Post-Stapedectomy and Balloon Dilation for ETD

Hi all,
I don’t know if I’m a success yet, things are still changing, but here’s my story.

My issues started in May, I kept feeling full ears and a very mild ringing which I only noticed at night. By September I was full on, mad ringing, crickets, cicadas, tea kettles, the works.

I was first diagnosed with conductive hearing loss and Eustachian tube Dysfunction by my first ENT. We did CT scan, ear tubes to help ETD, steroids, and nothing helped. First couple of weeks of loud T, as everyone, high anxiety, fear, etc. I learned to make friends with T, and although it was making me very tired, I managed to use it to help me sleep. I did have a few nights in which it was nearly impossible, but I tried really hard to not let it control my life (a lot of forum reading got me to believe that I had to be in control of it, not the other way around... somehow, I managed)!

After not getting much relief and two months of trying, ENT offered hearing aids with a masker for T, but for me, being only 41, it was not yet the right option, I needed to go to the cause of the problem. I needed to know what was causing all this. This led me to a different doctor, I looked for one who was in research, I wanted someone who liked solvin puzzles, and with Otology as a specialty (not just an ENT), I found Dr. Chang in Houston; he diagnosed otosclerosis and conductive hearing loss, besides the ETD. Surgery was offered, risks were assessed, etc. As I asked about his experience, how many procedures he’d done, etc. He also mentioned , that last year he conducted a research study in which 90% of his patients with T, who underwent stapedectomy reported T resolving after surgery, and 2 stragglers found their T was gone after 6 months. Of course, there is still a chance that T wouldn’t go away.

I am 3 week’s post-stapedectomy and doing really well. My surgeon also performed a balloon dialation procedure in my Eustachian tubes to help with the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.
I went in with severe hearing loss and 3 constant tinnitus tones, loud and high pitch, and an additional Morse code, intermittent, annoying unmaskable one! Right after surgery, I could hear much better, and as the healing and swelling goes down, it keeps improving. As far as my T is concerned, I woke up to only one T tone, instead of 3-4! That already was an improvement!!!!!
As the weeks have gone by, tones have fluctuated. At one point, my ear started echoing high pitch sounds and voices, that one freaked me out a bit, it was distortion music, making it sound off key on my operated ear. But that seems to have lasted a few days and it’s improving. An email to my otologist nd he said, it’s all normal fluctuations due to tender tissue healing and fluid behind the eardrum. My latest noises are, no longer in my ear, I can’t hear ri going, per se. Instead it’s migrated into a “whole head” type noise experience, a static, electric type sound all over. Not pleasant, but I’m hopeful that as long as sounds keep changing, I can still hope or expect the T to go away.

As far as surgery, it was amazing how little discomfort I felt post-op. My dr. did put me fully under, so 24 hrs post, I was dazed and sleepy. I didn’t need the prescription pain meds and managed well on ibuprofen for three days. One day after surgery, I could move perfectly, just a little dizzy if I moved too quickly... I even baked cookies for Christmas. I did get a little more tired, due to anesthetic in my system and I did take care not to do any heavy lifting or hard work. I did get the metallic taste I was warned about, post surgery, but that is already much much less! The ear also still feels a little numb and full but totally manageable.

As far as the balloon dialation, I’ve maybe three days throughout the three weeks where I’ve had the sticky, clogged feeling in my tubes, but that also seems to be less and less compared to pre-surgery.
So far, in my opinion, the surgery was worth it!! Even though my T is not -yet- resolved, I’m happy to have regained so much of my hearing.

My suggestion to you, if you choose to do the procedure, make sure your surgeon has performed plenty of these procedures. I chose to find an otologist, not just an ENT, they have a bit more expertise on ear issues exclusively.

So, so far, I consider my story a path to success... let’s hope it continues.

 

@NadiaMayl ,
Im so glad your operation went well and your hearing is a lot better for you.
Im sure as time goes by your tinnitus will settle down too!
My youngest son had his ear bones removed age 7 and hes now 22 and manages well with out hearing aids and no tinnitus .
Love glynis

 

Balloon dilation! I’ve been offered this lately for autophony and ETD! Thanks for sharing, so much food for thought

 

@NadiaMayl - great to hear about your success. I underwent a stapedotomy in April 2016 and it was successful to recover the conductive part of the hearing, but of course it couldn't do anything about my sensorineural losses.
So I'm still stuck with SN losses, and severe T, but that's not the fault of the stapedotomy.

Good luck for the recovery: your ear will still be healing for months, so you should be getting better and better with time.