1-day post-Gamma Knife -- Hearing Changes

[NS]

Hi all

I had Gamma Knife yesterday for my 2.4 cm AN. My hearing on the affected side was pretty close to normal. Up until treatment I had no hearing loss and only mild tinnitus (96% word recognition at 10dB and 20dB and has always been the same as the right side).

However, last night I noticed an increase in tinnitus, and today I noticed a change in my hearing - not hearing loss per se, but rather a sort of echo inside my ear (on the AN side) I can hear my voice and other sounds echoing, and it also sounds something like feedback from a microphone.

I am wondering if this is something that is temporary, or if anyone else has experienced this following Gamma Knife?

Should I ask the doctors for steroids for this? Is it common to be given steroids post-Gamma Knife?

Thanks!

[PaulW]

I had Cyberknife not Gamma Knife but in many ways are essentially similar...
My hearing started declining about 6 hours after Cyberknife and tinnitus levels went up, my balance was awful. I was pretty much deaf in one ear...mostly prior to CK but it definitely got a lot worse.
Things got pretty funky for about 4 weeks with weird hearing and balance.... It all got better though. 

Symptoms fluctuated a lot. About 3 weeks after CK I had bouts of ridiculously loud tinnitus.... As loud as a rock concert that would last for a few hours.... Things got better much better.... It took about 5 1/2 months to feel better than pre treatment...

After about 9 months my hearing returned completely...

I did not get steroids... My doctor did not recommend them... His thoughts were that it provides temporary relief but does not alter the eventual outcome... so don't bother.... unless you cant stand the symptoms. Many doctors do prescribe Steroids however

Today my hearing is down a bit on the right side in the high frequencies but still considered normal.
I do everything I did before.
Life goes on as it did before the AN

[SueLL]

Hi NS - I had gamma knife surgery in July 2014.  The hearing in my AN ear was 92% prior to the procedure.  I experienced fluctuations in my hearing for the first week - ear felt "stuffed up", loud noises were bothersome, hearing was muffled, some ringing or echoing, etc.  I also did not know what to do.  The doctor had prescribed a steroid for "sudden or severe changes" in my condition.  I did take the steroid and felt some temporary relief, but six months out I can tell you that my hearing fluctuates daily.  I think this is a function of the swelling that takes place after the procedure as well as weather changes and other stresses that your body endures.  I would recommend talking to your doctor, if possible (I chose to have the procedure done in Pittsburgh, so I do not have the luxury of much medical advice).  Personally, though, I would expect frequent changes for quite some time.  I have a hearing test in a few weeks, but I would estimate that my hearing now ranges from 20-30% in the AN ear. 

Other comments - to me what was most scary was that about two weeks out I started suffering numbness in my tongue and the AN side of my face.  Again, this is something that comes and goes.  I have learned to live with it. 

Good luck with your recovery!

[Echo]

Hi NS,

I also had Gamma Knife but did not suffer any change to my hearing.  Like Paul W and SueLL I struggled with increased balance issues and developed ocularmotor issues.  All through the first winter roughly 6 - 8 month post treatment, I had no end of trouble walking at night with lights bouncing everywhere....even the moon!  Changes in weather made everything worse.  I figured most of my trouble came from the AN swelling and I opted to just ride it through.  The idea of taking steroids did not appeal to me.  Around 10 - 12 months post treatment I noticed a huge change.  Everything improved.  I can now walk at night without any lights bouncing around and I can walk a straight line.  I had some numbness at the tip of my tongue and the corner of my mouth and that completely disappeared about 4 months post treatment.  My hearing has remained stable.

Track your symptoms so you can see if there is a pattern to them coming and going.  It will give you a good baseline to discuss with your Dr., if you decide to try steroids.

Best of luck,
Cathie

[NS]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I think my hearing has improved. I no longer notice the echoing sounds, and even the tinnitus has decreased. I'm just going to try to ride out these changes, and realize that they may change (drastically) from day to day for the next little while. I do have more persistent dizziness, but everything else has subsided (or is in the process of subsiding).

Cathie, I am very encouraged by your results at TWH! Mine was the same size as yours at treatment, keeping my fingers crossed for a similar outcome!