Loss of Tones

[Soundy]

Since surgery my good ear seems to hear better in the morning and not as well as the day
wears on... my doctors say it is the over stimulations from trying to sort thru all sounds it
receives and the problem should lessen as healing continues... so we are watching that...

I discovered a new problem yesterday that has been on my mind all day and I have to ask a
new odd question or go nuts worrying...

I have a Mickey Mouse watch my kids gave me ... it plays It's a Small World... I don't know how
long this problem has existed as I don't go around playing the song... but yesterday I bumped
the button and it started playing... I was hearing the notes then it would skip a few notes ...
I figured the batteries were getting low and didn't think much of it til my son came over and my
grandson hit the button... and same thing... I was telling this 2 year old Nana needed new batteries
so his whole song would play... my son asked what was missing... I played it and when it started the
chorus I said right there...he said   he heard it all... it is higher pitched notes missing

I hit the button and put the watch right to my ear and heard them too... at arms length I didn't...
and used to...When my son and his family left  I went to Walmart and conducted tests with
watches ,stuffed animals with music chips in them,Halloween junk with the chips etc... and with all of
them some notes vanish unless right at my ear... I know that testing my ear myself at Walmart with
trinkets is not the best test in the world but I kinda went into panic mode and had to do something... 


I am calling doctor office in the morning ... he said to report any change no matter how small... and this
seems huge to me right now... with only one tired ear left I am getting protective

has anyone had tone loss after surgery??? I am hoping that it ties in with the tired ear explanation as
to not hearing as well as the day goes on... I am out of the panic mode I hit yesterday... just slightly
nervous now...

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Soundy:

I had excellent hearing until my AN killed it (in one ear).  Now, post-surgery/radiation, I still have good hearing in my unaffected ear but have lost the ability to clearly hear highs and lows.  Listening to anything high-pitched, especially singing or instrumental music, sounds like static.  Trying to decipher the words of someone speaking in low tones or with a deep voice (on TV, for instance), is almost impossible.  I do O.K. if the person is near me, unless they practically whisper or there is a lot of ambient noise in the room (such as at a party).  Basically, I've lost the ability to easily hear high and low notes.   Most of the time, this isn't a big problem and I've learned how to compensate. 

Because we've lost 50% of our normal hearing ability, I suspect that this is all a part of SSD.  However, if you feel something is definitely wrong, contacting your doctor is a good idea.   I'll be interested to learn of his opinion.

Jim 

[Soundy]

He said this is one of those odd things that some will experience and should be temporary... he said
if it continued to get worse to make an appointment to come in for testing... tone and word recognition...
he thinks it may be tied to the over worked ear... so unless it gets worse I will just rock on til my next
post op at 6 month mark ... feel better

[bpham]

Soundy,

I'm 3 weeks post-ops (TRANSLAB) and I'm experiencing exactly the same thing, losing hearing at high frequencies.  Plus, there is now tinnitus in the good hear (right).   I've done a free hearing test using this http://www.digital-recordings.com/ website.  It indicates that I'm losing hearing from 9k-14k range.

This, like you said, is very bothersome to me since we only have one ear left!!

Let me know how your condition is now.

Thanks.

[lori67]

I seem to be the same way - pretty good hearing in the morning, but as the day wears on, I have to put the closed captioning on the tv because I can barely make out anything being said.  Same thing with the high tones.  My cell phone ringer is pretty high pitched and I can never hear it.  I wind up leaving it on vibrate because strangely enough, I can hear it vibrate.

Overall, my hearing seems to be worse as I get tired.  I guess that's my brain telling me - "enough already" since it's doing double duty in the hearing department now.  I go for the implant portion of my BAHA next Thursday, so I wonder if these things will eventually get better.  If not, I have a good excuse for not answering my cell phone.

And, by the way, I think your Walmart hearing test is very scientific!  I think more people would have the tests done if they got to shop at the same time.

I'm interested to hear what your doctor says.
Lori

[Soundy]

Funny I can hear as well as feel my cell on vibrate... it is a deep hum it makes ...

Talked to doctors office yesterday and as of now just waiting til my December appointment...
gonna be a longggggggggggggggggggg wait ... I am not a good waiter 

[bpham]

Just had a visit with my doctor, Friedman, from HEI, who did my operation.  He looked at the good ear and said that it is fine.  However, he gave me a course of Prednisone (steroid) for 10 days.  I'll come back 2 weeks from now to have a hearing test. 

I did some research on the internet and found that someone had a similar issue (may not be exactly the same problem or cause), but he was treated with an aggressive treatment of Prednisone and steriods shots which seemed to stop the progression of hearing loss for him.  I intended to ask Dr. Friedman to gave me the steroid too, but he prescribed it to me anyway without me asking.

I'll post the results of my 10 day treatment of Prednisone later.

[Soundy]

I am already on pednisone as part of lupus reatment and it seems of no help to
hearing issues...kinda of an oh well thing... I will keep waiting and hope as the doctor
says it is just a normal progression of healing

[bpham]

Had a hearing test today.  The good hear hearing test seems to be a bit worse than before the operation, especially around 3-4K range (used to be 10db and now down to 18db).  However, I do seem to hear OK from the good ear.  Hope it does not get worse and will get better as things heal (7 week post-ops Translab).   I'll have another appt in 2 months.

[Soundy]

I am still not hearing all tones... I can especially tell a difference listening to music...I play
with the mixer to make it sound better to me and my family says I am messing things up

I have always had ringing in both ears and the deaf side about drives me nuts now as I can't
mask it with other sound now... the good ear still has the ringing but also a low hum like
the refrigerator running... still waiting for December appointment to get here

[Soundy]

I am up to my low tech testing again...

my 8 year old bought a spy kit... in it is a receiver about as big around as a nickel
and about 1/4 inch thick (the bug)... you put it somewhere and then turn on your
receiver which looks like one of the little MP3 players that are about 2 inches long and
hang over top of your ear...

I taped bug to AN side and put receiver on good ear but had it resting just above canal
opening so could hear out on both sides... although a cheap toy out of a $10 kit it was amazing
that I could walk around the house and outside and no one could slip up on me ...not even
my dog who as rubbed against my leg a time or two and startled me...

now I want the real thing ... I am writing Santa a letter... 

[bpham]

Just got another hearing test a few days ago.  The result was good, I got everything back as before.  The doctor does not understand why...but I'm glad.

[Soundy]

Glad you are doing better... my appointment is Tuesday and I will find out what my doctor
thinks... still having hearing issues... my ear feels stopped up and sound muffled... went to
PCP and there is no fluid collected in ear or infection... kinda nervous but not going to go
nuts until I see doctor and he gives me something to freak out about

[bpham]

Soundy,

Good luck and happy holidays.

[Soundy]

Do have hearing loss in hearing ear... was gonna say good ear .. but that bugs me ... both ears
are good ...one just happens not to hear... anyway... prednisone up and seeing what happens
he says hearing loss looks to be from puffiness in ear ... no infection ... so a blockage thing... go
back February 19th for follow up and he once again told me to be patient... so I wait...