Sterod Shots update

[BH2907]

Just an update.  Had two shots so far. The experience wasnt bad with the exception of the immediate dizziness when the steriods were injected and you have to keep still and not swollow for 20 to 30 min.  Next is a hearing test to see if there is any improvement, then possibly another shot if there is any improvement, which I hope.  Its been a month since I lost hearing in one ear.  I am not so optimistic because I had profound hearing loss.  I don't quite understand how to read my hearing test.  The only thing I know is that when they speak in my ear during the hearing test, I only hear a vibration. The second hearing test showed some improvement, but very slight.  Does that mean that I could have more improvement?   Can anyone tell me when I could expect any improvement, if any, after the series of shots?   Has anyone had complete hearing loss and regained their hearing that was useable?

Through this experience, I wish when I discovered I had lost my hearing and went into the walk-in clinic that they would have handle this as an emergency and immediately put me on steriods.  Though I started them two days after the loss when I went to my ENT, I wish he would have immediately suggested the steriod injections.  Don't know if it would have worked in my situation, but I now understand that with hearing loss, time is of the essence!

[Meltronic]

How is your hearing now? Did you ever get it back fully?

[ill13632]

I don't know what to do, I can't hear conversation sometimes but I don't know if the tympanic injections are safe?  
I do have some ear pain and tinnitus on prednisone so it seems to be working and there is some inflammation.  I'm not sure if a doctor could answer my question so I can know if the tympanic injections are safe.
I don't want to go deaf and have vertigo from the injections

[ill13632]

are these steroidal tympanic shots SAFE and do they work?
I'm on 80mg of prednisone tablets and valtrex and had some recovery of hearing loss.  
I'm not sure how do I get a doctor to do the shots, do you have to have severe sudden and unexplained hearing loss?  do you go to an ENT clinic or have to go somewhere else?

I just wasted 24 hours going to a NYC ENT resident at urgent care and he just sent me away to come back tomorrow for hearing testing

[fahed89]

Dear jhon79,

Just wanted to know have you now 100% recovered. Is your hearing back to normal after 6 months. What about the ringing (tinnitus) in the ear. Is it gone?  

I'm in my 6th week and docs have told me that recovery is now next to impossible. If you are now completely cured then it will be a great boost for my hopes.

I'm also doing combination therapies including ginko, cinazzarine, serc, hydergine, etc.  I had around 30 steroid shots in the blood from day one and about 50 steroid shots through the tympanic membrane in the middle ear. I got a tube inserted through the tympanic membrane so steroids were poured through that for 20 days.  Very slight improvement in the hearing test today after 42 days.

Please reply
Fahed

[jhon79]

For all you of out there diagnosied with SNHL . Thought of posting my story ...
Diagnoised with sudden hearing loss around April ..with no impovemnt in test results ..initially ..but after 6 months or so .. my results were almost close to normal ...
Being thru a lot of frustration with the Docs .. and carried out my own .. treatment plan .After all this i am writing this to let ppl know there is some hope out there ..when you do combination therapy one therapy will not work ..atleast in my case .

   Here is wot i did ... :
   1. Was able to take steriods within 3 days of onset symptoms .
   2. Presidisone + Ear Injections ....==== Did not help or see any imporvement for 1st month
    3. Then i started heavily on the Vitamins (B12) + Magnesium + Gingko + Antioxidant .. for 3-5 months continous .. Gingko showed great results atleast intially
   4. At last out of much frustation i have used Cinnazarine (anti histamine) for tinnitus .. this really helped my tinittus is almost softer now.

All in all my if you dont see a response in 1-2 months dont worry stick to you guts and follow your plan . **Only Combination Therapy Works **

[tamms101]

I have ringing in my right ear,my right ear is 28% weaker then my left. I'm taking predizone oral for 6 days but hasn't helped at all. What do you think of the ejection of predizone in middle ear? How is procedure done? Will i loose my hearing,casue i can still hear out of my right ear?

[philly840]

Hello I was diagnosed with SSHL a few weeks ago.. My hearing loss was profound and there was alot if vertigo. So im def not getting any of it back.. For those of you w SSHL how does your other ear act? Any popping or is it normal? Thanks! Phil

[Nancy T]

Most general doctors don't know that sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency.

They are likely to write it off to wax, "water in the ear," a cold, Eustachian tube problem... you were smart to get treated so soon. Took me a month to even get the hearing loss diagnosed (stupid me, stupid doctors). I had no recovery of hearing. In those days (1999) they weren't doing the shots yet, just prednisone.

Not swallow for 20 minutes! I couldn't do that. During my third MRI (of the neck) I asked, is it OK to swallow (big mistake). They said no. Of course, then all I coudl think about was wanting to swallow!! At my next MRI I had to take a big Valium to keep me from thinking about swallowing.

Good luck--hope you get some hearing back. You've already realized, correctly, that the prognosis is not good, but you never know. Stay hopeful and keep with the treatments. If it doesn't come back, there are options for single-sided deafness: CROS hearing aid, TransEar, or Baha (you can google them). I have a Baha and LOVE it.

Nancy

[TimboS]

Hi,
My story is similar to yours,I lost all hearing in my left ear on 3-10.I also began prednisone 3 days later,for about 7-10 days,then 3 tympanic injections over 5 days.

I've had 5 subsequent hearing tests.I had no improvement in the 1st 3-4 weeks,however my hearing has improved now,though still bad.I started at 90-110 db loss,and now at about 65-70.

I had about 56% word recognition[14 out of 25] in my latest test last week and heard most tone beeps.

The vibrations you feel is exactly what I felt,almost like a shock,instead of a sound

The Drs.[3 of them]all say I have sensorineural hearing loss from a virus and its anyones guess how much hearing will return.

It sounds like you are following the same treatment course I had.The best I have heard is about 50-50 odds to get decent hearing back.

Keep up the faith,I am still hopeful,even after 2 and 1-2 months

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

your storry of starting meds with 2 days of onset is one of the best I have ever heard.  

You are an exception, most folks seek assistance well beyond 2 days.

There are really no answers to your questions, because results vary from person to person.  

You migh do some google research and find the "odds" based on research...

good luck to you