Cholesteatoma:: Radical Mastoidectomy - Air Travel?
Jan 29, 2016
My husband had radical mastoidectomy this summer. This was his second surgery (cholesteotoma returned after first surgery) and this time, his ENT closed off the Eustachian tube in the affected ear.
We are thinking about taking a trip next year (Winter of 2017) and my husband is concerned that he will not be able to fly because of the pressure changes.
For those that have had this same surgery, are you able to fly comfortably?
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I am 6 months post TKR and going on holiday in 10 days time. We will be flying to Dubrovnik before embarking on our cruise. The flight itself will be just short of 3 hrs and not being a seasoned traveller, I am wondering if for this journey, I will need to wear those travel socks, if so I am wondering if the socks you have to wear for six weeks after your op will suffice. Unlike many I have seen, mine given to me by the private hospital I was in are quite smart and comfortable and comfortable to wear.
Doric
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Has anyone experienced a recurrent cholesteatoma in one ear and now a cholesteatoma in the other?
I experience chronic pain and chronic migraines as a result of the 3 surgeries I've had in my right ear. I have severe tinnitus. So severe, that there are times when I literally cannot hear anything around me. Another thing is that sound gets extremely distorted should a voice or sound be too high or too low - you can imagine how difficult this is being a PreSales IT Architect who speaks with a number of people every day.
Also, my right eyelid and right side of my face fall a little lower than my left. In addition to this, I feel pain outside the ear as well and in the muscle that has been relocated three times for each surgery. This causes me pain when I simply move my head in any direction...even when I make facial expressions. Dizziness and vertigo are almost a daily occurrence with some days worse than others...It feels like the room is in a blender. Driving is also becoming increasingly difficult as I often feel like the car is still moving when I come to a stop and vice versa....It's a laundry list of things, I know.
I now have a cholesteatoma in my LEFT ear with my 1st surgery on that is on 11/13/15.
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I have had a cholesteatoma three times now and was wondering if it was hereditary? as my little girl has had some hearing problems (only minor) but hoping that it is not?
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I just got diagnosed this year with a Cholesteatoma, after a heavy mid ear inflammation in June, following a severe cold. Before that I had no problems with my ear.
My hearing was virtually lost during the inflammation but recovered pretty well, I guess only a 30 % has gone in my right ear. I live in Spain, in the mountains, and have no problems while I am here.
But I just visited the Peruvian Jungle, and it happened two times that after 3-4 days in the Jungle, my ear starts draining liquids and my eardrum perforates. After being treated two times with antibiotics in Peru, and moving to an area where the air is much dryer, the inflammation goes away within a week.
Now, last Friday I talked with my ENT specialist, and he has put me on a waiting list to have it surgically removed. According to him, it is a 'removal' operation, with a high chance of losing my right side hearing completely, as he 'thinks' the ossicles are infected.
When I asked him if a KTP laser is being used, the answer I got was that they don't use KTP laser in these kind of interventions in Spain.
Since I do not want to lose my hearing capacity in the right ear completely, I understood from reading about Cholesteatomas and treatments that a KTP laser assisted intervention has a high chance of preserving the ossicles, and thus hearing capacity.
There is an ENT specialist who has published about this, Dr. Fairley.
Does anybody has experience with him ?
Has anybody had this type of surgery with a KTP Laser ? How were the results ? I am very interesting in your story, As I am considering paying for the intervention myself in another country.
Prices are fluctuating a lot for this procedure, so if anyone knows a good ENT specialist (Cholesteatoma & KTP Laser) I would appreciate your opinion and experiences.
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I am a 25 year old male and have recently been diagnosed with Cholesteatoma in my left ear. My case is a bit different it seems as until July 2015 I had a perfectly good left ear. I picked up a cold and ear infection while on holiday in Spain in July 2015 to which a week or so later I was hearing bells going off in my ear constantly. I was put on three different doses of antibiotics and ear drops between July and October. I began to get white discharge from my ear about a month after I had the infection and this discharge turned yellow a month or so later. It was not until January 2016 that I was able to see a ENT specialist who diagnosed me and this was confirmed with a recent CT scan. I have not had any hearing (besides the bells going off in my ear) since I first got the infection back in July. After I had the CT scan and hearing tests I have been told that my ossicles have been eroded and I am very unlikely to get hearing in my left ear again. The infection has dried a little bit from some ear drops which the ENT specialist gave me and I have an MRI scan this week as they want to determine if surgery is absolutely necessary before going ahead. I have seen two ENT specialists at this NHS hospital. This morning I woke to find my ear slightly wet again and with a tiny bit of blood which prompted me to go and see the hospital to which they assured me that this was normal and can happen.
It it seems as though a lot of people have problems with their ears in childhood which leads to cholesteatoma. Has anyone been in a similar situation to myself? The more information the better.
Note: I had sinus surgery in February 2014 and the CT scan I had in preparation to that operation has shown no signs of cholesteatoma.
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My 73 yo father had a radical surgery 5 years ago (prostate removal) due to the cancer. To date, he is suffering from urinary incontinence. He is also taking "Cymbalta" as a medication but no relief has been granted. I was wondering if anyone could let me know about a new medication in the market that would work better than "Cymbalta" ?
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Just got Gleason score 4+3
PSA risen from 17.8 to 20
plan for robotic radical prostatectomy in 3 weeks - has anyone else had this surgery?
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I had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in may ,2009. The only real option for me was to have a radical prostatectomy because of age (58 years old and retired) :-( . I had this done in july, 2009 and since then there has been no evidence of cancer return. All PSA's have been less than 0.1. I have noticed over this time period a gradual weight gain of 7 lbs. I've always watch my diet and walk 5.5 miles a day. I'm 6'0" and now weigh 189 lbs. I do have rheumatoid arthritis which has been under control (sed rate=10) for a number of years using 0.5 mg prednisone and 1 or 2 vicodin es to control pain and flareup. Why is this happening with the weight gain? Is there any evidence or articles out there to support weight gain after radical prostatectomy ? Is this related to testosterone levels?
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Does anyone suffer with the same severe low back, thigh and groin pain as I have been for the past seventeen months following my radical prostatectomy. I am fine for the first twenty minutes of walking or general activity before the pains starts and increases in intensity if I don't stop. I have had M.R.I's and scans. The spinal consultant said it is caused by a lymphocele which I have had drained once, but urology don't think this is the cause. Can anyone offer any suggestions please. The nerve pain can get unbearable.
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I had another round of RAI in March as my Tg never went into the single digits after my first ablation 5/12.
I was in Irvine, CA to get neck fusion surgery at Hoag when an MRI showed a suspicous lymph node. That led to an US and a PET/CT. (obviously ACDF surgery on hold)
PET/CT showed about 5 lymph nodes consistent with metastatic disease, so the endo I saw in Irvine recommended neck dissection.
My sister had a great ENT in Vegas so I went there and had the surgery a week ago Friday. He was going to do a modified radical, but when he got in there he said my neck was "full of disease". He counted 8 black and hard lymph nodes and cleared out my entire right side.
I am waiting for the path report. Maybe cause of the holidays it is taking a while. I hate waiting!
I have since come to LA where my inlaws live and am going through the process of getting an appointment at the City of Hope. I do not want to get further treatment on Maui where I live. I need a little better level of care.
I'm kind of anxious as I feel I am in limbo land here. I've had the surgery, but I have had no follow up yet. No bloodwork, no nothing.
I know that when I finally get that appointment at CoH I will get the evaluation and perhaps further treatment I need.
Is it usual to have another RAI after a radical neck dissection? This surgeon said that my last round of RAI probably did not work because there was so much cancer in there.
Oh, I also have a small nodule on my lung. Haven't addressed that yet, and that kind of worries me as well.
Geez. Since dx last April of 2012 I have not had anything go well. The Endo thinks I may have the BRAF gene. I asked this surgeon to test for it and he said he didn't know if his hospital did that. I guess I'll find out when I see the path report and/or talk with the doc.
I am anxious about my next steps. I've been out of work now since Feb. 19th and my medical leave expires August 19. I am going to try to get an extension so I won't have to go on COBRA.
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