About 18 months ago I started to notice that whenever I was stressed out (like trying to figure out where we were going to end up for law school, sell a house in a really bad market, find an elementary school where there wasn't a medal detector and so forth and so forth) I would loose my hearing in my left ear...huh, what did you say? Sorry just had to throw that one in. I would get a high pitched ringing in my ear and the little hearing I did have would sound horrible. Imagine, if you will, standing in a tunnel, I am thinking Lincoln Tunnel in New York, just for an example, trying to have a conversation...ya, it was that bad. But again, imagine for a moment, that in my right ear, everything was fine...Needless to say talking and listening was excruciating. But then imagine, if you will, one more time, how horrendous being in a large room, with lots of background noise and trying to carry on a conversation that consisted more of me saying "I'm sorry can you repeat that, I can't HEAR you...literally." Most people gave up and I stopped talking...ya, I know every bodies wish.
I went to an ENT the first time it happened and all he told me was "Well, not really sure what to tell you...oh, by the way, your $1500 bill is in the mail." Thanks, great...nice knowing YA. I gave up.
Jump to a month ago. My hearing went out again (usually it would last anywhere from 2-5 days) but this time it lasted 3 weeks...yes, I said 3 WEEKS. I was panicked as I thought that I would loose my hearing forever. I finally decided I was going to demand an answer and not except "sorry...but your bill is in the mail" and a shrug. These people go to school for 8 freaking years I couldn't believe that I was the only one that this happened too. So one thing lead to another and after a CT scan (normal), an MRI (it's not a TUMOR), and a visit to an audiologist (left ear, I have the hearing of a 50 year old, right ear, I have the hearing of a 20 year old...see I really am supposed to be 30...okay 32) I finally have a diagnosis...Meniere's Syndrome.
Meneire's Syndrome... (go to Wikipedia if you want to find out more about it from a scientific view point) well basically it means that people's hearing comes and goes and it can depend on diet and stress. I do take medication for it...a low dosage of a diaretic (it keeps the ears liquid free and other such parts liquid free) and I am on a diet call CATS: I can only eat DOG, just kidding! It stands for: (and these are things to avoid) Caffeine...goodbye Coke, I really do love you, Alcohol...check, Tobacco...check, check, Salt...ya, I am not so sure I can leave you. I should have a diet that consists of 1500 mg of salt a day. I am pretty sure that a large fry from McDonald's has about 4500 mg of salt so I am in for a big change.
I am looking at the positive, this will help me get healthy and stay healthy. Well, I just wanted you all to know that after 18 months of wondering if I am a freak show, and you know who you are, I am! Here is to happy hearing!
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3 comments:
wow, no salt? i could handle everything but no salt? i think you should just tell the dr that you didn't HEAR him when he said that part!
sorry about your hearing, i've heard of this before but not in detail. i hope things get better. stop stressing and then you can eat as much salt as you want!
How interesting to read Ann, I had ear problems some years back so similar, but I also suffer from tinnitus.
Hey, it's a big change, but it's doable. I am intolerant to sodium when I'm pregnant, so I have to make everything from scratch and just don't add salt or use things like low-sodium stock, etc. Hy-Vee has a whole pamphlet on what foods they sell that are low-sodium. Danny gets used to our low-sodium and doesn't mind, it's just tricky when you eat out. Good luck and I hope it improves quickly!
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