Weird Side Effect.... Hearing Loss

Maybe it's a temporary side effect from being under general (and intubated) for an extended period (plus being on your back a lot in the hospital?

I had something like this, but not related to the surgery, as it happened years later. Couldn't hear well out of my left ear, bad ringing, a feeling of fullness (muffled sound), and some pain at times. My primary care doc wasn't much help, so I went to an ear-nose-throat doc who found some inflammation and some fluid behind that eardrum. He checked my hearing and it was being affected on that side. He prescribed an antibiotic, a high dose of prednisone (that was wild--caused a racing mind) but tapering down gradually, and Mucinex-D.

I started getting results almost immediately. Within a few days the problem was completely gone. Had to stay on the meds for a couple of weeks, I think. I had never been on oral prednisone (or prednolisone, whichever) and it was interesting . Wild dreams, insomnia, a tendency to babble and chatter...

The exam at the ENT doc was a little unsettling, but painless. One slip and I think I would have had a lobotomy, as he put a probe through my nose all the way back so he could peer at my eardrum from the other side. He had given me an anesthetic/decongestant to snort just before, so it didn't hurt but I wish I would not have looked at that instrument! LOL.

Overall, a great experience with an expert doctor. If I were you, I would see an ENT (otolaryngologist) if your problems persist, and your surgeon says it's unrelated to being intubated and so forth.

Best wishes.

Thanks for the responses. I too believe this is a temporary problem. My thoughts are that it is mostly due to being on your back at a very steep angle with your head down for the hours of the operation. They put you at this anlge so gravity helps move the intestines farther out of the way for the surgeon to manuever. I think this allows fluid to build up behind the ear drum. If it does not clear in the next week or so.. I will consult an ENT.

Rick

Marked improvement today in the ear ringing and hearing loss. I suspect by end of the week it will completely resolve.
Rick

Hi all

A few hours after my biopsy I was very uncomfortable and was having a lot of pain, so I took an oxycodone I had left from my broken arm 6 months prior. I told my wife I was having trouble hearing out of my left ear and had the TV turned up real loud. She immediatly asked me about the pills and told her I was going to take another one so I could get to sleep. She announced that there was no way I was taking any more of that medication. The next morning everything was normal.

Mika

Rick & Bronson
Getting more interesting
I just remembered that my father-in-law has tinnitis and PCa
Alf

Rick, I am glad you are seeing some improvement on your own. Never heard of that directly related to any prostate surgery, but all things are possible.

I have suffered with the "ringing and electronic noise" in my ears my entire life, at least since being a pre-teen. Nope, wasn't exposed to loud noises in particular. It's almost always loud, sometimes I never think about it, other times it gets on my nerve. Nothing helps. least not with me, white noise introduced just makes me more self concious and if anything, makes it worse.

Never had a doctor yet that had any real answer for either the cause or cure of it. Just one more thing I live with.

David in sC

My ringing has 99% resloved and I expect it to be gone in the next day or two. Weird it started when I awoke in post op. Glad it is clearing.

Rick