Just had my surgery Friday..not to bad. Mild dizziness and some pain but all and all..feeling pretty good. Actually slept very well last night..heartbeat now and then. I go back for packing to be taken out week from Monday..
16 days post surgery...Had my packing out this past Monday and wow...what a difference...was able to hear as soon as it came out but the sound was so amplified...had an echo..and also donald duck hearing with certain tones. My voice was also being heard as this also.. but each day it has gotten so much better...not so bad as of today...can say certain tones still do it but so much better and Dr.said once everything is healed up fluid gone too it will be back to normal..I do remember this back with my first surgery in 1993.. I was very uncomfortable with noise for the first couple of days..but it seems like I am getting better each day and a cotton ball helps so much...
I went to the gym this morning and did some very slow walking on the thread mill for 20 mins like my dr. had said I could do. I know I could have done more but I will not push myself with it being my first time back... thought 20 mins was a good time for today.. and it felt GREAT!!. .Not to bad with my dizziness like in the past...just needed to keep focused and not look around to much...
My recovery has been wonderful...I feel like this was not bad at all..first few days were tough..but all and all..not to bad..My balance is getting better each day too...actually seems really good for where I am post surgery...
Going back end of this month for my audio testing..anxious to see where I am..I know it is good..It is so wonderful for me because it has been 20 years since I have heard so well from this ear...I had under 30% hearing pre surgery... I put it off for so long because back in 1993 my recovery was very difficult..about a month I believe..awful dizziness..no balance..and I also had a 1 and 4 year old at home with me...hard
will keep updated as my recovery continues !!
Cindy
Last edited by billcindy1; 03-04-2012 at 12:40 PM.
I stupidly posted a link to another website on a post and my account was suspended. It has now been reactivated thank heavens and I will read the terms of use of this website carefully to make sure it doesn't happen again. However, everything I posted before seems to have been deleted. Never mind, you are the only one who ever replied to my posts and I really value your comments so I hope I can still reach you by replying to this one.
I woke up last night with terrible itching in my operated ear and couldn't get back to sleep. It is a bit better this morning but it still worries me. When I saw the surgeon yesterday he said it looked good, there was no infection so I suppose it must just be itching because it is healing. Have you ever experienced anything like this?
Another thing, how long is it before you can wash your hair without worrying about getting water in your operated ear? I have been using spray on, comb out dry shampoo but I don't like the effect it has on my hair. It feels kind of sticky. I long to be able to have a proper shower!
Clare
The following user gives a hug of support to JackCE: billcindy1 (03-13-2012)
No worries about the itching in the ear...OMG i can remember sitting there telling my hubby my ear is soooo itchy....I wish I could scratch it... means it is healing..even to this date I have the same thing and it feels so itchy...I have had a cotton ball in my ear because of that along with it being to loud at times..but I am so worried that I will stick my finger in there to scratch it and realize to late....that i can t do that... So no worries on that..
Oh and lets just go forward on the hair... I was told not to get my ear wet until I went back for my 5 week check up with my audio and the surgeon to be sure that everything in there was healed.. I too tried the dry shampoo and talk about your hair just sooo yucky... stiff..itchy..it feels awful for sure. My hubby has been the one to wash my hair in the kitchen sink....he is a pro...I will bend my head over and place a folded up face cloth over the ear to protect it but before I will dip a cotton ball in vasaline.place it in my ear to seal it off...I have always used two cotton balls when I do this just so the vasaline doesn t go inside to much it feels gross too...LOL he keeps the water on low and uses the sprayer...He said he tries to keep away from the ear as much as possible..I now can do it myself being my dizziness is under control so I will kneel outside the tub use the shower sprayer that is handheld too on the lowest setting...and can do it without getting my ear wet at all...always use a cottonball though...remember this is my third surgery in a year so I am a pro...
I have been feeling yucky today. When I move my head too quickly it is as if my ears take some time to catch up with the movement. I am OK as long as I stay still but anything like bending over, sitting up, walking up stairs, rolling over etc produces a really weird sensation. If it doesn't get better by tomorrow, I am thinking of phoning my surgeon again. Do you think this is a good idea?
Clare I am one of those gals that feels if you are not to sure pick up the phone...it can t hurt and you know what...you just went thru alot and being abit cautious is totally understandable. I just called my surgeon yesterday myself...I have been down with a nasty virus for a week cough..nasal stuffiness and runny nose..just feeling awful... Actually started to feel better but when I woke up on Monday my ear on other side (last years stapedectomy) felt weird...pressure...uncomfortable..clogge d.. My new ear was fine..I went in just to make sure no infection and my surgeon actually said I did the right thing...and he put me on two meds...He said that he was not worried about the other ear but my newly operated ear....so when in doubt..pick up that phone...
I phoned up my surgeon's secretary and explained how I was feeling. It is not as bad today as it was yesterday. She spoke to my surgeon and he said that he felt it could wait until tomorrow when I have my packing out. He said I should try to to make any big/fast movements and to phone again if it gets worse.
I can't wait until tomorrow. My appointment is at 14:30, Switzerland time.
I had my packing out and was a little disappointed at first because I didn't have a "wow, everything is so loud" effect. I think this was probably because my other ear is within the normal range and my brain is used to listening using that ear. However, when I went home the car sounded loud. When I went for a walk the traffic noise sounded louder than normal and I heard the fridges humming in the supermarket, something I don't normally notice. Speech sounds distorted with that ear at the moment but the surgeon said to expect things to sound as if hearing them down a tunnel for another week.
I am still feeling pretty optimistic and am looking forward to further improvements.
Clare... so glad to hear that things are going well...
I had the same when the packing came out too...everything sounded so distorted...found putting a cotton ball in that ear really helps..one month today was my surgery and I am still walking around with the cotton ball.. It did get better in about a week or two...
How is your dizziness you were talking about..,.I know you said you were not feeling the best the day before packing was taken out..
Have you returned back to work..I was out for a week and found the first week alittle challanging for me but I also work with children so the sound was very tough..but that cotton ball was my best friend... LOL
SO happy these health boards are back up...really missed hearing from you and was hoping everything was good
Yes, I am glad the boards are back up as well. You have been really helpful with your advice and experience and I missed that when they were down.
My dizziness is less now, thanks. The surgeon said that some people get a bit dizzy in the week after the operation but, if it is only occasionally and normally things are OK, it should not be a problem. He also checked my ear and said that everything looked fine.
I washed my hair with water today for the first time after the operation (I have been using dry shampoo). It feels great! The surgeon put some gauze with cream on it in my ear yesterday, after he took everything out and cleaned it, and then stuck some tape on top to hold it in place. Therefore, cotton wool balls aren't an option at the moment. The surgeon suggested I should hold a cup over my ear while washing my hair, which I did and it worked well. The gauze in my ear is probably not helping the distortion.
I think that things are sounding a little more normal today. However, some sounds are louder and some quieter than with my other ear. Speech still sounds better with my other ear and cars sound louder with my operated ear. The surgeon said that he expected my hearing to be approximately the same in both ears after about a week and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this happens.
The surgeon said I should stay off work for 2 weeks and gave me a sick note which means that the work sickness insurance should pay for it. I am not sure why I need to be off for 2 weeks as I just sit in front of a computer all day and only work 60%. I feel I could easily go back in on Monday. However, it is good to have this time to relax.
Gee I never thought of the cup over my ear... but I am now able to do my hair myself and not get any water in there....Just had to wait until I was able to bend over and not feel dizzy while doing it...
I do think that you will find things getting better as time goes on... My doctor said the same about my ears also that when things are finally done healing he expects both ears to equal out in my hearing...but I do not mind the new ear at all... I am still adjusting to life with that ear and it is wonderful...
As far as work...take the time and relax...no need to rush back if he gave you that note and you will be paid...I would have taken it off myself but I do not get paid for any time I am off... But I will say I took it very easy that first week back...
I know everyone says that things will improve but I am worried about the fact that I can hear car noise louder and speech softer than with my other ear. I took a phone hearing test where you have to understand numbers spoken in varying amounts of background noise and my un-operated ear was, as I expected, within the normal range. My operated ear was, however, below the normal range. It did not say how much below the normal range.
I emailed my surgeon to ask if this will improve. I did not try to phone him even though I have an emergency number because this is weekend and it is not an emergency. I am hoping that the bit of gauze in my ear is making a difference. If my un-operated ear is at the bottom of the normal range, it does not have to be a huge difference for my operated ear to be below the normal range.
I do also feel that hearing with two ears is better than hearing with one and I think that, for this reason, my ability to understand people who are talking to me has slightly improved. My ear may not be in the normal range but it is definitely better than it was before. In Switzerland I also have 2 problems with understanding speech, my hearing and the Swiss dialect. Although I can understand normal German fairly well, Swiss German is very different.
By the way, I don't know if you drink or not but I was wondering how soon after the operation it would be OK to have a glass of wine in the evening again. The surgeon didn't mention alcohol at all but I thought it would be better to avoid it so I don't feel dizzy/clumsy from drinking alcohol and think there is a problem with my ear.
you said something about gauze being put back into your ear? along with some cream..is that there still with the tape over your ear to hold in place? I honestly think if so this is why things are not seeming better to you...If I have a cotton ball in my ear it is alot softer then without and also some sounds come in different also. My doctor did say that too...with the gauze in there it would sound funny...I never had anything put into my ear once the packing was taken out...I do know that ea surgeon does things differently.
Also...I noticed after my packing was taken out that putting the phone up to that ear didn t seem as good as my other ear...I was having trouble understanding but now it is better...Honestly...your brain needs to relearn so many things...and it will get better for you in time I think as it has for me... Remember what I said that even 8 months after my surgery my audio team told me that my hearing had improved even more since the 6 week post op testing..so it will get better for you...
I actually went out for supper with my hubby a couple of weeks after and I did enjoy a drink to celebrate... but I would not drink more then one because I didn t want to be off on my feet...seems like I can do that all on my own without the help LOL...I find when I am tired it is worse for me..I can lose my balance if I am not focusing...Just happen this evening at friends....kind of side stepped so to say but everyone noticed and I only had diet soda to drink LOL...
I know it is hard to hear..but try to relax and let your ear heal..things will start to settle for you. Do you have the donald duck sound ? some do and some don t I did on this last surgery and it scared me to death...right now I am dealing with a blocked feeling and pressure in my other ear...on meds for that right now but my dr is not to worried about it..my hearing on that ear seems ok. I have found one of the hardest things for me right now is learning to focus on what I am hearing... This is something that our brain is now relearning....
Thanks for your reassurance. Yes there is still some gauze in my ear. I have an appointment on Friday when I am hoping that the surgeon will take it out.
Yes, I get the Donald Duck effect but only with loud speech. Car noise sounds undistorted even if it is really loud. The effect with speech is kind of like a speaker which doesn't work very well. When speech is quiet, it sounds undistorted but when it gets louder it reaches the limits of what the speaker can cope with and you get a funny vibrating Donald Duck effect.
By the way, music sounds good although maybe not quite as loud as with my other ear. It is only with speech, the thing which I really want to improve, that have problems. I think you are right about my brain having to re-learn hearing with that ear. It started to get bad when I was in my early 20s and I am now 38 so it has been a long time that my brain has probably been ignoring that ear.
Today it actually feels alittle better. I am still on my anti biotics and I go back a week from tomorrow for my post surgery check up and audio too on my other ear that was operated on. It does still feel abit blocked but I am coping with it... I actually went to the gym today for 5o mins. and then just took an hour long walk outside...felt sooo nice.
And you too have had the one ear for some time..It certainly is a readjustment for us isn t it.... I have jumped so many times from a sound on that side that I am just not use to hearing from there... but I can honestly say...IT IS WONDERFUL!! I love having two ears that work
Cindy
Last edited by billcindy1; 03-18-2012 at 03:40 PM.
My surgeon phoned me back first thing this morning regarding my email which I sent over the weekend, which I think was nice of him. He said that low frequencies get better quicker and that high frequencies are important for understanding speech which might explain the greater improvement in car noise as compared with speech. This was reassuring.
He said that the important thing for the first month was to check that the inner ear was working and that he would only perform a hearing test after a month. Like you say, it takes time for the new ear to adjust to the changes which have been made. I hope your hearing test goes well, by the way.
I know what you mean about it being great hearing with two ears rather than just one. I was waiting at a tram stop yesterday with my operated ear towards the direction which trams come from. I heard the tram approaching from quite a long way away when I wasn't looking in that direction, I was very impressed.
Just before my packing was taken out, I was in a chemists looking for cotton wool balls (which they appear not to sell in Switzerland, just big packets of cotton wool which you have to make into balls yourself). A chemist approached me on the side of my operated ear and asked me twice if I needed any help. It didn't register until she came further forward and I saw her. I apologized and explained about the operation. I don't think that will happen again now the packing is out, I would definitely hear someone speaking to me on that side even if I have problems with the Swiss German to start off with.
Clare
The following user gives a hug of support to JackCE: billcindy1 (03-19-2012)
Gosh where did the weekend go.... I am so happy that your surgeon called you back...to me that makes him an awesome Dr. I have always said that this surgery is like a roller coaster ride..ups and downs. You get so scared because what you have you don t want to lose..and I am always so scared that I will wake up one day and it will be all gone..so it is normal thats for sure... I feel like I could write a book on stapedectomies and what to expect..I have been through this so many times that my dr. has labeled me a pro...LOL So I really understand and why I try to share my experience with others on here that are where I am or have been... I didn t have this board back in 1993 with my first surgery so it was a learn as you go for me and then last year I found it with my first revision which did not work and it was nice to see others out there that were able to tell me it would be ok..and it was...Took some time but in the end all worked out ok for me.
I was so happy to be able to return my hearing aid just two weeks ago...my audio dept from my drs. loaned me one last year to use until the surgery in Feb. and it was bitter sweet to bring it back to them with a thank you so much..and so happy I don t need it anymore but my goodness it was amazing and something I needed and changed my life when I got it..but Clare honestly I have woke up many mornings scared that my hearing will be taken away from me...I think that once you are given your hearing back the biggest fear is losing it again.. I spoke with them about it and was told so normal...I appreciate my hearing so much!
I just want you to know that i look forward to our conversations on here...It brightens my day also
Cindy
I am so looking forward to my hearing test in only a week...I can t wait to see where my new ear is at and I now it will only get better as time goes by..My right ear is still clogged but I know it will take time to work its way out..from my head cold and I have read it can take weeks..I actually still feel stuffed in my head some..still on anti biotics so not worried..taking decongestants also...
I feel that my understanding of speech has improved with my operated ear. I was watching TV and there was almost no difference between my two ears. I decided to take the phone hearing test again even though the surgeon said this morning that it is best to wait for a month.
The result: my hearing in both ears is probably in the normal range!!!
I am so pleased. I feel like phoning up the surgeon again and thanking him but I don't want to bother him again, I will see him on Friday.
Like you say, having been given my hearing back in that ear, I hope it stays that way and that nothing goes wrong. It is really fantastic.
Clare
The following user gives a hug of support to JackCE: billcindy1 (03-23-2012)
I went to see the surgeon this morning to have the gauze removed which he put in a week ago. He did all the usual tests with the tuning fork and said that he felt very happy and thought it was a good result. I now have an appointment for a proper hearing test in 3 weeks time.
He also said that he thought my hearing in my other ear was very good (bottom of the normal range == very good???) and felt that that could not be improved upon. My husband must, therefore, have super-human hearing because he hears lots of things which I don't. He often asked me if I can hear certain things and when I couldn't said that I needed to get my hearing checked.
The hearing in my operated ear is definitely better since the operation and the difference in hearing between my two ears seems to be quite small so I am happy. I will just have to accept that I will never have super-human hearing like my husband. Reading about some peoples bad experiences on this website, I think I am very lucky.
