A query for bilateral folks.

Hearing cannot be restored if the inner ear is damaged. Parts do not regrow. I wish they did.

 

Depends on the nature of the damage. I had sensorineural hearing loss and regained that hearing. OToh, i had a nerve severed with surgery, that is not com8ng back.

 

Good luck Kevin!

 

Good luck Kevin. You said you didn't think you'd lost low frequency hearing. I thought the same. But like you, the hearing test revealed that I in fact had.

I'm sure you've seen this Huey Lewis interview, but since you're a musician I pass it along anyway.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/huey-lewis-talks-menieres-disease-it-can-get-better-it-just-hasnt-yet-629842/

 

Hello fellow Houstonian. If you are needing antivirals I was able to get a subscription with Dr Jing Shen at Houston ENT (in Willowbrook or Memorial City location).

https://www.houstonent.com/our-doctors

She didnt agree with the studies on AVs but she was fine with my trying it instead of relying on Gent or steroids.

 

Good nees Kevin. I expect it will be two steps forward and one step back for a while. Do not let that discourage you. Just look at the trend month over month.

 

Sorry to post in two threads about bilateral but I’m looking for info.

My hearing test yesterday, and my symptoms, suggest newly bilateral. I just started on joh and antivirals a few weeks ago. The vertigos have decreased.

Choices now - to rush off the the House Ear clinic ($$$ and travel from canada), or cool my heels waiting for our one expert in the province who is technically skilled but not a great communicator (free to this taxpayer, 45 minutes drive, but may take months).

Opinions? I’m leaning towards Bulldogs and others’ attitude of cut this sucker out and try to reclaim my life. My life has shrunk to fear and halfway shut in.

 

Anne you have tried to control your menieres without much success. When you realize that menieres has taken over your life then it is time to look into ending the misery. Living with constant vertigo and/or the fear of having that next attack in my opinion is no way to live. I have had 7 great years since my laby. Right now I have some concerns about my good ear but never will I ever regret having the laby. Only you can decide if you should go the surgical route. From my experience I would say go for it and start living your life. Best wishes sent to you.

 

Thanks redwing1951.

A little correction- I found that little notch of sensorineural hearing loss on my good ear was there in 2015, so I think that’s good.

 

Hey guys I hope everyone is doing good. I'm just wanting some input. I visited my ent here at home today. He is the doctor that referred me back my otologist in November 2018 for my good ear showing the same signs of meniers disease. So, today my ent saw how my otologist is treating my good ear with 10 mg once a week Prednisone. The ent was not very happy with that treatment at all. In fact he is referring me to another otologist to see if I they can preserve my hearing in my good ear with more aggressive treatments than 10 mg Prednisone once a week and low sodium diet with diuretic. Now these two otologist have worked together. Am I wasting my time with this option of seeing a new otologist for better treatment for bilateral meniers. I want some input please?

 

PR, it sounds like your ENT has your best interests in mind. It also sounds like you have nothing to lose by seeing another doctor, especially on your ENT's recommendation. Just because two docs work together does not mean they treat the same way, and you have to advocate for yourself any way you can to get your best outcome. Don't worry about feeling disloyal if that is your reluctance; docs are used to people seeking second opinions, and the good ones don't mind.

Over the years I've had prednisone treatment twice after major flares that involved significant hearing losses. My neurotologist explained to me that the idea behind prednisone is to give an intense boost to the damaged hair cells to help repair themselves. She said it worked only for a short time after the damage had occurred, and it was not meant to be an ongoing medication. I don't know whether the treatments helped me, as my hearing fluctuated quite a bit anyway.

 

Clare, Hi there, may I ask please the dosage and duration of the prednisone treatment you took? Many thanks

 

Jacqui, the first time I had prednisone was an oral dose of 40mg for 10 days followed by a slow taper (I can't remember for how long). The drug made me quite uncomfortable with allover swelling, sweats, etc., so the next time (years later) we did it via intratympanic injection. I don't know what the dosage was for that, but it thankfully came without systemic side effects.

 

Clare thanks for your response