Sorry to hear this news, Bob. Are you home yet? I hope you feel better and the answers help.
Oh yes, a little after noon today.
***I hope you feel better and the answers help***
It was a passing - but unexpected - bout of dizzyness and nausea late Friday evening. It motivated me to talk to the doctor in the ER about a fairly new med I have been on. He said he would check it out and when he discharged me today his answer led me to check on the med when I got home today.
Sure enough, that med can cause hearing loss! With age I figured I had lost maybe 20% of my hearing last summer. I bought a cheap pair of 'amplifier' aids which helped. Memorial day weekend I woke up to a major loss of hearing - both ears equally - where the radio at normal volume sounded like some vague 'scratching' in the room; turning it up louder and my hearing aids helped but phone conversation was nearly impossible. At times it was nearly wiped out, but not consistently.
I wondered if the ear problems might add to the vertigo and nausea problem. On that latter part I am still not certain but a new med I am on has a major side effect of hearing loss! This is the second med this urologist has put me on which has caused me serious problems. The first med is somewhat my own fault because I chose to accept the risk and it didn't work out... but this med I expressed doubts and I let him talk me into it without really studying it because I was struggling to get control over a difficult urinary problem. It would not have taken much digging to learn that hearing loss and nausea are major side effects - my own fault since I was dealing with other issues lately.
There are two meds that would help considerably with the urinary problem but they are priced out of my range and no patient assistance program. I can buy one out of country at bearable price but I want to discover how to safely transfer the $$$ off shore. Also, I suspect the urologist, when I see him in two weeks, is going to recommend a new surgical procedure and I have been studying it to learn what I can before and if we discuss it. sigh
These are some of the things that left me unprepared for Friday night's emergency - ambulance ride and all. Also my GI progress from last year seems to have ground to a halt. I see that doctor the same day that I see the urologist in two weeks and I need to press for more progress there. sigh
What a way to spend your life while your country is sliding down the tubes! grrrrr