Sudden Hearing Loss

Moonlitknight · #1 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 07:59 AM

Good Morning

I saw an E.N.T. this past tuesday and was diagnosed with sudden hearing loss in my right ear. As it had been 2 weeks since it occured, she told me that chances of regaining hearing were 20 to 30 percent. It is important to get on antibiotics and steroids within 24 to 48 hours. Letting you know in case it happens to anyone. Also due to being diabetic, chances of recovery are less. Boy do the steroids play havoc with the b.g.'s. I have my basal at140% and am upping my bolus by about 50% as well
Wondering if anyone else has had this hearing loss and whether or not you regained any or all of your hearing, and what treatments you took.
I am on apo prednisone for 12 days.
Thanks

spike · #2 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 08:04 AM

I'm curious about that diagnosis. How is it made? (I've got my reasons for wondering, but will hold my comments until I know more)

Moonlitknight · #3 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 09:43 AM

Hi Spike

Middle of the afternoon one day 2 weeks ago, my right ear blocked up completely. You know like if you are swimming and it blocks up. So i wait 2 days, go to a clinic expecting a wax buildup or something. The doc looks in and says, very clean, does not look infected, sees no damage to my eardrum, so he can't really make a diagnosis. He gives me a referal to an ear specialist, but he did not tell me that it was an urgent matter. Anyhow the earliest appt. I could get was 12 days later. So the ent was the one who made the diagnosis with my answers to her questions and a couple of tests with a tuning fork. She was quite sure, and is sending me for an audiogram to find out how much hearing is lost. But if I put my finger in my left ear, I really can't hear much. I googled " sudden hearing loss " and it seems she made a correct diagnosis. It is fairly common, but a bit of a mystery as to what causes it. They believe it is viral.
Give feedback if possible.
Thanks

spike · #4 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonlitknight

They believe it is viral.
Give feedback if possible.
Thanks

(I had a post all written out, when I thought I'd better Google it first). So the upshot is that you may get your hearing back after a course of antibotics, but there's also the possiblity that it could be permanent? Is that correct? If so, I hope your antibotics do the job. Having lost the hearing in one ear due to surgery 10 years ago, I understand the stress of wondering if your hearing will return. My doctor held out hope for over 2 months that mine would return, but my problem was unrelated to yours. I hope you post in the coming days that your hearing has improved.

Georgia · #5 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 11:12 AM

I am sorry to hear that

Like Spike says, I hope your hearing returns - let us know won't you.

Moonlitknight · #6 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 11:25 AM

Thanks for the kind words.
It is a great concern.
Thats right spike, antibiotics 3 times a day for a week and a large dose of steroids for 12 days.
She said that considering the delay in starting treatments, as well as being diabetic, 30% chance of full recovery, 30 % chance of partial recovery and a 30% chance of no recovery.

P.S. David said in another post that he was on steroids at one time. Please let me know if it was for the same problem. I will be away for the next 4 days but will report back tuesday with
some good news I hope.
Thanks again

christie · #7 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 11:42 AM

this past spring i woke up one morning and my ear felt clogged no pain though,so i waited days thinkong it will clear up,it did'nt.so i went to the er and was told i had a severe ear infection and gave me antibotics,several weeks later still could'nt hear so when i saw my endo i told him about it and he sent me to an ent dr,he gave me antibotic ear drops and did a vacuum type suction on my ear which did help somewhat with the hearing,but then again my hearing diminished in that ear,so i went back to the ent who wanted to send me for a hearing test and he told me that my hearing in that ear was damaged and wanted me to go for a hearing aid,gees i'm 34 yrs old i don't want a hearing aid yet.so i did'nt get one i just make sure that i don't answer the phone with my left ear and crowded places are hard to hear.

notme · #8 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 11:52 AM

Wow.....this is very distressing. Spike, is there a reason for your hearing loss or is it also "sudden hearing loss". I have never heard of such a thing. I am so sorry Moon this is very frightening, I am sure. I hope when you return, you have some good news for all of us. Why does diabetes make this condition worse?

spike · #9 (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notme

Wow.....this is very distressing. Spike, is there a reason for your hearing loss or is it also "sudden hearing loss".

My problem was an acoustic neuroma. The surgeon said he'd try to save the hearing but admitted that only a small percentage of patients retain their hearing after surgery. It's not related to DM; just bad luck. I've had several MRI's since then to be sure I don't have a neuroma on the good side. So far, so good.

The worst part post surgery, was the profound dizziness until the brain learns to use the remain side for balance. The first few days I couldn't stand up due to lack of balance. After a few months, my balance was about 3/4 ok.

dgrilli · #10 (**permalink**) 09-01-2006, 11:09 PM

I always had problems with Ear and Throat infections as a kid very painful. Later I have lost significant amount of hearing and now wear to Widex Hearing Aides. They go in the ear and is not as noticeable. Boy when I put those baby's in my ears and wore them for awhile I thought I was going nuts from all the new sounds I was hearing like what you guys take for granted like your hand brushing across the fabric you have on, or the ticking clocks. I have severe Tinnitus without the hearing aides in like billions of crickets singing or the sound you hear from putting a sea shell up against your ear and countless other sounds that would startle me.

I believe when I was a kid the Doctors would puncture my Ear Drums with a big chrome squirt gun that sprayed water and had a needle come out and release the pressure. It hurt so bad it took three or 4 people to hold me down to do it.

Looking back I now attribute those Ear and throat infections to non treatment of high blood sugars.

I think if a child experiences at those type of things they should be checked for Blood Sugar problems.

Moonlitknight · #11 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 08:22 AM

Good Morning

Just an update on my hearing. Sorry it took so long. I have just finished the steroids and antibiotics. I am guessing that maybe my hearing returned between 15 and 30 percent. It is hard to say but for sure an improvement, as before I could not even hear a dial tone, and now I can hear it a bit although muffled. My endo ( just back from vacation ) told me he thinks the antibiotics and steroids did nothing and is not even sure if the diagnosis is correct. He thinks it may have something to do with nerve endings and says just hope and pray, it may come back some more. The improvement came last weekend.
Spike, wow I am sorry to hear about your problem.
Like we don't have enough eh.
We keep pushing on and try to keep a good attitude.
Keep well folks

Keezheekoni · #12 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 12:11 PM

I have a condition called otosclerosis. If you've ever watched CSI, it's the condition that Gil had in the first 3 seasons of the show. It comes on suddenly in some people, for me it was years of my ears ringing before I started realizing that I couldn't hear too well. I have a 95% hearing loss in one ear and about 20% in the other. It's hereditary, though most people don't know it's in their family.

Surgery can correct it, but I've not gone that route yet. I've learned to sign pretty well, and have all my life read lips...

So, if your endo is thinking your diagnosis is incorrect, have the ENT look into this.