Anne T that is great news. A few more days ... you never know, perhaps the injection will be YOUR answer. I keep my fingers crossed . Please keep us updated. In the meantime relax if you can!
Clare I’ve started the vestibular exercises from the House Ear Clinic website. I tell myself, “I’m in training!” Any of the eyes closed exercises are scary and uncomfortable so I do a little, and yes, in safe surroundings. Thanks for the insight and encouragement! Marta I had troubles falling asleep last night, thinking of all possible bad outcomes, what if I regret doing it etc etc. Journaling today helps, reminding myself that the goal is getting vertigo free and that I’m willing to be predictably wobbly rather than a slave to the random beast. And yes hoping that I get the great outcome, while remembering that there are backup plans and options. Thanks ladies!!
I’m in daily vertigo attacks. The clinic is 45 minutes drive away. So hubby and I will stay at a hotel next to the hospital tonight. Gentamicin injection tomorrow morning at 9.
Anne I am so Happy the BIG day is tomorrow. I do hope it’s going to an answer to your suffering. You are blessed to have such a caring and loving husband. Thinking of you Anne. Warm thoughts and hugs
Good luck tomorrow!! I had gent done 2 years ago and I havent had a spin since. Hope it works out for ya.
Hey Do you get any symptoms? General dizziness, fullness, did you have low dose? How many shots? Any hearing loss, has yr hearing loss gotten worse since? How long did it take to restore your balance after? Considering low dose soon Cheers! Ange
Here I am, alive on the other side. I took some of my own stash of pain pills, clonazepam and Meclizine before the procedure. She had me sitting up in like a dental chair, maybe slightly tilted back, with my head bent away from the injection ear. The phenol freezing was painful- it felt like tapping on my ear drum - manageable, just made me say “oof” a few times. She had me hold the gentamicin vial in my hand to warm it up, to prevent cold caloric spins - which I still felt mildly during the injection. I didn’t feel the needle go through the ear drum, but the fluid arrivingin my middle or inner ear was just a weird, kind of uncomfortable sensation. I knew I wasn’t supposed to swallow, but accidentally did during the injection, so she put extra gentamicin in. Then she swivelled the chair around so I could see the clock, while reminding me, “Don’t swallow! Don’t talk!” The swivel distracted me and I swallowed again and said,”oh no!!” (The swivel seems ludicrous, mean and unnecessary- I have a watch!) Anyway, she told me don’t panic (surprisingly that helped), let the saliva pool, and just focus on not swallowing for 30 minutes. I spat out some of my drool at 20 minutes and accidentally swallowed again. When the time was up, and I sat up straight, some clear liquid came out my ear. So that reassured me that there was indeed some gent liquid in my ear, and not all sucked down my eustacian tube! I was very sore for a few hours, kind like a strep throat sensation somewhere between my ear and throat. I had a brief vertigo at home - but I’ve been having those daily for a couple weeks, so may or may not be related to the procedure.
The doctor says any vertigo I have is from the disease, not the injection. She says to expect to feel off balance... sometime... and I might need a cane for that time. So now I wait. I guess it’s like being 39 weeks pregnant- you know you’re going to go through some bad shit sometime in the next few weeks, but you don’t know when, how bad, how long... but you’re hoping for something really positive on the other side!
Advice to future gentamicin recipients: 1. Practice not swallowing beforehand. 2. Take pain pills, anti-vertigo and anti nausea drugs. 3. Ask all your questions BEFORE the procedure. (In my case the doc was long gone when I was done. I was able grab a nurse, who told me the dosing is designed to account for a few accidental swallows.)
Anne I am glad it’s over. I keep my fingers crossed for you now. I hope no more vertigo! Please keep us up to date. Warm hugs
Your comment above made me laugh! It will take a few days to kick in. For me it was around day 5 that I started to feel sick. Then I felt like I had gone on a "binge" and then I knew for sure it was working! You will feel off for a few weeks or more. But like I said in prior posts walk, walk, walk. Good luck!
Hi redwing So you were pretty nauseated? Did you use Gravol, Meclizine, Ativan, clonazepam anything like that to help get through it? I know eventually I should do without those so my brain can adjust, but if I feel really yucky I’m hoping that “better living through chemistry” will help if necessary.
Oh yeah - I’ve used zofran for vertigo pukes. I might still have a couple lying around. Since I discovered sniffing rubbing alcohol to combat nausea I haven’t had to use the $$$$zofran.
Anne, I never felt nauseous so I didn't take any meds. My symptoms were more in line with being light headed and very wobbly. Like I had way to much to drink..like a really bad hangover ( back in my younger years I can recall a few nights out that were a similar feeling) but never sick to my stomach. I do remember spending 2 days in bed because I just could not take feeling so light headed. It starts slow then it peaks and then you start coming down off the peak and your head starts feeling somewhat normal whatever your normal is.