Sorry I didn't read Bruce's notes from yesterday, so I couldn't comment on the whole ear thing sooner, but here's my story:
One day, out of the blue or magenta, I lost partial hearing in my left ear. It felt like it was plugged, but it wasn't. I should have gone to my doctor immediately, even though it means waiting for three or four hours in the waiting room, but instead I made an appointment for two weeks from that day. My appointment came and my doctor said it was probably a virus and put me on a Prednisone "pack" meaning you start with 60 mg the first day and then taper down during the course of a week. She also wrote me a referral to an ENT doctor. Low and behold my hearing was completely restored by the fourth or fifth day, but immediately went wonky again after I stopped take the drug. She prescribed one more pack and I called the ENT who said he couldn't see me for three weeks. Even my doctor called and begged him to see me sooner, but he wouldn't budge. The second "pack" didn't do much of anything. My appointment came and he said there was a 99% chance it was a virus and to come back in three months. I waited six weeks and my hearing seemed to get worse. I called the office again and they said they had no openings before my scheduled appointment, so I called my insurance and they referred me to a new ENT who saw me the very next day. We both agreed that it made no sense that my hearing would come and go with the Prednisone if it was a virus. If it was a virus, my hearing should gradually get better and better. The first ENT should have seen that and known it wasn't a virus. The hearing tests showed I lost about 50% hearing, but only in the low frequencies. He ordered blood tests that showed nothing and also a CT scan. The CT scan showed calcium build-up in an artery, so he ordered a CT angiogram which showed no blockage. So, good news - I didn't have a mini-stroke - but still no diagnoses or course of treatment. A week or two later, I started getting "attacks" of extremely loud ringing in my left ear. The ringing would last about an hour and then disappear. I also heard distorted sound. I remember sitting in a Kritzerland show and being very annoyed that the people at the table next to us kept talking during the songs, but I turned and would see that no one was talking. It was just my wonky ear. There was no rhyme or reason for when these attacks would occur. Eventually, with my own research and with time, the ENT and I both came to the conclusion that I have AIED or Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease. AIED must be treated with large doses of Prednisone within the first 30 days or you're screwed and the hearing loss is permanent. Remember, I couldn't even get in to see the first ENT until 37 days had already passed and he sent me away for 6 weeks. The new ENT put me on a 10-day course of Prednisone starting with 80 mg, but it was too l late. The good news is that the attacks of extremely loud ringing and the distortion stopped after a couple weeks and haven't returned. And my left ear doesn't feel plugged anymore as my brain has adapted to the deafness. Every once in a while I test it by holding the phone up to each of my ears and listening to the dial tone. The tone in my left ear isn't quieter, it's just at a higher pitch - that's how I know I only lost hearing on the lower frequencies. I went onto Amazon.com and got a hearing "enhancer" for about $150 that works pretty well, but half the time I forget to wear it. I'm barely aware that I have any hearing loss, but I don't work in the music business.
All that said, AIED is extremely rare and there's a 99% chance Bruce has a virus. But don't wait!
