Hello, I just have a quick question for those of you that have had the shunt surgery. I had mine approx 6 days ago and there is a lot of fullness and pressure in the ear, it feels really clogged up yet it's draining (my doc also put in in a ear tube incase the shunt fails, he'd like to to try the Minette Device). Anyway, I can barely hear out of the ear at all. I mean all I hear is a roaring , whizzing sound and I also feel a pop in my ear every once in awhile that is REALLY loud. When I feel and hear this pop some fluid drains out, not a lot but some. My doc says all this is normal but I just wanted to know how long it too you guys until your hearing restored to normal. Doc told me a few weeks.
When you ask back to normal do you mean pre-Meniere's or back to what it was when you had before surgery? I had my shunt surgery end of July and felt my hearing was back to pre-surgery about 7 weeks after. I had a tough recovery though. Allergy season is now bothering my hearing again with congestion. You will feel lots of fluid in your ear, I am having my hearing retested in November so I am anxious to see if there has been any improvement. Still have tinnitus, but wasn't expecting it to lessen since my doctor said it usually didn't improve. KareBare
for me that was normal post-surgery recovery. After my similar surgery I thought everything was worse, but after about 8 weeks it all settled down. I'm sure it's longer for some than others. Things actually got better in some ways, like my hearing- not always, but it would blip in stronger than before at times, making me very happy! Remember there is a lot of stuff recovering in there! good luck, Lisa
Hi Soulfly and welcome! Please give yourself time to heal. I remember what it was like after having my shunt surgery. It took a few weeks for my hearing to adjust. The most important thing for you to do right now is REST! Don't overdo it and take care of yourself. Like Lisa said, give your body time to heal. Keep us posted on your progress! Stacey
Thanks for the responses. And hello. I think I introduced myself on a previous post but the forums went down. Anyway, my name is Matt and i'm 31 years old, live in Florida have have been recently diagnose with bilat md. I've had it in my right year since I was diagnosed at 12, and recently was diagnosed with it in my left ear, although it's MUCH more severe in the left ear. I chose to have the shunt surgery because I reached a point where I couldn't function at work. So far I haven't noticed much improvement but from what i've been told, I just need to give it time to heal. Pre surgery I had fluctuating hearing loss and extreemly loud roaring. Post surgery I still have the roaring but now I can't hardly hear anything out of it at all. On top of the surgery, I think I might have developed an ear infection so I'm going to see my ENT tomorrow. Anyway, thanks for this wonderful website. It's comforting to know there is a support group out there for this monster. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress. -M
Like every one elts has told you to do it rest alot. I didnt do that after my shunt surgery and not even 6 weeks after the first one I had to go in and have it redone. So the rest is important and dont over due it. It will take time for the swelling to go down and all that good stuff.
Rest is very important, also making sure you keep that area healthy, I developed a lot of coughing from drainage after my surgery and the doctor was adamant I have antibiotics in case of infection. When you feel up to it, start getting out a little, important to get visual stimuli for the recovery but don't over do it and in short durations to start. Also check with you doctor regarding Vestibular Rehab Therapy. I found it very helpful, but I didn't start until two months after my surgery. Good luck to you. KareBare
Matt Glad you found us. Get plenty of rest, i went back to work one week after the shunt.....way too early. What you are feeling sounds like the recovery I went thru, it takes time and that ear will calm down and you will feel like a new person. all of a sudden you will go OMG I feel totally brand new! Take care Danny
I really did feel great when the initial healing time passed with my sac surgery....that was a few weeks but it took longer for my hearing to settle down. I didn't get a shunt.. good luck, Matt. Lisa
The tinnitus seems to be getting better but the hearing loss is still there. Remarkably, I had a really quick recovery. I woke up and was walking around the recovery room within 35 minutes post surgery. I took off a week and started back to work Monday. It hasn't been too bad for me, the environment I work in isn't too stressfull, and i've had a lot of support. But, i'm no where near 100% me yet. I still feel dizzy off and on. Sometimes my eyes feel like they have a mind of their own, bumping back and forth. But you all are right. It seems to slowly get better by the day. I've been drinking a lot of water, eating fruits and veggies and staying away from as much salt as I can. Thanks for everyones support on this. This site is awesome!!
My mother had Meniere's and had surgery in 1994, when all they offered was the removal of the nerve at the brain stem. She had no more spells after that (lived another 9 years). Her hearing was gone, but tinitus remained. They've come a long way, but there is still so much that isn't/can't be explained. I was diagnosed in 2001, allowed myself to suffer for 5 years. Every spell that would come I would deal with, then when it was gone, I would just move forward. I don't think I've ever gone more than 4-6 months without a spell, or a series of spells. When I look back now, I realize that I was in denial. Acceptance of having something like this is really a painfully difficult process. This last summer was a whammy, and I hit rock bottom. I had my shunt put in 2 weeks ago, and if that doesn't work, my inner ear specialist is removing the inner ear. Like alot of us, I will do anything to rid myself of this hell. My ear is gurgling, and I'm off-balance yet too. I am a secretary and returned to work after 1-1/2 weeks, and am learning the hard way that those of you that posted the recommendation of rest are right, and I'd do well to follow your advice. Those of you that have had the shunt put in, have you found any information on activities that someone with a shunt should forever avoid?
HI Soulfly and welcome. It was about a month after my surgery that the hearing returned to normal - normal being about the same hearing that I had before the surgery. Just after the surgery I was completely deaf in that ear with lots of fullness and lots of popping and clicking noises as well as the feeling that my ear felt like a block of wood that someone had glued on to the side of my head. It takes time and as others have said - take your time and take the recovery as slow as you can. It's a mistake to try to push yourself too hard. Get some rest and expect it to be a month or so before you're approaching normal again. Bob W
