Surgery probably in May or June ..... some inquiries .....

[Denisex2boys]

.... so that will work!  I asked that (if they could)  - please book something when the kids are still in school so their lives are not too disrupted by this - it will be 'normal' for them to still go to the sitter and school.  Hopefully, May will be the MONTH - I will learn more at the pre-op (admissions) in April.  This works well for me too and I do not want to have to renege on my duties on the Parent Council, Yearbook Committee and Year-End Party Committee.

PLUS, I'll be 'good as new' for trailer season on Lake Huron

Ok, some questions .......

- My conditions of this AN currently are:

- profound (as they tell me) hearing loss on left side - I know hearing will be completely lost - more likely than not .....

My inquiries are .........

- When I swallow, or blow my nose ..... I feel a 'pressure', clogged ear, like it needs to pop - does this feeling go away?  It was a constant before, but now comes and
goes - almost like there is water in the ear
- Will the tinnitus cease - or lessen?
- Will the occasional feelings of numbness cease?
- Will the headaches STOP??

- What are the steroids for after surgery - are there any ill effects from them?
- How long before you can go swimming in a Lake or Pool

I can totally sympathize with surgery - - but I have to bite my tongue sometimes .... my MIL is getting knee replacement this week and I know she is scared and stressed and I can understand that - but this will make her BETTER - she'll be able to walk again without pain and do things she currently cannot do ........ but having AN surgery - fixes NOTHING - it is just getting rid of something that should not be there and being pro-active for future conditions that may arise from the darned thing.

[lori67]

Hi Denise -

Glad you are able to work things out to minimize the interruptions.  I tried to do that also - just wanted to keep things nice and routine for the kids.

I can't really answer most of your questions, because I think everyone has a different experience.  I didn't and don't have tinnitus or a clogged feeling in my ear.  My headaches did stop, but I know for others, they got worse.  The feeling of numbness I had is very little now compared to how it was before surgery, so that did get better for me.

The post op steroids are to control swelling.  Wouldn't want your brain getting too big, you know.     Some people are on them for a while - usually seems to be those who have a hope to preserve hearing.  That wasn't an option for me, so I was only on them in the hospital and for 2 days after I came home.  I was supposed to stay on them for 5, but had a hard time keeping my blood sugar regulated when I was on the steroids, so I kept passing out.  FYI - tile floors are hard and will cause a nice black eye.  Not everyone has this problem though, so I think it was just a case of me being different again.

As far as swimming, you'd have to wait at least until your incisions were well healed - especially to go in a lake.  No matter how clean the lake is, there are still all kinds of "things" living in there that you don't want living in your head.  I don't remember what surgery you said you were having, but you would have to take into consideration any possible eye issues too and get some good swimming goggles to protect your eye.

I think you'll be able to enjoy the lake.  You may just have to make a few adjustments.  I had my surgery February 20, 2007 and that April 1, I was on the beach in Florida.  Not by choice, mind you - I had to tag a long on my husband's work trip because he was afraid to leave me home alone for a week - but I wound up having a good time anyway.

And keep biting your tongue about the knee replacement.  I am a nurse and a PT and I will tell you that I'd rather have AN surgery over knee replacement. (Yes, i know there are those out there who are going to totally disagree with me, this is just my opinion!) The brain doesn't have any pain sensors, so it actually hurts a lot less than having your knee sawed apart.  Don't tell her that though - it'll just make her bug you even more.     Besides, some people can make a big deal over having a splinter removed and make you crazy.  After all is said and done, you'll have the better scar - so at family gatherings, you're sure to top them all!

Hopefully the symptoms you're having WILL be fixed after your surgery and you can get back to your obviously energetic life before you know it.  Sheesh, I am getting tired just looking at all the stuff you're involved in!

Hang in there.  It sounds like you've got this situation under control and have covered all the bases. 
Lori
p.s.  Does the water in Lake Huron get warm enough to go in?  The Northernmost lake I've been in is Lake George in NY in August - and that was still too cold for me!

[Cheryl R]

Hi Denise.    I read of your pre op day and it will be the same day I am doing mine. (This is not my first surgery though so I pretty much know what to expect)     Make a list of these questions and take with you.        Every dr has a routine protocol they follow as far as what meds they give post op so maybe yiou can find out what yours is regarding the steroids.     Mine only gives them while you are in the hospital and thru the IV.  None oral.  I am sure he does under some curcumstances.         They may make you kind of hyper.   Maybe not.                    You may have some relief from your other symptoms but probably not right away   It takes awhile for the swelling to go away.   One feels better after a couple weeks to where you may function pretty good but it takes much longer for some of the symptoms no one can see to improve to where you feel more normal.       I am not saying this to scare you but just to be aware that things do get better and don't panic if you look good but don't feel quite right.       Ones family assumes you are all back to normal and one is not quite.          I have mentioned this before but with my first surgery I over did to prove that I was going to be normal again.   It does come back.   I didn't realize I had balance issues till walked outside.     One has to challenge themselves and keep at it in the places where it bothers you.   
My 2nd surgery was in March 2006 and then a CSF leak surgery 2 weeks later.      Mid July 2006 I walked all over Mackinac Island but was very tired by evening and had to nap.  One daughter lives in Lansing MI and we took her along.           I would love to go back.     I did find in my particular case that I tried walking in the water and got dizzy so had to come out.      I am NF2 though so am sure that is a big part of it.     Our hotel in Mackinaw City had a beach behind so it was fun to lounge on the beach.
Yes knee replacements do hurt like crazy and I am trying to remember too that they  hurt women more than men but can't remember the reasoning for it.     Men complain more though and are slower to get up moving.     I am nurse too but soon to be unemployed.   I am done Sun due to my increased deafness. 
Don't be scared to take pain meds if needed.    I found sometimes one can not feel real good but you really aren't in pain and even then a pain med can help that.   My own experience only though.   I was not much of a pill taker. 
Hang in there.   You will get thru this.    The waiting ahead is far harder than knowing what you are dealing with after.                                Cheryl  R

[leapyrtwins]

Denise -

sounds like you have a good plan.  I had my surgery while my children were still in school and while their caretakers had to shuttle them back and forth, it really helped them to stick to their normal routine.

I also had fullness in my ear pre op and post op it disappeared.  Don't know if that's the norm or not.  I don't have tinnitus or headaches, never did, so I can't give you any feedback on that.  My docs said no swimming for 6 weeks - I think the concern is infection from "stuff" in the water.   I didn't have any side effects from steroids, but I wasn't on them for any length of time; only had one dose post op.

Good luck with the biting of your tongue.  While I was on good terms with my MIL during my marriage, I found I had to bite my tongue quite a bit 

Jan

[sgerrard]

Hey Denise,

Congratulations on making the call.

You are right, it is mostly about preventing something worse, not so much about fixing what you have. But you are on your way now. At this point, you can just start planning and making arrangements, and let the doctors work out the details of medications and such. I think you'll just have to wait and see how the symptoms work out afterwards, no one can say for sure in any one case. You have done the hard part; now just put it on auto-pilot, hope for the best, and let the story unfold.

All the best,

Steve

[Catflower]

I feel the need to be perfectly frank on this topic.  As stated before everyone is different and their experiences with AN surgery are different as well.  As for me.  Prior to surgery I had perfect hearing in my right ear, but I did have tinnitus in that ear which I had adapted to pretty well.  I had occasional vertigo.

After my surgery which was April 2007 I am completely deaf in my right ear even though the Dr. was certain he could preserve it.  The tinnitus is louder.  I still have some numbness inside my mouth and on the right side of my tongue.  I large portion of my head is still numb on the right side.  My balance is better than it was, but I still have problems especially when I look up or side to side.  Following my surgery I developed a severe infection in the incision and had to have another surgery to remove the titanium mesh and was on six weeks of IV antibiotics which certainly took their toll on my body.  I have now developed rheumatoid arthritis (I had no signs of arthritis prior to the AN surgery even at my age of 60).

All in all my quality of life has decreased since the surgery, but if I had not had the surgery when I did I may have ended up in worse condition.

No one can answer your questions as they apply to you specifically.  You will just have to wait and see how it all shakes out.

I don't intend to be negative or to upset anyone, but sometimes the truth is best.

[krbonner]

Unfortunately, no one can predict how you in particular will react to the surgery.  Believe me, I remember driving myself crazy over trying to figure out what it would be like afterwards.

Personally, my tinnitus has changed quality since the surgery but it's not better or worse.  Just different.  The feeling of fullness in my ear has decreased - but honestly I don't know if that's because it really has or because I'm just so used to it.  My face gets a little tingly and numb only when I'm exhausted (it's my warning system that it's time to go to bed!).  As for the headaches, that seems to be especially variable.  I didn't have headaches prior to surgery.  I had a constant one for about 4 weeks post-op during healing (after the first 5 days, Advil was all I needed to control them).  Now, I do get headaches about once a week, but a dose of Advil and some rest takes care of it.  I consider myself pretty lucky in that regard.

I hope it all goes really well for you!

Katie