AN and Gentamicin Shot

[annclements]

From what I've heard and read when you have the tumor removed they cut your balance nerve. Is this true? If so, has anyone had the floaty feeling afterwards? I haven't had surgery but had the gentamicin shot to disconnect my nerve last week and the floaty feeling is getting worse. It's almost unbearable. How do you get over that feeling? Does it get better? Anything and everything triggers the pulling feeling (tv, computer, reading, lying still, sitting, head/eye movement, etc....). Today has been the worse day and I don't know how long it's suppose to last. The dr said it would gradually get worse but didn't say anything about getting better-guess I should've asked-huh. I have no energy and very nauseous. I hope someone has something good to say to help me!
 

[clarencewolverton]

I have a 4 mm X 9 MM AN and the surgeon suggested that I get the gentamicin shot because I am having balance issues. He stated that it would correct my balance issues and we could watch and wait.  I have a follow up appointment to discuss this approach with another surgeon and I will ask - if no one responds to your post.

[jsanders1379]

My ENT told me that you would feel REALLY bad for a week or two after the gentamycin, but then it would slowly resolve & you'd feel MUCH better...

[leapyrtwins]

Never heard of a gentamicin shot; nor have I ever had one.

It's true that the balance nerve is generally severed during surgery.  But, the body learns to adapt; compensates for the loss.

Jan

[PaulW]

They inject the gentamicin directly into the ear drum.
It's an antibiotic that is toxic to the ear.
It destroys the balance organ permanently and there is a small chance of reduced hearing also.
You never fully compensate for the loss of balance on one side just like you can never fully compensate for single sided deafness.
There is something called the vestibular ocular reflex which is permanently lost when moving your head in one direction and it affects both eyes. The VOR is like a gyroscope for your eyes.
When your head moves your VOR adjusts your eyes in a matter of milliseconds.
If you have lost your VOR on one side moving your head one way the VOR works, move your head the other way and your brain has to manually adjust your eyes to point in the right direction. This takes time. It's one of the reasons you will find many ANers do not like driving at night. Bumpy unlit roads being the most challenging as the time it takes to manually adjust the eyes, is slower than the next bump. The constant use of the brain to adjust the eyes can also get tiring. Yes we get used to it..but is that compensation? If severe vestibular problems are ongoing, gentamicin appears to be great option. Just keep in mind that you never fully compensate for a reduced balance system you just get used to it.