Pilates, Swim and Hearing Test

A quick update on this week's rehab. Generally, I've not felt quite so full of beans this week, probably due to hormones. Plus, the distorted, unpleasant hearing problems have persisted. However, I did enjoy a good swim at the pool on Tuesday. Swam 60 lengths (1500 metres, just short of the 1 mile mark). It felt good and I didn't really have any big muscle cramps. Just a few minor right foot cramps which I was able to manage.

Then, on Wednesday, I went for my first ever introduction to Pilates (1hr). It was a good experience and I think it's going to challenge me where I need to be challenged. 

Thursday was a fairly quiet day and then I was back at the gym this morning. I was feeling quite weak and feeble today but basically did the same gym set as last week.

This afternoon, I went for a hearing test. I decided last week that I needed to know a bit more about Meniere's and get an idea of how my hearing was being affected. I just wanted to understand what was happening a bit better, really.

Firstly, the audiologist was very surprised that my GP hadn't sent me to a specialist. Secondly, I found out that there is medication you can take at the start of a vertigo attack which prevents any further symptoms developing. This latter point is really important because every Meniere's attack results in some damage to the hearing structures. If you can limit the attacks, you prevent the damage.

Finally, I had the hearing test. It seems I have a fairly significant low frequency loss in my left ear and also a minor loss in my right ear. The loss, and imbalance in the loss, is what's causing the hypersensitivity to particular high frequency sounds and also making noisy environments extremely difficult to be in. The audiologist recommended that I should at least have a hearing aid for my left ear and ideally have a pair so that the ears can be properly balanced.

I have to say that hearing aids hadn't even occurred to me. I think I was still thinking that my hearing would recover. I said as much to the audiologist.... Unfortunately, apparently this is what happens with Meniere's - deterioration in hearing with each attack, which is why managing it is so important.

....so....I'm a bit in shock really. I am also still hoping that, given another couple of weeks, my hearing might recover. We'll see. I have a holiday planned for the first week in August so I shall take action when I get back from that. Either my hearing will have improved and I'll be able to live with it. Or, hearing aids will be my next step (now that's not something I thought I'd be saying before I reached the age of 40!).

...I am a bit angry that my GP didn't suggest a referral to a specialist, especially as managing this condition is key to preventing permanent hearing losses.

....feeling pretty tired this evening, trying to take it all in.