Loss of hearing in "good ear" following surgery

[Larry]

Andrew,

A left field suggestion - Has Shane been checked out for an infection in her good ear (water on the ear)? I had surgery 3 years ago and thankfully my other ear didn't suffer from AIED (no-one ever told me about it as a potential issue). Another reason for the benefits of this site. Anyway, my tumour has recently returned and I also felt some blockage in my good ear, particularly when going up and down lifts. I firstly went to my GP who spotted an infection and gave me a few unblocking exercises to do - Its done the trick.

Larry

[okiesandy]

Andrew,

I can't understand the doctors position on this. It is just standard practice here to start prednisone for sudden hearing loss no matter what the cause may be. The suppositon is it could be and not to delay. I know it is best to start the steroids with in 72 hours. However, after two or three months it is usually to late for it to be effective.

I think the best you could do is show your doctor what the House Clinic does and any other research on Sudden Onset Hearing Loss, AIED, or SSNHL and how it is treated and ask for it to be tried on her if she is willing. It is short term at the onset and if the hearing returns that is usually the end of it. Unless she has regained her hearing on this treatment and it goes again somewhere in the taper.

When I talked with Dr. Brackmann he said my good ear would be tested within 3 days of surgery and if any hearing loss was found they would immediately start me on steroids. My doctor here also suggested that this is standard practice with any patient after AN surgery where the hearing is completely lost in one ear. My local doctor is very cautious and would not do anything that is the least bit on the edge.

Do you think her hearing is improving?  There is some evidence that in cases of sudden hearing loss , some of the patients will have hearing return with out treatment. I am not a doctor and can't give you any advise except to keep researching and try to push the doctor or go to another one. SOON!!!  That is if you and your wife think she fits into the catagory that would benefit from Prednisone. I am not sure why your doctor brought up Chemo at this time. Usually they just try steroids to see if the hearing will come back.

Sandy

[Battyp]

Hi Andrew
  I agee with Sandy!  I was put on prednisone when I first lost my hearing on my an side...there is a small window that it will  help. The ent doctor mentioned a surgical procedure but said since my hearing didn't repsond to the prednisone thant it was pointless.  I'm now having ringing in my right ear, guess it was feeling left out from allt he attention the left ear was getting.  When I talked to several of my doctors that said it was sympathetic hearing loss and not to worry yet..easy for them to say.  My MRI done last week showed nothing wrong so who knows.  I'd want to try to prednisone just to be on the safe side.  Chemo was never mentioned to me.

Keep up the faith and go with your gut instinct had I of not I'd be dead right now!


All my best,
Michelle

[andrewyipko]

Hi all!

Sorry for the late reply. I overlooked the 2nd page of this thread and missed your posts.

Well, i'm pretty concerned about the surgeon's reluctance to put her steriods or Prednisone which you all had suggested.
We've tried to seek the advice from the ENT doctor too but was again ruled out on the possibility of AIED.
I don't understand the what the doctors here are thinking, but the ENT doc had suggested to put her thru' HBOT if we're willing. Please see my HBOT thread.

As mentioned in my previous post, Shanne is about 7 weeks post surgery now and i'm uncertain of the positive effects she could benefit from Prednisone. Are there any effects from taking Prednisone or any other steriods used to treat this condition? Her surgeon had mentioned side effects like bloating, water retention and physical weakness.

[andrewyipko]

Hi all,

One more thing to mention.
She had a hearing test done again on Saturday and a slight improvement has been observed.
However, she's still unable to hear clearly. She has to look at you to figure out what you're exactly saying.
This is one piece of good news but the results are slow.

[okiesandy]

Andrew,

The small bit of improvement in you wifes non-AN ear is good. I still can't figure out why the doctor would rule out AIED if he has not done the test for it. Sympathetic hearing loss is a possibility.

I ask my neurotologist about the hyperberic treatment and he said the prednisone was tried first. He gave me some studies done on that and some other things such as chemo. In the long run they did not show conclusively that they helped because most are done in conjunction with the steroids.

You ask about long term effects of the prednisone. None that I can tell.  I have had three doctors tell me that any damage I would suffer would be short term and nothing lasting. That has been the case. I would take bloating and some sleepless nights any day over loss of hearing.  I guess they just practice medicine differently in your country. Here, steroids would have been given from the day she lost hearing. Understand the duration of the steroids has only been two weeks treatment each time I was on them.

If you even think your wife may have any kind of autoimmune disease she should not do anthing that would boost the immune system at this time. Even with AIED sometimes there is a return of hearing even with no treatment. At least it is returning and my return to a good level. I am so sorry she has to go through this.

Blessings,

Sandy