TV Ad - Lipo-Flavinoid for ear ringing

[nancyann]

Hi C:  It's not Phyl here, but I can answer what "AN" stands for:  acoustic neuroma (& no question is stupid, so ask away here).

After my hearing test, which was consistent with AN (decreased hearing on one side), then the dr. ordered an MRI with contrast.
That's really the only way to know for sure if it's an AN (1 year before I had a CT SCAN with contrast for headaches, the AN didn't show up on it.).   Depending on the results of your hearing test, the docs would order the MRI with contrast - do you know what the hearing test showed ??
Acupuncture has been shown NOT effective to treat tinnitus, but I love it too (was having it for the facial paralysis).

Hang in there, & ask away anytime; all of us here have different experiences, different things that work or don't for different problems.     Nancy

[ppearl214]

Nancyann, you do a great Phyl impersonation! thanks! 

Hi C... in order to confirm if you have an AN or not, you need to have a head MRI with contrast to confirm diagnosis.  I'm sure that the forums here can provide you so much info related to some symptoms you have and sharing of experience and knowledge is great.... you definately need to see if you have an AN or not.  Have you an MRI scheduled?  If so, please keep us updated as to it's results.  The "hearing" forum also has great info into the symptoms you are having.  I hope you find it helpful.

The "real" Phyl

[Cheryl R]

The home page of this AN site gives an overview link on the left which expliains acoustic neuromas and their treatment which should be of some help to you also.         
Don't be scared to ask questions.                     Many of us know more than many doctors.
                                                Cheryl R

[cmcnamara3]

Wow! Thanks so much for the information! You guys are SOOOO nice!  I will do some reading in here so I can further learn what is going on with my head.

As far as my hearing test goes...I don't show loss of hearing so to speak, the first ent (who was mean as heck btw) said my left ear (with the ringing) hears "differently" than the other ear.  He didn't have any other tests to compare to so I am returning on the 2nd of March to get another hearing test and I guess we go from there.  I am taking my husband this time so we both can question and interact with the dr.

I have great hearing so to speak in both ears right now as far as tests show...I can tell the difference between the hearing tests noises from the permanent ringing in my ear so I am lucky.

Anyways...I have to get to mass..took the day off for Ash Wednesday..see you later 

[Ronnie]

Just found your post back in January.  Interestingly I heard from a House doctor last night and he recommended that I try the Lipo-Flavinoid for the tinnitus and dizziness.  Got it today at the local drugstore for $23.00 for 100 caplets.  I figure it's worth a shot. I have a 2.5 mm AN (tiny but with super size effects) or cochlear AN or inflammation of the nerve. Next MRI hopefully will tell the whole story, one way or the other.

Sitting here and have the tv on .... and just saw an ad for "Lipo-Flavinoid" for ear ringing.... suppose to help with "circulation" in the ear to help stop the "ringing" in the ears......

http://experts.about.com/q/Audiology-Otolaryngology-963/Lipoflavonoid.htm

http://www.anyotc.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=8869


Instead of spending $64.00US, I think I'll go to the local pharmacy and buy a bottle of Theragran or One-A-Day for $10.00US

What will they think of next?  And, also curious if there really is proof that multivitamins do help ear ringing...... if you all have knowledge of such, would love to hear (sorry for the pun)

Happy new year all!
Phyl

[Stevey]

C,

An AN is an acronym for acoustic neuroma, a tumor of schwann cells that is also known as vestibular Schwannoma, it is normally benign slow growing and unilateral (on one side of head, except in the case of persons afflicted with NF2 (neurofirbamotosis 22 who can have bileteral tumors.  They usually cause symptoms ranging from tinnitus and hearing loss and dizziness, to headaches facial paralysis and sever pain (mine was jabbing my brain stem pretyy good OUCH!!#!#@#)  This is a nice place for patients, friends and loved ones for support and info and has been a big help to me.  I also lost parents to cancer so when I found out I had a tumor, I was terrifiied at first.  I am fortunat that my wife works at UPenn Med School and in the field of Oncology medicine, it made finiding the right treatment options and professionals easy.

Best wishe and a big welcome,

Steve

[nancyann]

Hi guys:  I just looked up a 'grand rounds' Dr. Telischi did 2/17/2005 (how funny, on the ANA forum bday);
 he did a talk on Tinnitus with double blind studies & basically, to summarize:
PROBABLY EFFECTIVE: lidocaine, benzodiazepines, antidepressants (amitriptylline, SSRI's, Tricyclic), Electrical Stimulation, Enoxaparin (an anticoagulant), dexamethasone, and masking (hearing aids, music, etc.).
LIKELY NOT EFFECTIVE: Acupuncture, Tegretol, Gingo Biloba, Gabapentin(I think that's Neurontin), Pulsed EM, & HB O2

There was alot more involved in the studies, but that's basically it.   Looks like nothing is a DEFINITELY WORKS.
Well, if one of us can figure out a cure, that person is going to have millions.....

[cmcnamara3]

Hi all!  I am posting back on my sort of results.  I had an MRI with contrast on April 16th.  They found nothing, which I am glad, but they only looked at the ear with the ringing..he said they wanted "hi def" pictures to see what was happening....I had 2 mri's with contrast about 8 or 9 years ago and they were looking for signs of MS..so I was really wanting to hear they didn't see anything at this time, but the ent said they only looked at one ear...which seems like a waste of time..but I guess mri's are really expensive...I feel like I really didn't get an answer from him so I am debating on what to do from here...my insurance only covers like 3 ent's in the town I live in and I have seen 2 and they aren't really helping me or answering my questions..I have other things going on...watery, whooshing sounds in my left ear, the shrill high pitched ringing in my left ear that worsens when I lay down, if I move my neck a certain way, the sound gets higher pitched and louder and balance problems, vertigo, air sickness, motion sickness, car sickness, ya da ya da...

I don't want there to be something wrong with me, but I don't feel like myself lately..I am in good health, 39 years old, not too stressed out..this ear ringing started up after I had my ears candled to try to help the watery whooshing sounds I had in my head and it ended up impacting ear wax up against my ear drum which had to be vaccummed off, which was one of the most horrible things I have ever had to go thru, and then he flushed my ear, which gave me horrible vertigo.

Did all of you have to go thru hell and back to get help?  Or am I just losing my hearing like the ent's say I am?    Thanks for your help

[Windsong]

HI mcnam...

why did you go for ear candling in the first place is one question i have?

another thought was that (after all the candling and your comments about swooshing and tinnitus and that sort of thing) even a test like caloric testing (water test in the eardrum) can cause vertigo etc.... though that is momentary really i.e. typical.... so maybe candling did have a side effect on you? (something happening against the eardrum?

hearing loss?... how much? and they have no idea? plus you hear "funny" or differently?

that last bit reminds me that i was told that(  that i hear funny)  15 years before my An was found ... why do i remember this now? gawd knows... maybe because it was one of those days when I couldn't function hearing wise and ear wise at work and needed/wanted it fixed so i could function ? and had to leave work and get to ER? couldn't function at all hearing wise you see...... i also recall that the ent used this tuning fork and then said gee you don't hear like other people....looking back at it now ( nothing could be done at the time) i figure it was fluid build up inside on/around the An nerve and thereabouts  or something like that ( since then i've been told the An is that old and who knows the bugger might have been starting then?) but don't quote me on this as that's only my hindsite now in replying to your post.....who knows.... ignore my digression above... I only wrote to say in your case i do hope you get a diagnosis for what is happening to your ear... (again were your ears all A_O_K prior to that candling or did you go because you had a problem and thought the candling could help?... and what do the docs say about that anyway?

doesn't matter which.. hope you get help and you are back to normal soon ....
good luck,
W.

[cmcnamara3]

Hi Windsong..

I went for the ear candling trying to see if that would help the whooshing noises and the watery feeling I have in my head...I feel like an idiot now after all the reading I have done about it   I have had those "sea" sounds or water whooshing sounds in my head for about 8 years now...about the time I had the mri's trying to determine what was going on with my right eye and to see if I had signs of MS.

One of the ents said my hearing test shows I hear "differently" on the left side as compared to the right...not worse, but different..I have no hearing loss at this time, he said that the ringing is a precursor to me losing my hearing and to be careful...my ears are really sensitive to loud noises now when they weren't before or maybe I am more sensitive because both ent's told me to guard my hearing from now on...oh and I have had events happen in both of my ears lately where all of a sudden my hearing goes and a high pitched ringing will happen and that is all I can hear for about 5 seconds and then goes away...I don't feel any pressure or pain or dizziness, it just comes out of nowhere and then goes away..it scares the hell out of me!  I have told the ent's this and their like "ah well, don't know, but it isn't life threatening so don't worry"

I think I may need to go above and beyond the ents in my area...are their drs on this site that can help?

Thanks all. C 

[papccs]

I have had ringing  and whooshing sounds in both ears for over 18 years now.  Recent cervical spine surgery made it even worse.  No matter what people tell you; "There is no cure or anything else out there to even reduce the noise."

[sfaangel]

Hi Phyl,

Thanks for your kind words

I feel really stupid asking this..but what is AN?  And I see the information at the bottom of everyone's posts...what does that mean?

I have only seen an ear nose throat dr and they recommened a white noise machine and that's it.  They tested my hearing and stuck something in my ear that felt like it was sucking my ear canal....I have seen 2 different ent's but they say the same thing "don't know what it is, so live with it"...I am going back to the first one that vaccummed my ear drum to have my hearing tested again.

I have a whooshing sound in my right ear, and I was told by more than one dr it is fluid in there and to take a decongestant..I have altitude sickness, motion sickenss, vertigo and dizziness..which the drs say isn't related to the ear ringing..have had bad ear infections as a child and have sinusitis..I have asked about Meneriere disease and equilibrium issues but have been blown off.

My massage therapists are the ones who recommended acupuncture..which is great but doesn't seem to help the ear ringing...at least for me..but anyone who wants to try it please do! You never know what will work.

Also, my left ear, with the ringing, is really sensitive to noise now..any loud noise hurts the inside of my ear...

I don't know what else to do with these drs...should I insist on further test?  Like a CT scan or MRi?

This seems like a really nice group..I interacted with some groups regarding cancer and they turned out to be quite nasty...I lost my mother to stomach cancer 16 months ago tomorrow 

Thanks and have a great night! C. McNamara

I'm a Speech-Language Pathology grad student right now, and we're required to take an Audiology class.  From reading your post I would recommend you go see an Audiologist in your area to test your hearing... they would also be able to help/give recommendations about your other problems also. I think they could all be related, but I could be wrong.

The thing they stuck in your ear that made it feel like it was sucking your ear canal was most likey called Tympanometry, which tests the volume of your ear canal and your middle ear. It tests to see if there is a hole in your ear drum, if there is fluid in your inner ear, etc. This test only lasts a couple seconds per ear.

I hope this helps you!