Hi there, I had my stapedectomy operation done in Decem...

I also have the pulsating noise going on, has been a couple days, no pain. I am 9 days out. Would love to hear how things are for you now.

Hi.  I know this is over a year old, but hope you're still around, AgentRaj.  I'm also in Toronto (well, Richmond Hill) and will be having this procedure done soon.  Can you tell me who your surgeon was?  Just curious...and which hospital was it done at?  Were you given local or general anesthetic?   Thanks.  

Hi Bonni....I also live in Richmond hill and am thinking of having this surgery done soon. Would be interested to know how your surgery went.

Hi Bonni,

Apologies for the delayed response since I stopped checking this forum after few months my surgery,  The surgeon was Dr Vincent Lin (Sunnybrook) and procedure was done at Women's College Hospital (downtown) since that's where the earlier date was available.  The surgery has been successful and without any side-effects.  In about a week, I'm going in for testing on my right ear (also same issue as left ear) and surgery is scheduled for first week of Jan 2018.

Hope all went well with your surgery

Yes, I hope so. Pain isn't that bad but I feel I'm hearing less than yesterday. That could be increased swelling in the ear. Will know for sure once ear gel padding is removed in 8-10 days. 

I am 9 days out & the noises I've been hearing have really varied from day to day which has been freaking me out. I can tell I hear better but it's the background noises that concern me. I can relate to the driving sounds being much louder. Did they go away? What are you experiencing now? Appreciate any words of encouragement. Could relate to a lot of what's been posted, all the feelings associated with a surgical procedure. I know I need to calm down & have faith that things will heal & improve over time.

Hi Lori,

I had a stapedectomy on the left ear in november. Several days after i started hearing noises, pulsation, and I couldn't sleep well. I was going crazy. Now, six months after, everything is perfectly normal, and  do not remember the really bad experience. I am happy that it is over and that my ear is functioning normal. You will too. Now, it is my third day post up (right ear stapedectomy). My hearing is not good yet as it was the first time. I am expecting all those sounds and pulsations to appear as a confirmation that everything is normal. You will be okay. I heard that it only stays when people had tinitus before the surgery.

 

Hi,

I had left ear Stapedoromy on Mar 21/16. Dizziness only lasted 3-4 hours after surgery, had no ringing sound and could hear better, even with gel packing. Gently scratch your ear covering and on the neck behind your earlobe. If you can hear those scratches, that would be a good start/sign.

I've been reading threads on this for a over a year from around the globe. People have such varying experiences however majority of them seem to hear fine after few days.

I'm sure you'll be just fine. Just give it proper care and time to heal.

Thank you!!! I can hear a mild sound of scratching and that gave me hope. Yes, reading all trace of comments some positive and some negative is enough to scare you for sure. Well, we can't go back and trying is better than not trying at all so I'll stay optimistic.

Thank you so much!

Janete

Hello,

Ive had mild lost of hearing on my left ear and my ENT doctor recommended this surgury. Since you have had it how are the results? I see this surgury really works? I;m planning mine within the next few months, how are you feeling since surgury?

Today April 4th is my 3rd day after the Stapedectomy. Dizzy still but not pain at all. I have been taking the antibiotics for infection only and have not taken any pain killer yet. Lots of ringing on my operated ear (left). More than before the surgery. Did what AgentRaj suggested above and it seems like the hearing has gotton better but too early to confirm. I have to remember not to sneeze, burp haha or do anything that would disturb the healing and it is hard as sometime you forget not to do it and then worry crazy about messing it up. So I am waiting and praying that it works... able to hear and get rid of the horrible ringing noise that I had for years. Hearing is my main concern... got used to the ringing but if it goes away then I'll thank my stars. Good luck with your surgery. You will be fine. 

Glad to hear your feeling better...as the fluids clear, gel packing is removed, and ear heals, hearing should only get better. I have chronic allergy Cough/sneezing so couldn't help that but surgeon just advised to keep mouth open during coughing/sneezing 

Hi,

ill share my experience in detail and see if it helps. 

I couldnt much at all from left ear since I was 13-14 but it was never treated.  Last year (age 37), I saw an ENT about options to fix the hearing. While going through tests on left ear, my right ear hearing also dropped from 85% to below 40%, over 2 months.  I couldn't hear anyone unless they were shouting at me. After few more consultations, we decided to proceed with Stapedotomy surgery now my left ear.

Surgery done on Mar 21 at 8:00am.  I woke up around 10:30 and was sent home by 11:30am. Felt a bit groggy and dizzy but no pain.  Got home and felt very nauseated.  Took 1 gravel and went to sleep.  Woke up at 4pm with no nausea, no dizziness and very minor pain. I could hear my family right away and it felt great.  Over next few days, I only left minor pain and no other side effects.  Took antibiotics for 5 days and ear drops everyday.  Hearing was up and down.

On Mar 29th, saw the surgeon who removed the gel packing and cleaned the ear.  Hearing is really fantastic but very tinny/robotic.  Surgeon advised that there is fluid/blood behind the ear drum that could take another 4-5 weeks to clear so we'll test then.

On same evening, I caught a bug from my kids(viral infection) and ran 102-103 fever for 4 days with heavy sneezing and lung bursting coughing...(keep your mouth open, the surgeon said lol)...I've been back on antibiotics now. 

Even with all that, the hearing still seems better even though nose/chest ar still not clear.  I was afraid all the coughing was going to dislodge the stape but seems ok so far.  I'll know more on April 29th when I see the surgeon. 

I've had a good experience with the surgery so far and feel great to hear every word.

 

That's so awesome. thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, same here...left year. I am 35 yrs old and had this problem for years now. Well, today (4th day) I am feeling much better. Still cannot hear anything other then testing it by scratching my ear lob and noticing there is some life in there. 

Did it hurt to remove the stuff that is in there? The instruction tells me to remove the fillings and start the ear drops in a week. I am terrified of removing anything. Did you remove it yourself a week later after the surgery or did you go to the doctor's to do it? I know I have to go there in 3 weeks to remove something else which I am a bit confused.

I hope you'll continue to get better and better!!! I can't wait to be able to hear!

Janete

My ear had a inner gel packing, covered by a cotton swab, covered by a dressing which was held in place by tape.  My surgeon had asked me to lift the dressing and change the cotton swap daily. I changed it twice for first couple of days (lot of blood/fluid) and then changed it once daily for 1 week.  Do not touch/remove the inner gel packing.

The gel packing was removed after 8 days at surgeon's office.  It was not painful at all but was uncomfortable.  The process was took about 2 mins.

I started the ear drops 2nd day after surgery.  Please follow your doctor's instructions.

All the best to you.

 

Trying IS better than not trying at all.  I will remember that. I had a Stapedectomy done on my right ear over a month ago.  I am still experiencing a light-headed wobbly sensation when I move my head throughout the day and I also still have a bit of Tinnitus that's all over the board, from soft to loud to crickets, to almost not there.  My doctor says all of this will resolve itself within time, but I am starting to get a little worried.  Especially if I still feel this light-headedness after 4 weeks.  I am getting better and better though.  If there is anything I have learned, it is that patience is key with this operation. 

I am hearing my heart beat now. Really really loud. Have you experienced it at all? It happened right after I tood an advil. Help!

in my operated ear that is.

Question. If anyone on this forum who has had this tinnitus/hearing lost. Before diagnosed did anyone have symptoms on side head pain? Like a bad headache but seems connected to ringing in ear? I received MRI and everything is normal but every now and then I will get the headaches...?? Anyone??

I felt that 2nd-3rd day after surgery but never after that.

I didn't have any such concerns/issues. Perhaps someone else on here can share if they experienced something similar

Did your heart beat sound go away?  I also experienced that a lot before my surgery but the procedure seemed to take care of it.  I have experienced a few episodes since, but it was only for a few seconds each time.  It's call Pusitile Tinnitus and there are many more factors that can contribute to this so it's best to ask your doctor how you can investigate farther.  I am dealing with all kinds of other sounds.  Low pitched, high pitched ringing, crickets etc.  Sometimes it's loud and drives me a little crazy and others it's distant.  I am told this will go away. But what else can they say right?  I'm a pretty nervous about it and forgetting why I had this procedure to begin with.

Hi Lynztree, Yes, it went away after an hour. I too am hearing all kind of sounds and just called the nurse at the doctors office and she assured me that it is all normal so I'll just have to trust it all. Yes, I too sometimes think that I should have waited a bit longer for the surgery in hope of perphaps new technology as I am afraid of what everyone says about 'if it moves you are screwed and have to redo it'. I always have courage to do anything once. The second time I kind of get scared so going back...I hope not. Lets stay positive and have faith. I am going to start to look at the bright side of things instead. I feel that I have been a bit pessimist and that's not good. Time to change my attitude. Will keep you posted.

Yes, I couldn't agree more on trying to be positive.  I keep telling myself that all will resolve itself, after all, it's only been a month.  However I am stubborn and want to run and jump and work out, but I need to be patient and allow myself to heal.

I am also 35 and I decided to do this now because as we get older, the healing process takes longer. So I'm glad I decided to get it out of the way and must not forget the reasons why I did so.

You will remove your own packing?  My doctor took it out 1 week later and cleaned out my ear with a little suction tool.  It felt pretty great when he did that, but the ear still has a "full" feeling after almost 5 weeks.  He did a hearing test on me after 1 week and there was already improvement.  So on paper, it was a successful surgery.  My condition was odd, however, because once he got in there, he saw that my Incus was eroded more so than he thought. So, he had to place the prosthetic up a little higher and encouraged me to take it extremely easy.  So I was pretty scared that it might shift, due to my unhealthy bone that it's latched onto.  

Tell me, how do you feel overall?  My main concern is that I still have a light headedness feel.  I'm not dizzy or almost falling over, but my head just feels wobbly, if that makes sense.  Of course he says that will also go away.  

 

Feeling good today. A tinny bit dizzy stillwith some headaches here and there but not too bad at all. Of course the buzzing and ringing loud noises are still there. I have really bad frickin allergies so I feel like I have a cold all the time.

No, not taking the packing out myself. It is just some cotton covering the very entrance. So I should be able to fiddle with it and get it out and then start the drops this Friday. Seems that our doctors work a bit differently. I won't see him until 3 weeks later when he will remove the inner remaining of the stuff that is in there (residue as the drops is supposed to 'dissolve' most of it) so the nurse tells me. So for this I am quite scared. She said he will use a vaccuum of some sort.

Yes, I am pretty active as well and want to start working out but I rather get this healed well. My work requires me to travel quite a bit but I will be staying put for at least a month. Don't want to take any chances of a plane ride messing it up for me. 

So in general it has been good. Read some articles about some people that did it 20 years ago and it was pretty good until now which they are back to wearing hearing aid. If it lasts 20 yrs with no issues I'll feel blessed. I had hearing aids before but didn't wear them. I guess when we are old then who cares how we look as long as we can hear and is in good health. So I hope to God it lasts for 20 years but want to get through this first phase first. Lots of positive comments from folks out there so I am focusing on those.

We will be ok.

Yes, the worst thing I did was research in the beginning stages. I'm so glad I found a positive thread about this procedure!  What a help!

And I agree, we will be just fine! Yeay for taking the steps to improve ourselves, however scary they may be.  Keep me posted on your progress!

l.