Before we go any further I would like to take the time to thank each and every one of you for your support, kind comments and feedback on my first blog. It's something I started just for me, to voice my daily moans and in the hope that it may be able to help other people and dance teachers in a similar situation. The response I have received has been absolutely overwhelming with messages, emails, retweets, and blog views coming in by the load! I am more than happy to reply to each and every one of you and answer all of your questions.
October - Christmas 2015 - I had an on/off earache and a cold that I couldn't quite shake off, the earache cleared itself up so I continued as normal, as everyone does with busy working lives. At the time I was running my own dance school, working in a coffee shop as well as commuting to Bristol weekly to teach in various locations. Time off wasn't really an option although hindsight is a wonderful thing.
January 2016 - I started to notice reduced hearing in my left ear, doctors advised this was just a build up of wax and that de-congestion tablets would do the trick, I took these everyday, twice a day for 2 weeks with no changes.
February 24th 2016 - I woke up lying on my right side, as I opened my eyes and rolled over I was aware that something definitely wasn't right. I was completely deaf in my left ear and I felt terribly sick and dizzy, struggling out of bed i made my way to the bathroom. I remember falling against the walls down the stairs and I couldn't see straight, my whole world was spinning. I remember thinking "am i drunk?" Little did I know that this was about to become my "normal". I dragged myself to the doctors, although I honestly have no recollection of driving there, I looked terrible and i remember sat in the waiting room trying not to throw up!
Eventually seen by emergency appointment I was told that there was a 'large hole' in my ear drum but they couldn't see for definite and that my deafness would return when the wax had cleared. I had full faith in my doctor, why wouldn't I? If a mechanic tells you your car needs a new engine, why would you question it?! I went home and continued on to work, i felt awful and was soon sent home. I didn't feel right for weeks after. The dizziness eased but was still underlying and would raise its ugly head every time I got up or span around too fast. As a dance teacher, this became difficult.
I was referred to the local hospital and was sent though an appointment for 9 months time.... horrified, I got straight on the phone for an earlier slot to be told I was not, yes you did read that right I WAS NOT a priority! Unless I was under 5 or over 65 my hearing loss was not important. I'm probably not allowed to publish the words that came out of my mouth that day but as you can imagine the air was blue! I was seen the following week.
February - March 2016 - 2 more appointments, 3 hearing tests, 1 cancellation, 6 weeks, lots of bad days and a lot of tears later I felt I wasn't being taken seriously, and so took matters in to my own hands and went private.
Long story short, I was told that my hearing organ had been damaged (probably due to a virus but we will never know for definite) and that my hearing would never return.
I was devastated. I was told that if I had been given the correct steroids that first February morning, my hearing could have been saved. This information was as useful to me as a chocolate teapot! Not helpful at all!
The last 12 months have been about getting to know my body again and realising my limits. Some days are bad but there are definitely more good ones now iv got my head around It all. Until next time, onwards and upwards....
Thanks for reading, feel free to contact me.
Facebook - Tracey Ann Marsh
Instagram - traceymarsh22
Twitter - @traceymarsh22
Email - traceymarsh22@yahoo.com
Hi Tracey, Sorry to hear of your struggles. If it is any consolation, we caught my husband's sudden profound sensorineural hearing loss immediately, and started steroids the next morning. ENT told us that when it is severe/profound, chance of partial recovery of hearing is only 15%, and full recovery pretty much zero. So, chances are likely that your hearing was gone with or w/o the steroids. Too bad you had such bad counseling though. Hope things continue to improve. --Andrea
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment :)
DeleteYes, after reading a lot of other people's experiences online I think my hearing was doomed from the beginning! Main thing is I have a good working right ear, onwards and upwards :) x
Just stumbled across your blog, and snap! Almost exactly the same happened to me in Oct 2014. Ear infection, perforated ear drum, dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss. GP sent me away with 'just give it time, it'll be ok'. 4 weeks later managed to get an appointment with ent, 2 late for steroids. Now profoundly deaf in right ear. Bad times :(
ReplyDeleteI've had a BAHA attract fitted now, it's ok, I would describe it as slightly better than not having it, but not much more than that.
Anyway great to read your blog, but also so sorry you've experienced the same, it really is pretty rubbish isn't it!
I guess if nothing else we can spread the word to try and prevent others going through the same!
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment :) always good to know I'm not alone. Same here, I was told "it's just wax in your ear and it will sort itself out! I knew something wasn't quite right from the very start.
DeleteI decided against the BAHA (details are in me "BAHAhaha" blog post on my "hear today gone tomorrow" Facebook page) as when I trailed it I didn't find it any help at all, maybe one day I might change my mind but for now I'm doing ok. :)
Interesting
ReplyDeleteHoly crap, I'm not alone with this. In fact you had/have it worse than me. I'm really sorry to read you experience. I hope you are coping OK now.
ReplyDeleteI have 100% hearing loss in my left ear, but thankfully no effect on my balance. I live in Canada right now, but I grow up on London, live in Horsham for a while and then Chester, so all over place.
My experience in Canada sounds the same. I had a slight cold and noticed sounds on my left ear were not the same as my right. The doc said must be fluid in the ear, no worries. Later it got worse so he sent me to have a hearing test, this showed only 30% hearing and no fluid in my ear. But by the time I saw the results with my Doc it was 100% loss. He wouldn't believe me as the result he had showed 30% hearing. I had to book my own hearing test again to prove it was total loss! At that point I got a MIR to rule out a tumor. No Tumor, shoulder shrug, must have been a virus, bye. Since then I have no help to understand this or what actually happened.
At the time I thought it can't that bad, could have been worse, I could have lost an eye! But it was worse than I thought it would be. I was a very social person. I loved parties and social gatherings. The more people having conversation the better. Now I can't cope with more than a few people taking in a room. If the is any noise, just forget it! I'm still finding this very hard. Doctors don't care, as this doesn't sound that bad as I have one working ear, the pubic even make fun if it from time to time.
Is there any hope that research is being done in the area. I really hope there will be a fix one day. I mean by actual ear apparatus as far as I know works, my brain works, they couldn't see a problem on the MIR with the nerves, the fix must be minor? There is the break, join that bit with this bit. (if only!)