Earache after 6 mos post CK,

[flier58]

Helloo my fellow ANers,
I am almost 6 mos post CK for my right 2cm AN. Today I have experienced  earache. I would say on a scale of 10 about 3 or 4.  More annoying than anything else.  I know pain is not unusual post radio tx.
My questions:
How many have experienced earache roughly at this time?  Did you see a doc.?
 My ENT appointment is in 1 month but I will send an e-mail to Stanford.  Did you get any meds?  what kind?  I don't want to do "roids unless absolutely necessary?
Also don't want to take OTC pain killers as my stomach is lately very sensitive so any suggestions as to home remedies?
I hope that this earache means that some changes are happening -good for me but not so good to the tumor.
Thanks in advance
Flier 58
   

[Angieshubbie]

I thought that I had an earache in Jan (4 most post op).  Went to my family doc and he gave meds.  He said that it possibly was the start of one.  When I went to my ENT doc about a week later.  I told him what was wrong and that my ear was killing me.  He looked at me and said open and shut your mouth.  Within seconds he told me that I had TMJ.  He said the pain of it feels like an earache.  It was good to find out what it was. 

I hope you get to feeling better soon.
Angie

[Lorenzo]

Hi flier,

What kind or where was the ear ache? I had some pains post CK, but later than you. Mine were tumour swelling and then tumour shrinking realted. I had them behind the ear right where the bone is. I still get them, especially when there's a lot of noise around. Throbbing or stabbing, but nothing serious, just annoying like yours.

Ciao

Lorenzo

[flier58]

Hi Angie and Lorenzo,
Thanks for your responses.  I got an e-mail from Dr. Chang re. my earahe and in his opinion it is probably related to my treatment and most often indicates swelling and dying of the tumor.  To that all i can say is: hurray!!!
Lorenzo: I read your "MY LUMP" saga (must be a good read for many ANers) and one thing I can relate lately to are the weird hours of daily operations.  I am beyond exhaused at 7:30 PM but "happily" up at 2:00 AM and nothing seem to change that pattern.  I'm hoping it's one of those AN/CK things and will eventually settle with more normal hours just like yours.
Regards
Flier58

[Lorenzo]

HI Flier,

They'll settle back to somewhat 'normal' hours again. I am now a regular 21.00 - 5 / 5.30 sort of guy, eventually. Perfect for that early morning work session, chatting to late night people across the atlantic, or a spot of gardening before the day begins! Soon it'll be bright by 5 so it'll be even easier to see the plants then!

Glad you found my blog informative. Haven't added to it for a long time, for some reason i won't go into.

all the best,

Lorenzo

[AnnR]

I am 8 months post gk and experiencing these earaches behind the an ear. Not like a normal earache which hurts from inside the ear but, it is like someone else said, behind the bone. I just found these posts and was so glad to hear that it is common post gk.  I first thought it was from the arms on my eyeglasses fitting too snug and after a month  later, still the same.

I do have an appt. with ENT to make rule out something else besides the gk.

Now that several months have passed since you all posted on this subject, do you still have the earaches?

AnnR

[proudmomof3]

Hi,

I am 7 months post GK, and also have earaches. They are usually in combination with headaches, which are very severe. However, I do have earaches without headaches, right behind my "bad" ear. Sometimes my ear feels really "full", sometimes it burns, other times, it just hurts like a bad infection. Regardless, I chalk it up to the GK, since I really didn't have many problems before GK with earaches - just very LOUD tinnitus, chirping, etc...in that ear.

Not glad that everyone else has them too, but glad to see that they are mostly related to CK or GK.

Cheryl

[ChipsFL]

Thought I would try and bring this thread alive again for a look into the future of the earache. Presently 8.5 months post CK and where I never had one before, one now and then is here the past few days; hopefully a sign the invader is dying and this will pass ?

[chloes mema]

Lorenzo: I read your "MY LUMP" saga (must be a good read for many ANers) and one thing I can relate lately to are the weird hours of daily operations.  I am beyond exhaused at 7:30 PM but "happily" up at 2:00 AM and nothing seem to change that pattern.  I'm hoping it's one of those AN/CK things and will eventually settle with more normal hours just like yours.
Regards
Flier58

And here I was blaming my "weird" hours on our new puppy!  Poor, Max, get blames for everything these days.    

Karen

[Bobette]

Thought I would try and bring this thread alive again for a look into the future of the earache. Presently 8.5 months post CK and where I never had one before, one now and then is here the past few days; hopefully a sign the invader is dying and this will pass ?

Hi Chips,

I am almost 6 months post CK and I have been experiencing ear aches in my AN ear and head pain right above my right ear for the last week or so.  My appointment with Dr. Chang is in one month and the pain is more of an annoyance than anything.  Since seeing this post I am celebrating the pain as death to my tumor.  We'll see what happens on February 5 at Stanford! 

Happy New Year!

Bobette

[ChipsFL]

How did it go Bobette ?  Appears ear pains that come and go are the new trend for 2013.

[Julia]

bringing an oldie back out,

I'm 7 months after GK. Having throbbing ear pain that comes and lasts less than 1 minute, if that. While it's there, it's like 8/10, but then goes away quickly.

Did anyone take steroids for this?

[MG]

Hi Everyone,

It's almost 7 AM and I have my everyday earache. I have had this since day one of finding out I had an AN, actually it is what brought me to the ENT in the first place. I am on W&W since 2013 and AN is 1.3cm. Doc says I need to think about Radiation of some sort. I was hoping after I got GK/CK my earache would be gone but it doesn't sound good. Hoping for all your sakes that your tumors are shrinking. Good luck!
MG

[Julia]

Today, no pain so far. Yesterday, was the first day I ever had that kind of pain. Guess it means something is happening. As long as it's temporary, I can deal with it.

Have a  Day!

[Echo]

Hi Julia,

At 7 months post GK, you could be experiencing some swelling of the AN causing the weird pain.  My neurosurgeon to me to expect some swelling to come and go in the 6 - 18 month post GK timeline.  I certainly had a few symptoms come and go during that period. Nothing that lasted long, so I toughed it out and avoided steroids.  Just monitor what's happening to you, so if need be, you can give your surgeon a good update.  I never had any ear ache issues, but I do have a pressure feeling come and go in the ear depending on barometric pressure.

Cathie.