Post by EarXPlode7 on Mar 9, 2005 14:43:38 GMT -5
I have come a long, long way to get where I am in my search for an answer to my problem, and it is nice to know that others out there who suffer from the same thing are here to console and listen.
So here goes.
2 years ago I began having problems. Any loud noise like pounding a nail would cause a POP. Even small noises. It got so bad I almost commited suicide. Went to an ENT, (Dr. KnowNothing) (was a total retard), he did nothing. My wife was there at the appt and she was the one who suggested I get an MRI! He referred me to an excellent ENT. MRI showed nothing. CT scan. Nothing. The new ENT (Dr. L) said it was one of 3 conditions. Eploratory surgery would be required to find out what it was. It was a perilymph fistula (hole in the cochlea) most likely caused due to heavy weightlifting. Also had a crack in the staped footplate. Both were repaired under a fairly routine surgery. Although I technically died 3 times while coming out of the anesthsia. Thank God for good surgeons to get me through that.
After a month, the cotton came out and all seemed fabulous! Doc told me I would get residual popping for some time, but that was expected.
Went back to lifting (much lighter weights) one month after surgery, in accordance with doc's ok. Over the next several months, the sounds started coming back, but were different. I went back and explained this to him, but he was at a loss. He told me that there was no way I opened my fistula again.
It kept getting worse. Almost every sound would cause a pop in my ear. Plus, movement, burping, swallowing, yawning would do it too. Except loud noises did not cause it, like slamming a door or pounding a nail with a hammer. Very peculiar. I stopped lifting, because the worsening symptoms seemed to correlate with how hard I lifted.
My ENT referred me to a neurologist (Dr. H). Avery good one. He believed I had a spasming tensor tympany. I was so relieved. My ENT said there was no way it was that, he would have thought of that. I sought out a new ENT (Dr. P.), unfortunately he didn't know much and when I mentioned the first ENT's name to him, he almost got down on both knees and began to worship his name! He said Dr. L. was one of the best. Dead end.
Only reason I went back to Dr. L was that after having a hearing test with Dr. P. they gave me a false diagnosis and told me I had significant hearing loss so Dr. L. wanted to see me again. Explained my symptoms further (whoosing, popping, crackling with certain sounds) and he thought I may have Superior Semicurcular Canal Syndrome. Referred me to a doctor (Dr. T.) in Delaware. Sent my CT scans to DE. He found nothing to the SSCS. Thought maybe it could be a spasming TT. Hmmmm. Dr. T. and Dr H. (the neuro) were at a conference in New Orleans and coincidentally met not knowing each other and started talking about current cases and both agreed I a neurological disorder, like TT Syndrome.
So that leaves me here now. Now that Dr. T and Dr. H. say I have this, Dr. L. is going along, but seeing a fourth ENT who is also in the mix and knows that other docs. God, this is getting crazy. Going to see if I can get on some meds, will most likely have an MRI, the neuro will run some tests, after I have the myringotomy tube removed (that did nothing!) and that hole heals. There is so much more, but I am sure I have thouroughly put everyone to sleep by now.
Thanks for letting me vent that!
So here goes.
2 years ago I began having problems. Any loud noise like pounding a nail would cause a POP. Even small noises. It got so bad I almost commited suicide. Went to an ENT, (Dr. KnowNothing) (was a total retard), he did nothing. My wife was there at the appt and she was the one who suggested I get an MRI! He referred me to an excellent ENT. MRI showed nothing. CT scan. Nothing. The new ENT (Dr. L) said it was one of 3 conditions. Eploratory surgery would be required to find out what it was. It was a perilymph fistula (hole in the cochlea) most likely caused due to heavy weightlifting. Also had a crack in the staped footplate. Both were repaired under a fairly routine surgery. Although I technically died 3 times while coming out of the anesthsia. Thank God for good surgeons to get me through that.
After a month, the cotton came out and all seemed fabulous! Doc told me I would get residual popping for some time, but that was expected.
Went back to lifting (much lighter weights) one month after surgery, in accordance with doc's ok. Over the next several months, the sounds started coming back, but were different. I went back and explained this to him, but he was at a loss. He told me that there was no way I opened my fistula again.
It kept getting worse. Almost every sound would cause a pop in my ear. Plus, movement, burping, swallowing, yawning would do it too. Except loud noises did not cause it, like slamming a door or pounding a nail with a hammer. Very peculiar. I stopped lifting, because the worsening symptoms seemed to correlate with how hard I lifted.
My ENT referred me to a neurologist (Dr. H). Avery good one. He believed I had a spasming tensor tympany. I was so relieved. My ENT said there was no way it was that, he would have thought of that. I sought out a new ENT (Dr. P.), unfortunately he didn't know much and when I mentioned the first ENT's name to him, he almost got down on both knees and began to worship his name! He said Dr. L. was one of the best. Dead end.
Only reason I went back to Dr. L was that after having a hearing test with Dr. P. they gave me a false diagnosis and told me I had significant hearing loss so Dr. L. wanted to see me again. Explained my symptoms further (whoosing, popping, crackling with certain sounds) and he thought I may have Superior Semicurcular Canal Syndrome. Referred me to a doctor (Dr. T.) in Delaware. Sent my CT scans to DE. He found nothing to the SSCS. Thought maybe it could be a spasming TT. Hmmmm. Dr. T. and Dr H. (the neuro) were at a conference in New Orleans and coincidentally met not knowing each other and started talking about current cases and both agreed I a neurological disorder, like TT Syndrome.
So that leaves me here now. Now that Dr. T and Dr. H. say I have this, Dr. L. is going along, but seeing a fourth ENT who is also in the mix and knows that other docs. God, this is getting crazy. Going to see if I can get on some meds, will most likely have an MRI, the neuro will run some tests, after I have the myringotomy tube removed (that did nothing!) and that hole heals. There is so much more, but I am sure I have thouroughly put everyone to sleep by now.
Thanks for letting me vent that!