stapendectomy recovery time

I've just had my op done 2weeks ago and I've been coughing and sneezing. Was wondering if everything was ok for you because you were the same. As in your post you said you were scared of sneezing and all, I'm the same as I usually sneeze through my nose and can't because of the op incase I damage my ear. Was there any complications with your cold? did it affect you? I can't really hear anything at the minute but hopefully as weeks pass by I with hear some improvement. I know it's been over a year from you've had it but was just reading your post today. I hope it has worked for you.

Hi,

I got both my ears done stapendectomy.
First one was almost 1.5 years back and the other one was 2.5 months back.
After first operation I was feeling dizziness for 1st day. In almost 5-6 days I was able to hear loud and clear.
With Second operation I was kind of adventurous. 6 hrs post operation I drove car back home. There was sever acidity due to medicines for first day, which were replaced later. But this time after 2.5 months I'm still not able to hear as clear as it was after first ear.

I'm just hoping that I'll recover my hearing soon.

It has been a while since you posted, but I noticed that you are a nurse. I too am a nurse and was recently diagnosed with otosclerosis, though haven't yet spoken to the doctor about a stapedectomy. Could you tell me how long it was before you were able to return to work fully functional? Able to use your stethoscope?

after 3 years of Stapedectomy surgery in left ear i am feeling hearing loss again, I visted my doctor 3 times and he suggested some medicines for cold infections. Now Cold infection is gone but there is no significant improvement. Do i need to undergo surgery again?

can any one advise...

 

Thanks 

I am eleven days post op from having a stapedotomy. I had the initial packing removed today. It's hard to tell right now, but I think there's improvement. One strange thing that is happening, right now, is a change in pitch coming through that ear. That is, people kind of sound like munchkins (Wizard of Oz style). While entertaining, I'm hoping that effect goes away.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks.

I had a stapedectomy nearly 20 years ago. I was 40. I have never regretted anything more than having that surgery. I do believe it is a good thing for most to have it done, but it does come with risks. My Doctor allowed me to move my head during surgery and I believe his tool damaged my nerve. I was VERY dizzy for 3 months. My equilibrium has never come back 100%. My ear is useless to amplify with a hearing aid because who wants to amplify something just to hear what you can not understand. So I spent the last 18 years struggling along with 1 powerful hearing aid. Last year my current Audiologist explained to me that there might be a way for me to hear on that side again. I had decided that I would NEVER be able to hear from that side again so I was excited. She told me about a BAHA - for people with one sided hearing. She was not sure it would work for me as I have no good ear, but my hearing aid allows me to hear fairly well and so we did the test in the hearing booth. It was a success. I had the BAHA surgery - they open the skin behind the ear, drill a hole in your bone, insert a titanium screw that holds the imbutment which you will need to wear the BAHA, then they replace the skin and stitch it. After only one week, they put the BAHA (it is an amplifier like a hearing aid) on and WOW. I could hear. I am told that I am not actually hearing out of that bad left ear, but that the sound travels from the amplifier (BAHA) to the bone and around my skull to the better ear and the brain thinks it is hearing from the left - therefore, I feel like I'm hearing surround sound for the first time in nearly 20 years. Thank God for modern technology. Just a post for those that may have had a failed stapedectomy - there is hope!

Expect to rest, rest, and rest. This is a delicate operation and needs time to heal properly. Can't remember the timescale but I was in hospital about 3 days, laid on my bed for probably two-three weeks after that, and did nothing strenuous therafter for a few weeks. That was probably the result of blood appearing on my pillow after about three weeks and despite the doctor telling me it was nothing to worry about I made sure I rested. Result was an 80% improvement in hearing but and a dramatic reduction in the level of tinnitus. Thanks to Michael Connell at East Grinstead hospital who I regards as a hero. 

Hi all, I had a Stapedotomy to my left ear about 6 weeks ago, at GW hospital, in Washington D.C., Dr. Monfared did an excellent job. I noticed my hearing improvement the minute I opened my eyes in the recovery room. I hear perfectly well ever since. most times I do not even wear my right ear hearing aid. it is amazing to regain your hearing again.. I strongly encourage everyone to seriously consider this magic surgery.

However, I feel like I HAVE SOME WAX OR DRIED BLOOD CLOTS IN MY EAR CANAL THAT ARE TRYING TO COME OUT... Do I have to do something about it, or it will come out by itself.. thank you for your advice.

 

I have just had a Stapedotomy to my left ear last Monday 2/9/13. I was had it done under general anesthetic and was very very groggy the rest of that day kept in overnight and got out on the Tuesday midday.  I am having to use ear drops, two drops three times a day and replace the cotton wool in my ear. All last week I have felt lightheaded and have been very tired. I am beginning to take more interest in things like reading now and though I am still lightheaded I do feel better today.

I wanted to go back to work last week but that was not going to happen and I did think about going back on Thursday but have just read somebody else's post who said to rest as long as possible so I may even wait till next Monday.

I am much like you. I am 30 and inherited otosclerosis from my mother. I grew up in a household with a deaf mother and she talked so loud that I thought that not hearing people was normal because i was used to loud talkers. However when I got a job at 21 my boss told me that I had trouble hearing. I soon noticed that I couldn't hear much in my right ear and my left ear was not good either. I was fitted with hearing aids. Now at 30 I am sick of wearing them. I have to cover my ears with my hair because people treat me like I am an id**t. I recently went to the doctor and he told me I need to be on private health insurance for 12 months and then i could see the specialist to get a stapectomy. I am on month 2 of paying for health insurance and frankly the operation can't come any sooner.

I hope only to have a week off from work when I have the first stapectomy. I work in a kitchen with alot of claning plates, noises, and people talking. The staff know that I wear hearing aids and they know I need an operation. So maybe I could place cotton wool in my operated ear for a couple of weeks after to soften the noise?

Did your hearing end up improving?

I had my surgery 5 months ago. I had complications and terrible vertigo and hyper sensitivity to noise for weeks. The doc finally went back in and the stapes was too long. Had some scarring.  the dr replaced the prosthesis with a smaller one. I am 6 weeks out from the 2nd surgery and still have a headache and slight vertigo every day. It has been a very difficult recovery. hearing better is the least of my worries right now. I am not at pre surgery hearing level yet, but hope to be over time. The surgery is billed as very minor. Guess I was the 1 percent who have complications. Be sure to take it easy after surgery.

I had my surgery two months ago. I can hear great but I still have the constant popping and when I swallow my ear pops and hearing clears or gets muffled. Had an appointment last week with the surgeon and told him of this and the " blown speaker" sounds I get at times and he seemed to feel that is normal. Will it always sound this way? Will I always have this popping? He wants to see me agin in three years... I'm wondering if I should see a different Dr.

Hello everyone and thanks for the informative posts. I had surgery for cholesteatoma which included a full tympanoplasty about one month ago. I also have the blown speaker sounds. They weren't there after my surgery so Im going with the explanation that they are there because of the melting away of the packing in the middle ear. Usually it happens when I talk, and only at a certain volume and pitch. But on the train yesterday I was sitting near a speaker and I noticed it. I haven't read any explanation of this phenomenon or had any explabation from my doctor. My fear is that there is a bad connection somewhere in those bones of the middle ear. My reasoning is that the sounds seems "mechanical". Anyway I hope this is part of the healing process. Hang tough everyone!

You are the first person I have read to describe this change in pitch. I thought I was going mad. Same thing happened to me 2-3 weeks out from having the procedure a month ago.

Hi everyone. I am at the 6 month mark and yes I still have the popping and blown speaker issue at certain sound levels. Loud talkers, loud vehicles etc. but also deep droning sounds. Like my truck! While I'm driving the hum of the engine sounds exactly like there is a cat with his face Pressed against my ear purring away like its nobodys business! I find this way more annoying than the blown speaker thing. I really do think this is what I'm stuck with for life, but I can hear a lot better than before so I'm on the fence whether it was wise to do the surgery or not. PS swallowing real hard seems to stop the popping but only for a few minutes, and the popping is more when I'm laying down.