Sudden hearing loss after alcohol consumption post radiation

[PaulW]

About 6 months post radiation, had a bit of a night out with the boys and lost a big chunk of hearing the next morning for about 36 hours. Since that day I have largely avoided alcohol, and have not drunk heavily since.

I have now had 3 episodes of sudden hearing loss in the last 9 months, and it has occurred every time I have had a moderate amount to drink.

The last three times it has occurred after drinking about 6 glasses of wine in a 4 hour period, and it occurred about 3 days after the alcohol consumption. 

I don't really drink at all anymore, maybe half a glass, once a month thats it.

Just seems like a strange coincidence that the only 4 times I have had alcohol in the last 21 months everytime I have lost hearing and the only time I have lost hearing has been after drinking alcohol.

The first time it came back within 36 hours, No steroids
Second time it 2-3 weeks with steroids
Third time 2 months with steroids
Fourth time hearing got better within 4 days no steroids.

Has anybody else had an experience with sudden hearing loss and alcohol consumption post radiation?

[james e]

Good time to switch beverages.

[mk]

I don't know if there is an alcohol connection, but I had one episode of hearing loss before radiation, and two after radiation, where I lost all hearing literally overnight, and there was no alcohol involved. My understanding was that these episodes are quite random and attributed to tumor induced edema.
Since your hearing came back without steroids, could there also be some other connection in your case? (i.e. a noisy environment at a bar or something else?)

Marianna

[PaulW]

No loud noise exposure...  cant think of anything else.. The hearing loss has related so closely with alcohol consumption I think its related... I really just wanted to know if anyone else had had this experience...
Who knows it may lead to a better understanding of the tumour?

I really don't drink... but when I do, I actually get signs of things happenning within 12-24 hours...
Slighly increased tinnitus, slight loss of sensation/numbness inside my ear canal... Then I get the hearing loss a day or two later.

Its weird.
Its easily fixed.... Dont drink.
 

[MinhVietNam]

I had 2 episodes sudden loss hearing since Jan to now. I feel no clearly reasons that cause this episodes (no alcohol) but in my case I think sugar and butter have some connections. Each time it get 2 months to come back with steroid.
I also think this tumor induced edema, but who know exactly why the tumor is so frequent to be inflamed?

[JoyNJ]

It kinda makes sense to me as whenever I drink wine I get a stuffy nose!  I have noticed that when "bad" weather is coming in (low pressure systems like nor'easters, hurricanes) I have much more muffled hearing.  Hurricane Sandy about killed me as that was one huge storm with record breaking low pressure.  So if wine causes a stuffy nose, I can see where it may cause swelling in the ear canal or tumor itself.

[jfspainter]

I don't drink at all and lost my hearing in the left ear in mid December and is still gone. This is 4 months post GK. Jane

[GM]

Maybe a hydration connection?  Post drinking leaves you dehydrated...which can play tricks with our AN's.

[PaulW]

I thought it might be dehydration, and I like your thinking.
But didn't think that 6 glasses of wine over 4 hours plus about 4 glasses of water in between was going to cause any major dehydration. I actually drank the water because I thought it maybe dehydration causing the problem.

I live in Australia and just spent a week in the outback, definitely got pretty dehydrated the other day after spending most of the day in 110-115 degree heat.. No hearing loss..

Who knows... Haven't touched a drop since the last hearing loss episode and haven't had any hearing loss either.