sit down in a (quiet) room with you guys.:) Your entry Amy, hit home-- but I hadn't even thought about riding my bike yet and now I wonder how that will go!(when the snow melts.) The first time I went to get the mail after surgery, I realized my life was goimg to be different because when I went to cross the road, I almost got hit by a car! I hadn't realized how I depend upon hearing in both ears to do so many things....and I guess I didn't really "look both ways" before I crossed the road that well before because I counted on my ears hearing the vehicles, you know? I'm still very wonky head most of the time but I'm thinking that will get better as time goes by. Noisy, crowded places are very annoying (and make my ear and head hurt) and I can't carry on good conversations because I miss a lot of what people are saying. My husband has been awesome at repeating things and being very empathetic about that when we go out places...he keeps me "in the game" with what's being said and if he senses I'm having difficulties, we leave or go outside. He's also very attentive about sitting to my left so I can hear him better. :) When I'm walking in hallways, I find myself running my hand along the wall on the side I have no hearing--I started doing that a few months before I had the surgery because I found it helped me have better balance. Still have no taste on that side either and maybe won't ever get that back but you know, all in all, I'm coming along. Helpful to hear your experience--hang in there....it helps me to just keep a sense of humor about it--we're all so human and fragile after all. :)
-
Hi Jan:
Yes, I really do look at the ground while walking because it just 'feels' better to me. I won't fall over if I do look up ahead but somehow it doesn't feel right. Maybe I should just force myself to look up and, after your post, got thinking more about it. I do wear glasses for long distance (driving) and should maybe wear those when walking - perhaps that would help.
Cecile