Kayka: I had an Acoustic Neuroma that rendered me close to deaf in my right ear and messed with my vestibular nerve making me very dizzy and unsteady with all sorts of accompanying problems. My ENT decided that since my tumor was relatively small and by nature benign and slow growing a Chemical Labrinthectomy might be appropriate for me. Presumably it would relieve me of my dizziness and balance problems without surgery. The procedure was a series of 3 injections through my eardrum of an antibiotic (Gentimicin) that would destroy my vestibular system there by ridding me of the distorted signal that was caused by the tumor pressing on my vestibular nerve (Labrinthectomy without surgery, maybe ask your doctor?). Although I didn't have a follow up vestibular test I believe the procedure worked on me. I had an incredible pressure in my head that caused uncharacteristic emotional problems, nightmares, tinnitus that was so terrible (psycho sound knives that squealed and pulsed and then morphed from there into high frequency chirps and back again....) among other manifestations. It was a terrible time in which temporary solace would only come from laying flat with my head still. After the CL procedure the head pressure vanished (clearing up the emotional stuff, nightmares, terrible tinnitus, etc) but the dizziness persisted. At that point I got impatient and decided that I just wanted the nasty invader taken out and had Translab Surgery to remove the tumor (sacrificing my right side vestibular and acoustic systems). The important point of my story here is that I am still dizzy (wonky headed) at 8 weeks after successful surgery and I am doing all I can to adjust (and hopefully get my balance back). My doctor says 1 to 2 years and I should be stable again! As you can read of others stories, all of our paths have commonalities as well as differences. I hope my story helps you get a little perspective and wish you all the luck going forward. Robertb
