I'm guessing the reason for all these stories to be so bad is due to overwhelming research for when these things do go bad. I would bet to say that most surgeries that go well, people move on with their lives and love every minute of it. That being said, can we all share good Stapedectomy surgeries, and the results, over the long term, of people who have had it done, not just short term updates.
I had done stapedectomy to my left ear in 2001. So far no issues. My hearing is still good.
But i am finding some hearing loss in unoperated ear. I can manage somehow for now.May be i get it done other right ear in future.
Also i found out some horror stories and failures regarding stapedectomy surgery in some threads. but in my case, my hearing got back immediately after surgery.
First three days i was very careful. and i took rest upto three weeks and got back to normal activities afterwards.
One interesting thing as soon as my operation got over, my doctor immediately said it was very successful.
How did i find out hearing loss?
At the age of 21, my friends used to tease me that i am deaf. I was very disappointed and cried lot of times. I spoke with my dad about my hearing loss and he enquired about specialist in ENT. He tested my ears and said that hearing was deteriorating in both ears. but he said left ear is worst in heearing and right ear is better and gave two options one is hearing aid or micro surgery may improve my hearing loss. Without second thought, i opted for surgery. Infact i even don't know about that surgery that we are calling stapedectomy. I simply followed my doctor suggestions. This really changes my life and gave second life
I agree that a lot of the stories about stapedectomies seem scary, but those stories were very helpful to me because they let me know what to expect when I healed. I would have freaked out otherwise!
But...I do have a good story for you. Are you ready??
I have never had more than 20% of my hearing in my right ear. My whole life I have had to ask people to repeat themselves and have had to hold the phone receiver to my left ear, or turn my left ear toward people to hear. I was told when I was a young teen that there was nothing that they could do to fix it. There was an operation (I now know is the stapedectomy), but it was a 50% chance that I would lose all of my hearing in that ear. I'm now 32 years old, and I married a man who is very quiet when he talks. Not being able to hear him has really upset me...so I asked about the stapedectomy.
Long story short...I was able to get mine done on the 16th of this month. And yesterday I went in for my first post-op appointment. I was having a bit of pain the day before and yesterday, and the doc said it was probably because the packing was drying out...so he removed it!! When he did, it was like he was pulling a cork out of my ear. I could hear!!!! I cried on and off the whole 2 hour drive home- but tears of happiness. My ear has plugged a bit today, but it will take about another month for the swelling to go down. So, there you have it. I'm hearing things in stereo for the first time in my life! Very happy right now.
I wish you all luck with your stapedectomies. Feel free to ask me any questions as you go through it. Thank you!
Ok. Here is my story in a nutshell...
36 yr old female. Noticed hearing loss to be significant last winter. I had to have the television at max volume to understand what was being said. I was missing the majority of low frequency sounds and hearing speaking voices was a real challenge. As the hearing loss was gradual, I become an informal lip-reader. (funny thing...I never was consciously aware I was reading lips until someone asked me about it!)
Anyhow, I was taking my son for a checkup with his ENT and since I was there I requested a hearing test for myself. The doc. came in looking like his dog just died and told me I had substantial hearing loss. I had already kind of reconciled myself to this fact so it wasn't too terribly shocking. He told me I would have to see a specialist and JOY OF JOYS one of the top places in the U.S. to have this taken care of was nearby.
Dr. Larouere from the Michigan Ear Institute was who I was referred to. The ENT highly recommended him and of course I made sure to thoroughly check out the Mi. Ear Institute as well as the Dr. All sterling reports about Dr. Larouere!!
Went through additional hearing tests and evaluation. Had 30-35% hearing loss in both ears. Had right ear operated on March 2010. Very nauseous coming out of anesthesia. Vomiting. Spent night at hospital. I could immediately tell that a lot of hearing had been recovered. Packing vacuumed out a week later (hated that!). Sound was INTENSE and somewhat disorienting and painful. Dishes clanking or even vibration from walking up stairs seemed insanely loud. Apparently the brain needs time to relearn how to process sound.
A few weeks post-op I began getting distortion in my hearing. Almost like being in a windstorm noise that would cut in and out. Took several rounds of steroids and it finally calmed down. Earplugs in the shower for SEVERAL MONTHS are a must in my book. (I think water running into my ear freaked out my hearing.)
Noticed vertigo symptoms beginning in late August. I informed the Dr. of this when I came to the hospital for the second surgery in Sept. He said it may calm down on its own or we may have to go back into the first ear as sometimes the piston can loosen where it is crimped onto the incus. Ugh!
After waking up from having my left ear done (the second one) the Dr. told me that not only did I have otosclerosis in that ear but the incus was also malformed and shorter than it should be. Not good news to wake up to. The piston ended up sitting on an angle. (oddly enough...this was my better hearing ear!) Later that evening I got the tuning fork on the teeth test and I could hear like a champ in my operated ear. Success! Whoo-HOO!
I am now awaiting my 6 week post-op hearing test to see how the second ear has done. The first ear was a complete success (hearing wise). Almost total closure of the air/bone gap!
I am VERY glad I chose to have the surgeries! (even with the hiccups along the way) Hearing aids were not a good option for me as I sing and apparently hearing aids make sound less true and more mechanical sounding. I am anxious to get back to singing and hope I will be back in the Detroit Opera House with the rest of the choir this Christmas!
I know it is a big decision and can seem scary.
Last edited by moderator2; 09-30-2010 at 11:53 AM.
Reason: please do not post your email address
Hi, not sure whether this thread is still active. I have a few questions for anyone out there who's had stapedectomy surgery.
Here's my story:
I've had otosclerosis in my right ear since i was very young, approx 20 years. It didn't have a huge impact on my life as I was able to make do with my left ear which had perfect hearing. All that changed approx 8 months ago. I came down with a bad ear infection in my good ear in April this year. Was treated with antibiotics etc however nothing seemed to clear the blocked/clogged feeling in my ear. Tried steroids etc but blocked feeling persisted. I seemed to have lost a great deal of hearing in my 'good ear' practically overnight. Went to my ear specialist & was advised otosclerosis had moved into my good ear. My hearing went bad very quickly and surgery seemed the only option (as both ears were now quite deaf). Had surgery last Wednesday ( 01 December) on my original bad ear (right ear). Specialist who did the surgery is known as being one of the best ear surgeons in Australia & I have total faith in his ability. It's now day 6 since surgery and I'm having all the expected post-surgery symptoms - vertigo/dizziness (especially when attempting to lay down or get up), light headed etc. My main concern is my unoperated ear.....it seems to be totally blocked & muffled. Since I woke up following the surgery, I have barely been able to hear out of the either ear & it's causing me a lot of anxiety. My operated ear currently has no hearing at all (which I'm hoping is due to packing etc) but I'm very concerned about the loss of hearing in my good ear. It feels totally muffled & blocked. I mentioned it to the surgeon briefly immediately following surgery and he didn't seem overly concerned but the longer it goes on the more worried I get. Also, I have a great deal of numbness around the operation site. An area of approx 3inches above my ear & my entire ear is totally numb. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?? All replies will be greatly appreciated, thanks.
I had my Right ear done this morning (3/2/2011). It went perfectly!! No nausea, No ringing, on a scale from 1 to 10 the pain was/is .01 You wouldn't even know I had anything done if it weren't for the gauze bandage in my ear. Dr Tagge even kept the stapes bone for me. (per my request)
I have very little "popping" and sometimes hear my heartbeat. but its barely noticeable. All in all I am EXTREMELY happy with the early results and am glad that I did it. I can hear things now, even with the "packing" still in that I couldn't before. I can't wait till it heals and the packing is gone! and as soon as it's healed enough I'm going back to do the Left ear.
Day 4.
Odd things are happening, the day of my surgery everything was great!, since then my hearing has gotten worse, now my balance is effected, the "popping" and crackling stopped after day 1. my ear is feeling "full" or "swollen" ?
Aren't things supposed to get better with time, not worse? The Dr has me on antibiotics so hopefully that will help. or maybe I'm just being a baby
Your hearing will go back and forth for a couple of months. I'm at one month and my hearing varies day to day. My tongue still has the metal taste and food realy does not taste like anything. My ringing in the ear seems to be getting more pronounced.
My ear felt swollen/full for the first 2 weeks. It now just feels kinda numb/swollen right in the front ear of the ear.
Give it time. I think it takes quite a few months for the ear to settle down to what your hearing will be like.
I had my surgery done on Feb 18th so I am now heading into day 17 post. I will agree that daily things seem to change. some days I feel like I can hear really well..others I have that under water my ear is clogged feeling. Have you noticed that you are at your best in the am. I think that it has to do with our ears resting during the evening. I understand how you are feeling I am there with you...today I have the popping crunching noise in my ear..I believe it is all just part of the healing process. I do not have much hearing in my other ear at all but I am happy to say I am functioning without my hearing aid. I am planning on getting the other ear done next year.... I will have to say that tv is the hardest to hear..certain voices are so tough and I do get frustrated and think oh no it didn t work..but keep your chin up..I am also experiencing alittle bit of off balanceness if I tend to look to the right (good ear now) while laying down. I said something to the dr. and he was not to worried about it.. Not as bad before the surgery for sure.....I have my 1 month post packing out hearing test end of the month and I can t wait to see what it is like. Remember that each person is different..I still have not experienced that bionic ear sound yet..but I am hearing a tiny bit better each day-not back to normal but on the way I believe. Today I was able to hear alittle bit thru the bathroom door..can t tell you what was being said..but I heard something...I know that these boards have helped me so much after reading and saying ok that person experienced the same it is ok..I need to calm down. They say it can take months before your hearing will be better..also...try to remember that there is alot of swelling...dried blood and that is such a delicate area...it will take time to heal...
Last edited by billcindy1; 03-07-2011 at 11:03 AM.
Almost like being in a windstorm noise that would cut in and out. Took several rounds of steroids and it finally calmed down. Earplugs in the shower for SEVERAL MONTHS are a must in my book. (I think water running into my ear freaked out my hearing.)
I informed the Dr. of this when I came to the hospital for the second surgery in Sept. He said it may calm down on its own or we may have to go back into the first ear as sometimes the piston can loosen where it is crimped onto the incus. Ugh!
