fullness

how long did it take to see results for you after the injections....i had a series of three and after the first one i felt great.....second one it felt like he missed as the fluid ran down my throat....and after the third felt good for a day but it wore off and i am getting dixxy spells daily sinc ewhich was about three weeks ago...?

Thanks

Bluesmann,

The way my otolaryngologist does it, is to administer 1 injection every 4 weeks.   That seems to be the optimal time for the eardrum to heal and for the actual changes to take place at the cellular level.   Only after significant improvement does he start giving them at wider intervals, and then gradually tapers off to nothing, according to how you feel.  So, the first series took the longest...I had been violently ill with vertigo and vomiting attacks for a solid year without let up.  I felt nothing after the first 3 injections, so I just continued taking my rescue meds.  After the 4th, I noticed that the frequency and intensity of my attacks were decreasing....After the 6th injection, I noticed a huge shift in the way I felt — I was having occasional attacks, but they were much less intense and more manageable. And, I didn't have the endless "MD hangover" in between attacks.  My balance began to get better, and my head felt clearer.  After the 10th injection, I felt like a brand new person: Absolutely no symptoms....not even a hint of one.  

I had three months of perfection!  I went back to the gym, and just felt so strong and so good.   And then, I caught the flu, followed by sinusitis, and finally, pneumonia.  Three weeks into the flu, I began to feel ear fullness, but I dismissed it, as I was so miserable and coughing and clogged up.  Well....a week after my pneumonia resolved, I had a huge attack of rotational vertigo and I was couaght in the MD spiral again.  My mistake was not getting an injections as soon as I felt the fullness come on.  So...I required another series, but this time, only 5 injections.  I'm symptom free now, and I don't regret going this route.   I will be vigilant about monitoring for any changes and going in for a "booster" shot.   

I also experienced, once in a while, that feeling of the steroid going down my throat, but my doctor explained that the sensation was due to nerve irritation.    The shot is still effective.

For me, this was not a quick process, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Everything just goes away, and I didn't have to sacrifice hearing or balance or anything else.  From what I understand, everyone responds to the injections at a different rate.  

Hope this helps,

J-

wow thank you...i am going to show this to my ent.....he was giving me a shot every week three weeks in a row he said i heal fast as he had to keep going into different injection spot.....so prior to these did you have hearing loss tinittus?..how has that responded?....i have less tinitus for sure hearing seems better but i think only due to the lowering of tinitus..my dizzy spells are def less powerful but still here i want to try the 4 week ...after my first one i was feeling so good the secondone actually made me feel a but worse.....third one better but not the way i felt after the first....

Yes, I had hearing loss and loud tinnitus continuously before I began the injections.  And up until 2 weeks ago, I would have said that neither of these have changed with the injections.  I still don't know what to attribute this recent change to, but suddenly, my tinnitus has diminished tremendously, which has enabled me to hear so much better!!  But the thing is, I started taking some new supplements a few weeks ago.  So, I'm just not sure whether this new development is due to my last injection on 2/13, or due to the supplements!!  I guess only time will tell.

J-

well i have to say after my injections my tinitus has quieted...i can hear better  not good but easier to understand things....i am getting dizzy at times but they wear off faster so i think i need to try the injection program you were on mine did them every week for only three weeks and for a short period i felt great.  so much pressure was relieved out of my ear. keep me posted....and i'll do the same..i also started with a new blend of niacin,magnesium,b12,grapeseed extract, lipofalvnoid which ive always taken ginko and horsetail.

I meant to ask you the dosage of steroids you were receiving — My injections consist of 10mg of Dexamethasone.

I look forward to hearing how it goes!!

Take care,

J-

 

you know i dont really know...i will find out though and let you know.

Where do you guys get these shots. What area of the body and do you do it in doctors office.

Eleftherio I have been experiencing fullness/pressure in my right ear for 2 months at a constant. The only time it eases is when I am lying down/reclined. The past two weeks I have been mildly dizzy. Does this sound like Ménière's? I have no tinnitus, hearing loss (I've had two extensive hearing tests) and no severe vertigo. I see my doctor in 2 weeks but I'm the meantime I'm very anxious. Thanks!!

Has your ENT doctor ruled out a middle ear infection, or sinus problem?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Eleftherio, thank you so much for your response.. one of them has but the other ent said that in my CT scan he saw fluid in my ear and inflamed sinuses so I have been taking a 10 day dose of levaquin for the "fluid" but I'm on my 7th day and have no difference in my ear.

You need to go the full 10 days.  The ear may need time to adjust after the therapy.  Also, a possible resistance to levaquin therapy is also a diagnostic test, and you will need to follow up with the same doctor.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Thank you very much. This has made me hopeful that it isn't more serious!! I appreciate your response!!

I am very concerned. I had a bad head cold 6 weeks ago which caused my left ear to be full and retracted. It has been worse since then,terrible pressure in ears on and off worse at night. The other ear became retracted and full feeling as well just 2 weeks ago. I hear constant clicking ,crackling,fullness,loud ear ringing mostly in the worse ear,and sometimes pulsating in he worse ear. I went ENT she said both ears were retracted but no fluid,and most likely it might be eustachion tube/middle ear. I had audiogram done and it came back mostly fine,I had some mild/moderate hearing loss that they weren't concerned about. But now I have new symptom ,after I left the ENT last week becusee of the elevation changes I believe were hard on my already full ears,I became imbalanced,I am nauseas all the time due to feeling off balanced. It's worse at night I wake up feeling dizzy,not spinning but like side to side unsteady. I am seeing a new ENT will probably have balance test. I am a 43 year old female,never had ear problems like this before and I'm so afraid it's mineare. Also,just reading is nauseating to me. And my imbalance is mostly on right side. Which is opposite of the ear that is worse. Will you please give me your opinion ?

The middle ear conditions that are suspected could cause these balance issues.  There are receptors in the middle ear that respond to pressure changes and these signals are transmitted to the inner ear.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Thank you for your response. I also have had retracted left ear for 6 weeks and retracted right ear for 2 weeks. My ENT told me it wasn't a middle ear issue and acted like my retracted ears weren't an issue. But I am miserable ,and I am so afraid They will not heal. I went to a vestibular appt today and did some basic balance tests,and am scheduled to have a vestibular test next week. So far they do not think it's my inner ear. My ears are retracted for a reason ,wouldn't that be a middle ear issue,pressure isn't right . I'm just really afraid at this point. Have an appt with a different ENT this Wednesday.

I mean,the pressure in my ears are not normal. Yet the audiogram test ,etc,says they are. If that's the case how did my ears become retracted? I'm hoping for more answers next week. Just would like to hear your take on this. Thank you ..

I do believe that you have middle ear/eustachian tube issues, causing the retracted eardrum.  The audiogram would likely not be affected in these cases, if anything only slightly.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Thank you for your time,I am starting prednisone 40mg today x5 days. I've been holding out on it because I am extremely sensitive to medication ,they didn't put me on tapering dose thought this one might be equally as effective? I truly hope this helps resolve this issue,as I never had it before. Am also trying to push air through my tubes throughout the day. All I read are unsuccessful stories on ETD. I hope I am not one of them.

Hi st, I had your same symptoms of fullness but in just one ear that I noticed. I did the Flonase, prednisone had hearing and pressure tests done. Had aCT scan done and nothing. No success and no test came back worrisome. I went to a specialist and he said he thinks I have Ménière's disease. I was devistated. I wasn't getting vertigo. I had no hearing loss. I had no tinnitus. Why if my ear was feeling full would I have this horrible disease? He then gave me an ECOG test to see if the inner ear fluid was high to see if I really did have Ménière's. I tested high on BOTH ears. He said there is only two things it could be- early stages of Ménière's on both ears ....or something called superior semi circular dehiscence (sscd). After taking an electro therapy test it was concluded that I had sscd. This all happened yesterday lol. While sscd is not a good thing to have necessarily, I feel so relieved it's not Ménière's. I still only have that plugged feeling in my right ear and very mild dizziness. It is said with age that the symptoms could get worse as the bone thins more but there is a surgery that can be effective in treating it. Good doctors will advise you against the surgery until your symptoms get worse because there is a risk factor in that you could go deaf but I'm sure by the time my symptoms are that bad the risk factor will be less. Just wanted to throw this out there in case you want to ask your doctor about it! I knew nothing about this before yesterday hope you feel better soon!!

Hi Chelsea, that sounds horrible. I'm sorry you are going through that. I have been to the vestibular institute and so far they do not believe it is inner ear related. I'm so afraid that it will be something serious. I don't really get dizzy it's more of a unstable feeling on right side. And they said my ears are retracted so it has to do Witt not having equalized pressure. I am miserable and am so worried this won't go away. My life has been in hold in hoping with all my heart it gets better and is nothing serious. Good luck to you.

I will tell you that is great news that they don't think it is inner ear related! Inner ear stuff gets very scary! Even though we don't have the same thing, I had that exact same issue of fullness and the unstable feeling so I know EXACTLY how obsessed with figuring this out you are probably feeling. It's so torturous. Just ready to have my life back like I had 2 months ago. I hope you get this all figured out very soon and heal fast!