Steroids and loss of hearing

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Anyone know anything about this?

Had an appt. with the hospital audiology dept. a couple of days ago as I didn't reckon my hearing was so good. Excellent attention and ,yes, I have some hearing loss, could benefit from hearing aids. Not the best Christmas present!!

But it is not age related, but hormonal. I couldn't find anything much googling quickly, except to do with thyroid deficiencies, but that is not one of my problems so I immediately wondered about steroids. Anyone any ideas?

Green Granny

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Hi Green Granny, well this may just be co-incidence, but lately my family have been getting very irate with me when they think I'm ignoring them. It's just that I haven't heard them 'til they're shouting, apparently !

Perhaps I had better also get myself checked. I blame everything on the steroids now. :wink:

Good luck with the hearing aids, if you choose them. :bat:

Whenever I see your name I am reminded of my eldest sons mother-in-law.

To differentiate between their two grandmothers, our granddaughters call me Granny Boots, even though I no longer work there, and she is still called Green Granny, because she used to drive a green car but now has a silver one. Kids hey !

Best wished

DD

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Green Granny

You are the first person to mention this on this site. I too lost 25% of hearing in one ear after about 6 months on steroids.

I had had 'glue ear' years ago and the then treatment was low dose steroid and the glue ear cleared up.

Loss of hearing is not listed on the 82 (now 83 side effects) so I dismissed this and have not pursued the question. I, also was told, it was either down to the aging process, or that I had had problems in the past, or hormonal.

Now I am beginning to wonder ?

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Hi Green Granny and mrs k and DD

As I also have hearing loss in one ear, which the ENT consultant said is caused by Anno Domini! :shock: :roll: , your posts really made me think. I did a bit of Googling and came up with causes including \"Autoimmune diseases such as Lupus and Temporal Arteritis.....and Prednisolone! Has the list of 82/83 side effects now become 84?

MrsO

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Thanks everyone, that's interesting. Here are a few more details, though most of the questions I've thought of too late to ask the audiologist.

I have never had ear problems before. Have had to have my ears syringed from time to time - and that's what I thought it was when I went to my Dr about 6 weeks ago. No.

The audiologist was brilliant. He showed me the graphs for each ear. I gather age related loss shows similar losses in each ear, both will have loss of hearing for high sounds (women talking) or low for example. My ears, though one was better than the other, were different, one had good high sounds but poor low, the other was the reverse. I don't mean to give the impression that age related has to be deaf in both ears , sorry if I'm finding it hard to explain!

My hearing loss seems to have been gradual, over the last year (?).

I had tried the RNID hearing test over the phone which said I was OK,but that doesn't test the whole range of highs and lows. Family were getting abit irritated though!

I was reluctant to go to one of the private firms that do hearing tests, I thought that it would be in their interests to find something the matter.

I wondered whether all the cutbacks on the NHS would mean that hearing lost out so perhaps going sooner rather than later was better - it also makes it much easier to get used to hearing aids, which need perserverance. Aids cost about £2000 or so I believe.

My appt came through in 5 weeks. I now have an appt.with a ENT specialist - I'm not sure whether this is because it is a hormonal problem or routine. The aids are ordered, about 6 weeks I gather.

I have had yearly thyroid checks which have been OK -just. As I said I can't find much more on the internet although, thank you, Mrs O I will follow up.

Also the loss is permanent so even though I am now pretty low on Pred. (7.5/7.00 mg) it can't be reversed. Maybe it could stop getting worse though??

I will let you know anything else I discover.....

Thanks so much, enjoy the rest of Boxing Day. We have a period of calm before lots more family come on Weds. Must do a Tesco order!

Green Granny

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Green Granny\"

funny you should mention this the other day my chap asked me if i could hear all right I said \"of course why are you asking\" He pointed out that I don't seem to hear him as good as I did i will mention it to the doctor next month

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Eileen, Is this something you've any thoughts on? Green granny

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Just bringing you up to date.

Have got hearing aids, think they will be Ok and hospital gives a great deal of support, including a walk in clinic.

Have not seen specialist over \"Hormonal hearing loss\", (what I've got as opposed to \"Age related loss\&quotwink. due to appt.mix up. Won't bore you. :x

But I have been trying to find out about ototoxic drugs - and there are a lot. Now most relate to tinnitus, rather than hearing loss. Various pain killers and NSAIDs , and anti- biotics can be a problem, but it was difficult finding out how common these side effects could be, as Eileen has posted.

BUT prednisolone was mentioned, as sometimes being used to treat tinnitus but also sometimes causing it!!!!!!

Now I don't get tinnitus,well not yet, but it did make me think how casually I have taken painkillers over the years, And firmed up my resolve, after all our thoughts on AA etc, NOT to take any more medications than I have to. :!:

Green Granny

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Green Granny

Yes, you have made a wise decision.

My Mother and Grandfather were averse to taking anything that 'as they said' was not natural'. They did however both have to use the service before the NHS and take drugs of some description. But as fast as possible they got off them.

This left me with a healthy scepticism - which translated into being very wary because after my first ever operation, I had a bad re-action to the anesthetic.

I had not realised how much I was wary until 18 months ago when I had to see a Consultant about Calcium Grit in the gall bladder. He was young and when I arrived said 'I have been reading your history, can I run some questions past you as some things appear to be missing'.

Did you have diptheria and scarlet fever vaccination? No

Did you have polio jab? No

Did you have BCG (TB) jab ? No

Have you had Breast Screening? No

Have you done the Bowel Test with the envelope? No

Do you have flu jabs? No

Did you have swine flu jab?

You have had three operations and problems each time with anesthetic is this so? Yes

Allergic to Penicillin with a full blown anaphyleptic shock? Yes

Do you take anything except your steroids, aspirin and premarin (HRT)?

Well, I have tried Tramadol for pain relief and it knocked me out. And I do take extra anadin, but rarely as neither my Rheumatologist or GP are happy with this product in conjunction with the steroids.

I do take some herbal stuff, but check it is compatible with

everything else. ie Glucosamine. My GP when prescribing me an anti-biotic, if it is one I have not had before - I take the first one in the Surgery and sit and wait for half an hour.

Oh and I drink like a fish and smoke like a chimney.

We decided I was a 'let sleeping dogs lie' person and he gave me his card and said ' ring me when you need me'. We shook hands and both hoped we would never meet again. Still no problems with the grit in the gall bladder, and the glucosamine seems to have helped the crystals in the knee.

But I have added Cod Liver Oil with extra Vit D and the GP prescribes me 40000 units per day of pure Vit D every three months to top up the level as I have low Vit D, which many of us have and just do not know about it.

Get your Vit D levels checked. Then rest easy.

Oh this is, I think, the longest I have ever posted and its probably useless.