Author Topic: Increase in volume of tinnitus  (Read 4766 times)

wendysig

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1937
Increase in volume of tinnitus
« on: February 15, 2009, 09:34:21 am »
Hi all,

I am now 6 1/2 months post-op and really didn't expect to develop any new symptoms at this late date, but for the past few days, my tinnitus has just about doubled in volume.  I also have a lot of pressure inside my AN ear and my balance is slightly worse than usual.  I tried  OTC ear drops because I thought ear wax might be causing this problem, but apparently that wasn't the culprit.  I have e-mailed my doc, but haven't heard from him, so he is probably enjoying a well deserved weekend off.  I'm sure he'll get back to me by tomorrow, but thought I'd run this by all of  you in the meantime. There was a new development this morning today too.  When I first woke up this morning, I had no tinnitus at all while I was laying down.  Shortly after getting up it started again and is just as loud as it has been for the last few days.  Has this happened to any of you? 

Thanks,
Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

JuliePA

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2009, 08:17:38 pm »
Wendy,
             I am almost 7 months Post CK. I have had Tinnitus for the last year and know your pain!  :'( I have had times when I would wake up or lie down for awhile and my noise would go away!! I would then panick! Thinking I went deaf!! Jump up and it would start roaring again!! I have my noise 99% of the day/night, my dotor has me on Valium daily which calms the nerves and keeps the noise at a level were I am not wanting to chop my head off.  Anyway, I hope your noise settles for you and doesn't become overwhelming..

            I Sometimes wish I would have had my Buggar removed instead of Nuked, but; I was advised that I still would have had the noise, even with it Gone, and could have had other worse side effects than the noise, memory & hearing loss. 

                                                                                                               Hope time finds you well, Best wishes!  Julie
AN Left 8th Cranial Nerve 16mm
Cyberknife Radiosurgery Jul 2008
Friday the 13th of Feb 2009 7 Month MRI Texture Change
Geisinger Medical Center
Dr. Gergel

wendysig

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1937
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2009, 11:36:32 pm »
Hi Julie,

Sorry to hear your tinnitus is causing you such problems too. I hope somehow you also get some relief, even if it is just that you finally get used to it, as I know some people do.  I have also heard that biofeedback can help.   As for wishing you'd opted for surgery at times, I can understand that feeling but it doesn't help to second guess yourself after the fact.    I noticed you had an MRI just a couple of days ago and hope you  got or will get good news on that front and hope you will post and let us know what happens.   I heard from my doc and he said it would be unlikely that I would have permanently increased tinnitus at this late date and that it should get better.  He has yet to give me bad advice or information, so I'm sure this problem will go away eventually, but the sooner the better.  My tinnitus is usually not very loud so this increase in volume is bothersome because it is so distracting I find that it afffects my ability to concentrate.   Hopefully, this will be relatively short lived.

Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

suboo73

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 639
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2009, 04:35:31 am »
Hi Wendy! 
Hi Julie!

I wanted to write a note and tell you that i hope both of you are feeling better in the coming days. 
Since i am in W & W, i cannot relate to your post-op/post treatment experiences... 
But i have had one very (alarming) dizzy spell a couple of weeks ago - 1st one that i can recall and scary.

I hope you find some relief from the tinnitus.
Thank you for sharing your experiences.

My thoughts and prayers are with you both.
Sue
suboo73
Little sister to Bigsister!
9mm X 6mm X 5mm
Misdiagnosed 12+ years?
Diagnosed Sept. 2008/MRI 4/09/MRI 12/09/MRI 1/21/11
Continued W & W

wendysig

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1937
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2009, 08:25:14 am »
Sue -


Thanks for your reply.  I woke up this morning  to greatly diminished tinnitus -- YAY!  I now wonder if it was stress induced even though I didn't really feel stressed out, maybe I have been.  A friend was diagnosed with bone cancer right around the same time I had my suigery.  Part of her humerous was removed and replaced with a transplant which her body is rejecting.  She now needs a bone marrow transplant -- I agreed to be tested to see if I am a match and will happily give her some of mine if I am a match -- I was just waiting to see what my doc has to say about this idea.  Apart from my post-op issues, I am very healthy, so I can't imagine why I wouldn't be able to do this.  I think when she first asked me, I was very taken aback because she really wasn't there for me when I needed her, so I had very mixed feelings when she approached me.  I have come to the conclusion that doesn't really matter if I can help her.  Once I reached that decision, everything went back to normal (for me).

Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

Mickey

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 753
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2009, 10:41:17 am »
Hi Wendy! Having tinnitus for 30 years I can definately telll you that stress is a factor on your degree of tinnitus sound and general health. Anything that "rattles" your nerves will add to the degree of noise. It pays to stay as calm as you can but I know thats a very hard task in this world we live in. Good Luck, Mickey

JudyT

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 123
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2009, 11:15:58 am »
Wendy.....I forgot to mention my ENT suggested 1/4 of 5mg Valium. It seems to reduce it when it hits hard enough to make me "NUTS" I know it has helped others too. You might ask your physician about this.
Judy

GM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 501
  • I hate annual MRI's !!!
    • My Blog Page
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2009, 07:01:00 pm »
If you are really feeling clogged...sounds like you might want a steriod treatment from yuor doc. 

I have read where posters have have had great success with ibuprofen and over the counter antihistamines.
Originally 1.8cm (left ear)...Swelled to 2.1 cm...and holding after GK treatment (Nov 2003)
Gamma Knife University of Virginia  http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/neurosurgery/gammaknife/home-page
Note: Riverside Hospital in Newport News Virginia now has GK!!

suboo73

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 639
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2009, 05:07:23 am »
Wendy,  I am so glad you are feeling better.  This is great news! 
What a special person you are to help your friend... 
[I always hope i am well enough to do the same, should someone need my help.]
You are strong & caring - i really admire you.

Keep us posted for the new date, OK?
Thinking good thoughts and saying lots of prayers!

Sue 

suboo73
Little sister to Bigsister!
9mm X 6mm X 5mm
Misdiagnosed 12+ years?
Diagnosed Sept. 2008/MRI 4/09/MRI 12/09/MRI 1/21/11
Continued W & W

wendysig

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1937
Re: Increase in volume of tinnitus
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2009, 03:24:09 pm »
Thanks to all of you for your helpful replies.  I am feeling much better than I was last week.  I constantly find it amazing what stress can do to our bodies and the fact that it might not be evident what is causing the problem until it is relieved.  I am usually a very calm and decisive person and not easily stressed out.  I was actually surprised this affected me as much as it evidently did my friend knew there was a good chance I would just not feel  up to this challenge after all that I've been through over the past 9+ months and I didn't feel pressured to agree to do this, so I'm not sure where the stress came from.  I guess the main thing is that things are better and I'm thankful for that.

Thanks again,
Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!