Thanks @TML. My Pulsatile tinnitus and hyperacusis are in my left ear.
1 Like
Interesting!
@TexasEagleSuffer - Healing from ES surgery is a 3 steps forward & 2 steps back process. It’s not uncommon for symptoms to ease up then get worse then ease up again during the first few months of recovery. I think by 4 months post op, that cycle had settled down for me & at 6 months I was feeling pretty good though I had some symptoms that took more than a year to go away completely.
Based on @TML’s findings which involve the greater horns of your hyoid bone, you could have some symptoms that won’t resolve due to that situation. You should take the image he annotated to Dr. Welch & discuss TML’s findings w/ him to get his take on what’s been found in your imaging.
2 Likes
Thank you @Isaiah_40_31 as that is helpful info. The up and down nature of the recovery has been frustrating to say the least. Is it common for ES patients to lose weight? I have lost another 10 lbs since surgery. I’m 6’1 and down from 185 to 160.
1 Like
Lots of members have lost weight, but because of difficulties eating and drinking, swallowing etc. Often after surgery it’s hard to open your mouth wide & the same for chewing, have you been experiencing this? If this is the reason you’ve lost weight, then I’d suggest trying build- up drinks & protein shakes to compensate for less calories, but if you’ve been able to eat & drink as normal, then this should be checked out with your PCP.
Hoping you feel better soon 
1 Like
Thank you @Jules That makes perfect sense to me. My problem is that the weight loss has been throughout the year, but in the last week, I’ve lost another five pounds. I haven’t had any problem chewing, I’m just not hungry. I’ll need to go back to my PCP to discuss. I just hope that this all goes away sooner rather than later.
3 Likes
Just curious, but has anyone used a Lenire device to help with their tinnitus. I discussed this with an audiologist and have been approved, but I have to have taken all steps to alleviate the pulsatile tinnitus first. It has a very high efficacy rate to help reduce the loudness of tinnitus, but it is expensive and takes at least 12 weeks of using the device - which doesn’t bother me if it will help me get relief. Taking it one step at a time.
2 Likes
@TexasEagleSuffer - Another thing you can do besides making sure your meals are protein dense is to also add good fats (olive, avocado, coconut, for example) to your meals. There is a lot of talk about eating healthy these days so fruits & veggies get the focus, but if weight loss is a problem, making sure there is enough fat & protein in what you eat is also important especially if you’re eating less than normal.
I’ve heard of the Lenire device & may have even had it suggested to me at one time, but I didn’t try it so can’t comment. I have chronic tinnitus as well, but mine isn’t pulsatile. I hope it helps if you do try it.
1 Like
@Isaiah_40_31 Thanks for that info. I do have to remember to do that. I thought that you had Pulsatile tinnitus as part of your ES, but maybe not. That’s the part that is so debilitating. If I just just get the PT to subside - life would be soooo much better.
2 Likes
@TexasEagleSuffer - I intermittently get a few pulsatile pulses in my ear, usually during or after a brisk walk or hike, but otherwise my tinnitus is fairly consistent in tone & volume. I’m really sorry yours is so bad & hope there is a solution soon, either via natural recovery from surgery or via some other intervention. You likely still have a fair amount of swelling from surgery so as that subsides, your tinnitus may start calming down.
2 Likes
Greetings all. I met with Dr. Welch earlier this week and he will be doing a venogram and inserting a stent on 10/30. I am looking very forward to having the procedure as I think that this is going to resolve my issues.
3 Likes
Praying that this works for you
1 Like
@TexasEagleSuffer - I can’t remember if you were diagnosed w/ bilateral vES? If so, you may need to have both sides decompressed for the best results. I’m sorry your symptoms are still so bad you’re considering a stent. Did you have a follow-up scan that showed your IJV is still compressed on the surgery side?
1 Like
Left side is severely compressed. Right side is somewhat compressed. I’ll do anything to get relief as these symptoms are as bad as before surgery. He said that this was a possibility.
Is it worth trying surgery the other side first? It does often seem to be that both sides need doing before seeing good results, the stent is a permanent step, so important to consider all options…
1 Like
@TexasEagleSuffer - Another thing to consider is, the cause of the compression in the right IJV. Is it because the IJV collapsed on itself i.e. didn’t have the strength to stay open w/o the “mechanical help” of a stent, or is it because there is still styloid, C1 or some soft tissue (vein, muscle, lymph node, etc) compressing it? If there is still a visible compressor, you’ll do much better to get that taken care of first, as getting a stent put in while there is still physical compression of the vein can turn out worse than leaving it alone.
2 Likes
Just wanted to chime in on another non-invasive treatment for tinnitus – repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or rTMS. It also has about 33% chance to help with facial pain.
1 Like
Not heard of that, have you tried it?
I have not tried rTMS. It is also intended for depression. I was going to try it, but only after I’ve solved my pain issues (to address tinnitus). Not there yet, unfortunately…
2 Likes
How are you, was decompression helpful?