Do I have a stubborn ear or what????

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by GinaMc, Oct 4, 2006.

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  1. GinaMc

    GinaMc Me and my friend Sally :)

    If anybody can help me with this one I would be thrilled. OK>>> I have had 3 gentamycin injections in my left ear in the past 2 years.... the first two got me roughly a year of relief each... the 3rd one only gave me about 4 months and my attacks came back. I went and had my ENG done on Tuesday and was told yesterday that the test came back normal...???? HOW can it be normal if I have had 3 injections in that bad ear... isn't gent suppose to destroy the vestibular in that ear???? and wouldn't you think the ENG would show some destruction in that ear if it worked????? OR>>> is it that it just didn't work and the hair cells grew back or whatever they do and i'm still having balance problems and the vertigo because of that??? Now i'm starting to completely doubt whether or not i have MM or not?????????????????????????

    any help with this one?????

    GinaMc
     
  2. Linda1002

    Linda1002 New Member

    Hi Gina -

    It's hard to say what's going on. I know you have the ECOG and chair tests coming up. Why not wait and see what they reveal. Also, did you ask your doc about the ENG test results and how they fit with your prior treatments?
     
  3. lizzyD

    lizzyD New Member

    Gina,

    There are a lot people who have normal ENG results who have extreme problems unilaterally. I don't think the test informs very much and if I was asked to take another I would tell them not to bother. Despite having a wrecked left ear, mine was also practically normal because my right ear has problems too. The comparison they make is, as I understand it, between your right and left ears. The measurement is the difference between them. and not the difference between your ear and any 'norm'. I say forget it, it's not worth the worry!

    Liz
     
  4. GinaMc

    GinaMc Me and my friend Sally :)

    Thanks for the response... yes I asked my doctor what it meant that my ENG was "normal".. but it was explained to me that my bad ear showed function but it was a dysfunction.... it should of showed NO function.. but he did say that he feels it was because prior to having any of the 3 gent injections done I did have 2 fistula repairs and because they had to go into the inner ear that he feels maybe there was scar tissue that had developed and when the gent was done it didn't get in there and do it's job. I guess that makes sense and that is why he feels it is time to just go in and do a Vestibular Nerve Section and kill the nerve for good. I did get relief after 2 of the 3 gent injections so he feels the gent did work but just not properly.

    I had my Rotary Chair test done (what a ride!) and the ECOG... i showed a difference in the measuring in the bad ear from the ECOG but he still was not sure of a MM diagnosis completely...even though I have all the classic symptoms, but he must of seen something with the Rotary Chair because he did suggest the VNS and i doubt he would do that if he didn't feel it was a possibility of MM or that the damaged nerve was causing my vertigo/dizziness.

    I am scheduled for the VNS next thursday (10/19/06) and am quite scared as I worry that my right side won't completely take over for the left even though my tests showed my right side is working perfectly fine to take over... it's just the thought of cutting that nerve and there's no going back, but I know i can't live like this. one day i'm fine... well... functional.. and the next i'm so dizzy i can't walk and that can last for days.. then i'm fine again... and on and on.. i just want it to end.

    Thank you for listening... any thoughts would be appreciated.
    GinaMc
     
  5. tucker

    tucker The Meniere's DVD Guy!

    Gina

    They compare the one ear to the other, I just asked the same question yesterday because I had 3 gent injections on my left also which didn't give me any relief .

    then the battery of tests and then decided on the vns after the long thought process like you are going thru. It was a really tough decision. I know you must be thinking about it all the time now.

    sorry not much help, but you are not alone.

    I am scheduled to go hospital this Monday for 4-5 days of iv treatments, my insurance finally approved the stay.

    I can't wait to get some much need recoopertive rest and calm down that nerve on the left ear. I look like a raccoon, talk about dark circles. You know it is bad when my dr said that I looked like crap. I replied you try this for 3 weeks. He didn't mean to come off wrong, we just have a very good understanding and he hadn't seen me in three weeks and could really see I am in rough shape.

    Just keep on asking questions, research the internet, be informed, my lists of things to ask the dr.

    hugs, keep in touch
    Danny
     
  6. GinaMc

    GinaMc Me and my friend Sally :)

    Thanks Tuck, I read in an earlier post that you broke your wrist again too.... mannnn just when I think I have it bad.. don't forget to sign my name on that thing! :)

    Thanks for the info and yes... i've been going back and forth... worrying about cutting that nerve that is why i had asked if they knew you were bi-lateral before cutting one side, but you were brave enough to try with hopes of some relief... I'm sorry things didn't go as well for you but at least you will get some relief on monday, I will be thinking about you.

    The only thing that I keep thinking is that they tested my right side and it shows perfectly capable to take over... so I try to stay possitive and think it will work. I know there are no guarantees but at this point I will try anything. The drop attacks are so scary and come from what I think is nowhere.. I'm sure there's triggers but I've never really been able to figure mine out, maybe because my situation is so different in that I had a head injury that caused my problems.... who knows... but for now I am trying to ask all the questions I can and get any info from anyone that has tried the VNS to see what kind of results they got.

    Again... many thoughts out to you.. you hang in there and please if you have anything else to add i would be very interested in hearing!

    Take care Dan...

    GinaMc
     
  7. LisaB

    LisaB New Member

    Good luck, Gina, best wishes to you and please let us know how it all goes.....you too Tuck. You are both very much in my thoughts. Lisa
     
  8. GinaMc

    GinaMc Me and my friend Sally :)

    Thank you... that means alot to have all this support here... i swear i would go nuts if i didn't have someone to talk to that actually knows what i am going thru.

    thanks again
    GinaMc
     

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