A Visit To The ENT

So I finally broke down and went to the ENT to have me ears checked.
Since summer, they have a buzzing and ringing in them. They feel like they are stopped up all the time and occasionally I get dizzy.

After a bad episode this past weekend with a dizzy spell, I decided it was time to see the doctor. I have been to the regular doctor about this once and he just said it was allergies and to take a decongestant. That never really worked but it did help with other allergy issues.

So I go into the ENT and the first thing they did was check my eardrums then puts me in a hearing booth to check my hearing. My hearing is fine except a loss of high pitch sounds in my left ear. That's ok with me. I hate high pitched sounds.

So then I'm taken to an exam room and I wait.......



So I snapped some pictures. I mean, I am a blogger!

I always do a deep examination of the instruments laid out to use.




Then I look around the room at the cleanliness. I tell ya what, they don't want to leave me alone too long, I will find something I don't like about the place. This one, It was ok. I only saw dust on the back of the chair. Considering its also an allergy clinic, I think the dust needs removed. And why is there a needle disposal container?? And why is full of used syringes?

20 minutes later the doctor finally walks in.
He looks in my ears. They look good.
He checks my nose. It looks good.
He checks my throat and as I open wide he says "You have TMJ. You will eventually start hurting from that ya know".
Well, Ive been told that every time I see the doctor but I do not have pain yet and I'm 47 years old.
Lets get back to the ears.

So here is my diagnosis.......

Nothing. Yep nothing. He said that he is sure I have an inner ear issue but he can't see it without further testing.....He said testing, I heard this →→ $$$$$.
He has scheduled me to come back and do a VNG/ABR test. It's a test that will take approximately two hours to do and they will trigger the dizziness and figure out whats causing it. I think.

REALLY?
"So, I get no ear drops or medicine or nothing????" I asked.
The doctor replies "No sorry. We will $$$ have to $$ do further, Testing". That test is scheduled for Feb 21st. Thats almost a month! Im just gonna play it by ear (no pun intended).

So $50.00 and two hours missed of work later, I still have ringing in my ears and no answers.
I guess I'll wait. I'm tempted to cancel the whole thing. I feel like its just a way to get my money and after that test, they will want to do another test.

Couldn't he at least cleaned them out for me? Wax build up could be the only problem.

I'm sure the ear doctor has seen enough of my issues to know whats really going on in there.
Dontcha think?



Good morning its 1:00

My internal clock went off this morning at 7:00 as it always does. Im one of those people that cant sleep in no matter how hard I try.

So my intentions were to get out of the bed, have breakfast. Then clean up the house a little bit and go to church. The normal Sunday morning routine.

It didnt happen.

If you know me, you know that I have been suffering ear problems. Most likely inner ear. This has been going on quite a while. I went to the doctor once and he said it was probably allergies and told me to continue allergy medicine. Then I thought I had diagnoced myself thinking it was a vitamin I took because it seem to stop on the days I didnt take it. That didnt last long as the problem continued.
I often even have short dizzy spells.

This morning at 7:00. I opened my eyes and the room was spinning so fast I could not see straight, my ear had been ringing louder than normal during the night but Ive started getting used to it.
I felt like I was on the tilt-a-whirl at the county fair. I was sweating to a soak. I never sweat! My husband noticed my problem and came over to my bedside to help. No way could I sit up, much less walk. I was scared. I finally made my way to the bathroom with him guiding me all the way. There, I spent most my morning hugged up to the jon while I continued to dry heave over and over. I thought I was gonna die. I may have a six pack now too. I made my way back to the bed and laid back down. Room still spinning and a waste bucket by my side, I fell back to sleep.

 

Meanwhile my husband went to get me more allergy meds and ear drops. He bacame Dr Nick as he came into the room and said "Good morning, its 1:00pm you need to eat. I tried to eat some oatmeal, that didnt work so I had a half of peanutbutter sandwich and some broth. The ride was over and things were finally standing still. By 3:00 I started feeling somewhat better except for a slight ear ache and its still stopped up. Nick has been such a good doctor and he even did a few loads of clothes and refreshed our bedding.

I continued to sleep in my recliner all day. Its now 10:30 at night and finally feel like getting on my ipad to read and write. I hope I do not have a repeat of this tomorrow morning and I plan to visit the ENT soon. This is the worst I have felt since my back pain a couple years ago. Im never sick but pain and light headness, I can't tollerate well.

Good nite.