Is this the end?

[pault]

So im literally just home from the hospital after having a mastoidectomy, which is basically an operation to remove an infection from the mastoid bone in the ear. I perforated my ear drum a few years ago and it ended up getting infected and not healing properly.

The surgeon mentioned that some side affects of the surgery can possibly include hearing loss and vertigo. As you can imagine this didnt sit too well with me as i need good hearing and can do without the vertigo whilst climbing.

He also mentioned that with the use of hearing aids i could end up with at least 80% hearing in both sides. Again that didnt go down too well.

Didnt really have a choice about the operation as if it was left untreated it can lead to

abscess in the brain

deafness

vertigo (dizziness)

damage to the facial nerve (causing facial paralysis)

meningitis (swelling of the brain)

labyrinthitis (inflammation of the inner ear)

ongoing ear drainage

spread of cyst into the brain.

 

Basically im just wondering if any of you have hearing aids and how do they affect your working life? Can you still wear ear defenders, climb, use saws etc

 

Might sound a bit stupid but im actually a bit scared and just need some reassurance i guess.

Cheers guys and gals

[spudulike]

Talk to Goaty - he wears them!

[Tucky]

Hi Paul

I'm afraid I can't answer your questions but I wanted to wish you well with your recovery.keep positive mate.

Tucky

[daltontrees]

Sorry to learn of your condition, Paul. 80% isn't that bad, could be a whole lot worse and not hearing saws at full belt could be a good thing.

 

My sister had tinitus about 10 years ago and had to have an operation involving tking a vein from her leg and plumbing it in to her ear. She's a senior midwife and it doesn't get in her way although she is probably 50% deaf in one ear.

 

NHS hearing aids are a bit intrusive but privately bought ones are pretty discrete. Could you get one that attaches to a mike and a headset for the guy on the ground? These are commonly available and I am sure if you were determined you could get a hearing aid adapted.

 

I don't know what you could do about the vertigo, I think all the balance mechanisms are in the ear.

[Steve Bullman]

Hi Paul, sorry I have nothing constructive to add really other than to say chin up, could be a lot worse

[Arbtech Tree Services]

Paul,

 

Unfortunately i'm a little the worse for wear tonight, but pm me your mobile and i'll call you in the next couple of days - my wife has just had surgery and i spent two weeks nursing her after mastoid surgery, she's had the first op for reconstructive work and op two is in a year's time to restore the hearing.

 

Feeling for you bud, i know where you are.

 

Regards,

 

Steve.

[pault]

Cheers for the kind words guys. Apparently the vertigo only happens to about 5% of people and even then it could improve with time. Hopefully when i go for a hearing test in 6 weeks after the majority of healing is done it will be good news and i wont need hearing aids. Suppose its not the end of the world if i do. Like Dalton says i could get some discreet internal ones.

Now ill just have to sit back and enjoy my 6 weeks off and the tramadol painkillers . Maybe even get a lego technic uni-mog to pass the time

[pault]

Paul,

 

Unfortunately i'm a little the worse for wear tonight, but pm me your mobile and i'll call you in the next couple of days - my wife has just had surgery and i spent two weeks nursing her after mastoid surgery, she's had the first op for reconstructive work and op two is in a year's time to restore the hearing.

 

Feeling for you bud, i know where you are.

 

Regards,

 

Steve.

 

Hope she is well on the mend mate. I had the mastoidectomy and reconstructive surgery in 2012 Which left me with roughly 80% in my left ear. Its my right ear this time so fingers crossed.

You can tell your wife that the reconstructive surgery got me from less than 10% hearing in my left ear to roughly 80% so it was well worth it.

 

All the best mate.

[ashtree]

Hi Paul,

Medics always give you the worst case scenario, so hopefully you won't get much in the way of side effects.

 

With regard to hearing aids I wear two NHS ones and they are pretty good, fitting behind my ears with just a thin clear plastic tube to transmit the sound into the ear canal, very unobtrusive to the extent that people often say they didn't know I wear them, not that I care a sod these days, vanity disappears when you get your bus pass.

 

Yes you can wear them with ear defenders, I do a bit of ground work for my son and use a chain saw ok, I also chip up for him though usualy take them out when doing that as it seems pointless to leave them in when you're doing your best to keep the noise out.

 

Good luck with what's happening to you, but if it comes to wearing hearing aids don't worry you'll do fine with them.

 

Best wishes.

 

Graham.

[Peasgood]

No mate it is not the end. You will be fine.