I would hate to jinx anything for myself but this is the first time in 5 months I have felt like things are getting better. However, I am not 100% what is giving me some improvement because I am trying two things at once (I know, I know its recommended to try one thing at a time... but I got frustrated). A few weeks ago I started Acyclovir but at a much lower dose than recommended by Dr. Gacek. My GP would only prescribe me 400mg 2X a day. Well when I saw my Neurotologist last Monday he said he couldn't do much for me until I stopped breastfeeding. But he gave me free samples of Lipoflavonoids because they are safe for nursing mothers. I started taking those a week ago today. Friday, Saturday and Sunday my ear started to act different. It would clear for a few hours and fill back up. It did this over and over. That is after 5 months of pretty constant, intense fullness. This morning I woke up and my ear feels fairly clear. One thing I had noticed over the past few months is that I could no longer hear the dial tone on my work phone in my bad ear. When I would pick up the phone it would just be silence (except, of course, the loud roaring tinnitus). I picked up the phone this morning and I couldn't believe it... I can hear the dial tone! I had myself convinced I would never hear it again out of that ear. Isn't it funny how excited I can get to hear a dial tone? Anyway, I don't know if the Antivirals are finally staring to work, even at a low dose, or if its the Lipoflavonoids. Maybe both. But I am cautiously happy. My ear still has a loud roaring tinnitus but I think it is still adjusting to getting some hearing back after months of fullness.
How fantastic! I totally relate to what you are saying about the dial tone. I get excited when I can hear my alarm with my good ear on the pillow. Your changes sound very promising. I hope those changes stick and things keep getting even better for you.
That is great news! Funny you mention the dial tone. That is what I have always used as my "oh so technical" guage of my daily hearing. LOL I also understand the fear of jinxing it. Amazes me that I do that too....this this darn thing keeps us on our toes for sure. Very happy for you!
Congratulations on your ear not being full. I woke up this morning with very loud high pitched tinnitus. Extremely LOUD!! However; my ear wasn't full. WoW!! First time in 29 days. But, I was kind of scared because the last time my ear went clear I had vertigo every or every other day. No vertigo today!! Maybe the tinnitus has been this loud for the last 29 days and I just couldn't hear it because of the fullness. The tinnitus is so loud that I keep thinking my good ear is working as well as it should. I do a clicking of my finger nails next to my ears. The good ear is hearing it well and the other ear is hearing it better than it has the last 29 days. I'm looking forward with great hope that the antivirals and pycnogenol are beginning to work and no more vertigo when ear is clear. Good Health and Happiness
i meant to say the tinnitus is so loud that I keep thinking my good ear is NOT working as well Maybe the tinnitus has been this loud for the last 29 days and I just couldn't hear it because of the fullness. The tinnitus is so loud that I keep thinking my good ear is NOT working as well as it should. I do a clicking of my finger nails next to my ears. The good ear is hearing it well and the other ear is hearing it better than it has the last 29 days.
I just read what redbird and bythebay were talking about in the post Stuffiness in good ear and AVs Wow, same results. It's got to be a good sign.
Thank you everyone. I really hope this lasts and is not just a small break in symptoms. But considering how bad it was for 5 months straight, I have to believe that the Acyclovir and Lipoflavonoids have something to do with it. I held the phone up to my left ear last night and was able to have a conversation and understood every word that the person was saying. Just a few days ago the person would have sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher... wah wah wah. For the first time in a LONG time I woke up today and did not hear my tinnitus! What a great feeling. I have to really listen for it. I have slight pressure in my ear but nothing bad. I am trying not to obsess over that because I tend to do that lol. Santa, I definitely think that could be a good sign. Like I said, when my ear clears for the first time in a while my tinnitus is always crazy loud but eventually after a few days it goes way down. I really think its just the ear trying to get used to all of the sounds again.
Thanks, Santa! Also, I want to say I have come to realize that when I get the loudest, ringing-type, tinnitus my ear usually is in the process of clearing up. It is really tough (at least for me) to have that really loud noise, but I try to stay hopeful when it happens, and I am hopeful for you. I rub my fingers together to non-scientifically test my hearing. Redbird, I totally know what you mean by that Charlie Brown teacher sound. That is just so awesome that you had a conversation.
Excellent!! Glad to read such positive news! Do you plan on going for an audiogram soon? In what db/frequencies was your hearing loss? Best wishes for continued improvement!
Not as clear today. But, better than the previous 29 days. I just tried the rubbing fingers together, could barely hear it on left ear, just fine on right ear. Tinnitus not as loud as yesterday. Although I am noticing some tinnitus in right ear. YIKES! Tomorrow morning I am going to my first ever Allergist appointment.
Good wishes at the allergist, Santa! I hope you get patch testing done. It is so great to just know what you are allergic to instead of having to guess. When I got it done my only regret was that I hadn't done it years earlier. I also can barely hear the finger rub on my left, but I had my husband whisper in that ear tonight and I could hear him just fine. He is convinced that was not the case last time he tried, which made me so happy I got a little teary.
That's interesting, Santa. I had allergy testing done last summer and I had only a very minor reaction to dogs and mold. I was really surprised because I have always felt like I had a bad mold allergy. It made me doubt my results. I guess you were hoping that they would find something, at least I know I was when I went for mine. How are you feeling today? Unfortunately, I have some fullness back in my left ear this morning. I can barely hear the dial tone again. But hey, at least I can hear it at all, right? I am trying to stay positive. I mean, Monday and Tuesday were the best days symptoms wise for me in MONTHS. And I understand that for a lot of people improvement is two steps forward, one step back for a while. I am still hopeful. My clear hearing for a few days had to mean something. The tinnitus this morning is still not so bad, not nearly as bad as it had been... hopefully it doesn't get back to that point.
RedBird, try not to let set backs throw you too much, many of us have them during treatment. Fingers crossed you get back on track. Take notes of what you did or ate before the setback you may find a pattern and find out your triggers. Santa some of us including myself test negative even though we exhibit allergic symptoms, allergy tests are far from perfect.
I have never been able to figure out of coffee is a trigger for me or not. I drink a small 8oz cup every morning. But this morning I went to Starbucks and got my favorite, pumpkin spice latte and it was 16oz. Not only that, but I believe that Starbuck's coffee has a really high amount of caffeine. So I am thinking I had more than double the amount of caffeine as I usually do. I had a little bit of pressure in my ear before the coffee, but I wonder if that put me over the edge.
It would me. I can usually get by with a diet coke but if i get a large one, especially the fountain type where it is anyone's guess how much syrup is in it, i often have my hearing degrade. This is the only thing that still bothers me after all these years. Even weather doesnt but a little too much caffeine does.
I really need to suck it up and try going without coffee for a few days. Unfortunately coffee is one of my favorite things... but I know I like a clear ear even more so it is worth a shot.