I have been diagnosed with bilateral otosclerosis. I have finally decided to go ahead and get a stapedectomy done on my left ear next Tuesday. I had a stapedectomy on my right ear in 2005 with good results however when I read some of these posts I get scared and feel really sorry about the side effects others have experienced.
In my first operation I was frightened about being awake (i had local anaesthetic) but was really surprised at how relaxed I was. I was given a tablet which I think almost put me to sleep. I recall being told they were removing the bone and to keep still. I heard some crunching sounds, no pain and then suddenly the dr was whispering numbers with clarity into my ears. It was amazing!! Packing was removed in 1 week with a vacuum and I had no side effects. I followed post op instructions with precision. My hearing was greatly improved although I could hear my husband snoring at night (really the only bad outcome).
Different surgeon this time due to move and fingers crossed for the same result!!
I found this site fantastic to assist in decision making and will do my bit to inform others how I go with operation #2. At the time of my first operation I did not have otosclerosis in the left ear. It has developed. I am finding it hard to hear in meetings and i have very poor clarity on the phone if using the left ear. I also have a high pitch ringing sound all the time which I really hope goes away with the surgery.
I am hoping I am doing the right thing getting the op in both ears and I do not lose all my hearing in the long term.
Fingers crossed!
I wish you all the best for your surgery. I have only had surgery on one ear (just over 2 weeks ago) but, if my other ear gets worse I won't be afraid of having another operation. My tinnitus is a lot less since the surgery, which is a very welcome side effect.
Clare
The Following User Says Thank You to JackCE For This Useful Post: Nickle1 (03-24-2012)
Hi Clare
It's great that your surgery went well. I don't regret having my first one either. It's also reassuring that your tinnitus has improved. Fingers crossed you achieve long term excellent results!
I will keep you posted on how my op goes on Tuesday.
Did you get any vertigo after your operation?
Nickle
Yes, I hope that my good results continue as well, 2 weeks is not that long but I hope I am past the most dangerous stage now. I didn't have vertigo after my operation, in fact I didn't feel the slightest bit dizzy or sick. However, in the first week after the operation I had a few days when movement, like walking up stairs, made me feel a bit dizzy but the surgeon said not to worry and it went away after those few days. It was weird, a bit like my ears took some time to catch up with the movement I had made.
Hi Clare
I am in hospital waiting for my operation now. Have not eaten since 5:30am and apparently will not be operated on until 6pm. They have taken medical history and blood pressure and now for the long wait. Thanks for your well wishes. I will let you know how I go.
Nickle
good luck with your surgery.....you are recovering now and I hope you are feeling ok....Take it easy and don t do anything...take this week to sit back.. When your feeling up to it pls let us know how you are doing...we are here for you
Re: 2nd ear stapedectomy for otosclerosis 27th March 2012
Thanks for your well wishes. As promised here's my update:
Day 1: I was supposed to arrive at hospital at 11am but arrived earlier than planned due to illness of my mother who was originally supposed to take me. She developed a severe upper sinus infection so I decided to take a lift with my husband instead. I arrived at 8am to be told my operation was 6:15pm. A whole day without food - I last ate at 5:20am. I was given a couple of small apple juices and a small lemonade which I had to consume by 10:30am.
I went into theatre at 4pm and was met by my anaesthetist and was told I was having a general anaesthetic. My first operation was under local.
The operation began at 5:15 after cruly watching a food show on theatre waiting area TV. It was over really quickly because I remember it being before 6pm in recovery. I was not vomiting, was very sleepy and could hear nothing from operated ear. My anaesthetist had warned me I would be groggy from anti nausea medication he would give me during the operation.
I had a restless evening and night. Ear still fully blocked with packing and a plastic cover.really couldn't complain of any pain - no pain medication requested. No vomiting but still slight dizziness noticed when I moved my head and walked to the bathroom. I couldn't sleep - uncomfortable hospital bed and they were waking me during the night to take my blood pressure and alter the drip.
I was happy to be out with no major problems.
Day 2 (today): I had a couple of hours sleep in the morning and felt much better today. Still can't hear anything and was looking forward to specialist catching up with me about how it all went. He did not meet up with me and gave instruction s for me to be discharged. I still don't know if not hearing anything means the operation actually worked. I can hear some tinnitus in my operated ear. It changes from heartbeat, to high pitch ring, to a duller thud noise - not too annoying and hopefully temporary. I am only slightly dizzy now and was a bit nauseous when I left the hospital at 10am. I was not sick though and sipped on soda water. It is now 3:20pm and I seem to be constantly improving. No need for pain medications but still no hearing out of the operated ear. Fingers crossed xx
I am surprised about the specialist not catching up with you today. On the positive side, it must mean that he isn't worried. If I was you, I would phone up and ask if he can phone you back a.s.a.p.
When you say you can't hear anything out of your operated ear, can't you hear it if you scratch or tap the packing?
My long term tinnitus was also worse immediately after the operation and got louder with my heart beating but it is now quieter than it has been for years, so I wouldn't worry about the tinnitus.
Yesterday I called the specialist and he advised all went well with the operation and he expects I will get full recovery of my hearing.
Day 3: Better each day! I was took the plastic cover and cotton ball out of my ear this morning. I think I can hear slightly. The specialist told me that in the next 3 days I should hear a loud pop or crackle which will be the blood clot detaching from the ear drum. Sound will be much clearer then. I have very little dizziness now. I am due to get the packing out next Wednesday. I am getting loud sound when I scratch the cotton ball in my ear which the specialist says proves the nerve is functioning properly. A good sign. I am quite positive all will be ok and it takes time to achieve the good results all of you currently are experiencing some weeks ahead of me.
I also wanted to tell you that I also have had surgeries in both ears...you will be impressed with how wonderful it is to hear from both... I have not heard well out of this most recent ear for years...
I'm so glad that your specialist phoned you and that he says everything went well. I could also only hear scratching of the cotton ball to start with and now my operated ear is almost as good as my other one.
I didn't have a loud pop when the blood clot detatched but some of my packing came out when I was changing the cotton ball a few days after the surgery and I went to see the surgeon so he could put some more in. I found that, after he had done this, I started being able to hear some more out of that ear.
I also didn't have a "wow, everything is so loud" experience when the packing was taken out but that is probably because my other ear is within the normal range and my brain is used to hearing with that ear. My operated ear is a lot better than it was before and almost being as good as my other ear probably means it is close to the normal range if not within it. I am happy to be able to hear with 2 ears now and my tinnitus getting less is a great relief.
Day 4: Less vertigo today and I am starting to hear stereo on and off. Obviously there is fluid in my ear and when it moves things seem much louder. It comes and goes and is quite weird. I had to ask my kids to speak softer last night - something I have never asked in the past so another good sign.
I have not heard any loud pops yet but I am still hearing high pitched ringing - similar to what I was hearing before the operation so I am not sure whether that will get better or not. Clare - I hope my tinnitus gets better like yours!
I had my first really good nights sleep last night so I am feeling much better today. I have not needed to take any pain relief although I have a mild headache today. I have been careful not to cough and have had to rub my nose a few times to prevent sneezing. I have been particularly careful not to miss any antibiotic doses. I think doing all these things gives you the best chance of a good outcome.
So happy to hear that things are going well...I never had the pop either...just when my packing was taken out that is when I knew it worked...My surgery last year I was hearing thru the packing in 5 days I believe so never mind that ea person is different..ea ear is...
As far as sneezing...I can say I did it during recovery but like my surgeon said..open mouth...I was constantly saying I am so sorry..that is nasty...but I couldn t close my mouth or try to muffle it...
I remember that I also had the ringing in my ear...I have had the tinninus but it did seem to go away...
Keep us posted on your progress....so excited for you..
So happy to hear that things are going well...I never had the pop either...just when my packing was taken out that is when I knew it worked...My surgery last year I was hearing thru the packing in 5 days I believe so never mind that ea person is different..ea ear is...
As far as sneezing...I can say I did it during recovery but like my surgeon said..open mouth...I was constantly saying I am so sorry..that is nasty...but I couldn t close my mouth or try to muffle it...
I remember that I also had the ringing in my ear...I have had the tinninus but it did seem to go away...
Keep us posted on your progress....so excited for you..
I am doing fine, thanks. It is the last day of my first week back at work and I have survived it pretty well. I just sit in front of a computer all day and it is quite quiet in our office so no loud sounds to worry about. Going for lunch has been a bit better than before the operation. I can hear more of what the people on my left side are talking about although I still have problems with the Swiss German. Sometimes people make an effort and talk normal German or English to me and I try to join in with their conversations even though I sometimes get hold of the wrong end of the stick. However, when there are 10 Swiss people or so and me, they are not always going to speak a different language just because I am there. I am taking Swiss German classes and that helps a bit.
I haven't noticed any massive improvement in my hearing over the last week. I did notice that my alarm clock was louder in my right ear than my operated ear about a week ago but this morning the difference didn't seem so great. Another weird thing is that, when I drive my car, my ear needs to pop constantly and the radio sounds louder after it has popped. When I am just sitting at my desk, this doesn't happen.
I realized that my appointment for the hearing test was on a day when the kids were off school so I had to ask them to reschedule it. I now have to wait until 20th April before I have a hearing test.
Hi Clare
It is hard enough to adapt to your new hearing - it must be really hard to adapt to other languages too! I am glad your first week went well.
I think that popping is still fluid moving in your ear when you are driving. You probably don't notice it when you sit still because fluid is not moving. I am no doctor though...
Day 5: I can hear phone conversations out of operated ear that still contains packing. I also noticed some loud base noises when watching TV. There is a building site across the road and I had to check with my son whether they were using a jack hammer. The base noise was vibrating in the back of my head.
I am going to attempt to wash my hair today. I can't stand it any longer! I tried dry shampoo but it does not leave my hair feeling nice and I still have yellow in my hair from the operation. I want it gone!
I have a headache today - I had one yesterday but have soldiered on without medication. It is a little more intense today.
I am thinking of watching my son play soccer this morning. I really want to get out for a little while.
Clare - good luck with your hearing test. It seems like you will get good results.
Sounds like both of you are doing great... I am so happy that this week is over myself...it seemed like the children had their outside voices inside LOL... by the end of the day I was constantly saying inside voices pls...over and over...
And can I just say..oh the hair..Nickle I think both clare and myself can so relate to the hair issue...I tried the dry shampoo..it was awful..my hair was worse off I swear...I did find that using baby powder in my roots before I went to bed really worked..by the time I woke up you would nt even know there was any in there. I was having my hubby wash my hair in the sink and I was holding a towel folded over it..he just kept away from it...Once I was ok to bend my head over myself I did it from the outside of the tub... used the hand held shower to do it..worked like a charm...
I can t wait to hear where you are clare at your audio...it is so exciting ...
Nickle - how did the hair washing go? I am still very worried about getting water in my ear so I only risk washing my hair properly once a week, using a cup over my ear. The rest of the time I use dry shampoo. I only have one more week to go, however, before the surgeon said it was OK to get water in my ear again.
Cindy - you said in one of your previous email that you don't drink that much. My problem is that I usually do drink slightly more than the recommended limit. However, I haven't had a single alcoholic drink since the operation because of worrying about feeling dizzy and thinking it is a problem with my ear. I have had long periods before of not drinking, i.e. when I was pregnant. Now I don't really want to start drinking again because I know I will probably start drinking too much again. I am spending lots of money on non-alcoholic beer however because I like the taste. I think that this is probably a good opportunity to give up drinking and it will be good for me if I do.
