Rush Limbaugh has lost his hearing.

EIB Network ^ | 1:10 PM, Monday, October 8, 2001 | Rush Limbaugh

[SlickWillard]

He had been hinting for several months that he had some sort of health problem.

You can send him a note here:

rush@eibnet.com

[Exigence]

You know what my first thought upon hearing the news was? "Rush is going deaf. Barbara Olson's dead. Reagan is fading away. Yet Alleged-Ex-President Clinton is fine. Hillary the Bitch is fine. Chuck the Schmuck is fine. Fat Teddy is fine. Barney The Frank is fine. They're all fine. Where the hell is the justice in all this?"

My own thoughts were similar. I still haven't gotten over losing Olson and not having Reagan is heartbreaking. This is just too much on top of everything else.

[driftless]

Pretty much standard stuff from that lot. There are a few of their posters who regret Rush's hearing loss despite their difference in politics. But they're clearly drowned out by the cacophony of bile from the "caring, sharing, and loving" set. The irony is that Limbaugh has always treated liberal callers with great respect on his show unless they are deliberately abusive. Rush is genuinely perplexed as to why liberals hold their goofy positions and constantly seeks to wean them from their illogical convictions with the utmost patience.

[The Raven]

I seem to remember he was treated for Sleep Apnea years ago

[Patriotic Bostonian]

Unbelievably sad news. I can't stop crying. I've listened to Rush for the last 7 years and I love him as much as you can love someone you have never met. I am so furious right now with the Rush bashers on this site. I hope they are happy! All they did was give crap about Rush's time off and what he was doing on his time off. As if it was any business of theirs. Who are these assholes going to bash now? Jim if you have to ban me for this post - so be it. As much as I love this site and most of the freepers, it was always Rush who put things into perspective for me.

[foghornleghorn]

<Ha! Am I surprised by the reaction of the demon-lib pukes? So much for their love and tolerance. They are a bunch of pus-sucking maggots. Rush, I predict, will prevail through it all.

[GreenHornet]

I thought the same thing when Barbara Olson died in the terrorist attack. Add to your list Rudy Giuliani, who was forced to drop out of the NY Senate race last year, after he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer.

Regarding Rush's remarks this afternoon, he also said something to the effect that "it's not genetic...there's something else going on". He did not elaborate.

Pray for Rush.

[KC_Conspirator]

That does not surprise me that Rush defended Maher, being as he is a bigger man that that piece of slime. If you can't tell, Maher has gotten on my nerves for along time as he has defamed his show to appease the West Hollywood liberals. When and Where did Maher call him?

[JohnPaulJones]

Too Bad! Rush lost his touch a few years ago....

[Reborn]

God bless you Rush. This is very sad news. I'll be praying for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wingnuts'nbolts]

In his own voice on his website! It is amazingly true. As feisty as Rush is he will overcome. He will continue as before and be even better. My goodness, with the way the world has changed we need him even more to help decipher the goingson around the world.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Whether you like this guy or not, this news is truly heart-breaking. Why did Beethoven have to go deaf? Why did Monet have to go blind? This is so unfair.

I just learned that Thomas Edison also was deaf -- yet he invented the phonograph and 1000 other things for mankind's comfort. Edison used to fix his teeth on the cas of the piano so that he could better enjoy the music through the vibration.

I pray that Rush can be helped by the latest medical technology. If that prayer is not answered in the affirmative, I pray that he can put his prodigious talent to use in another endeavor that will be pleasing to as many people as his radio career.

[Fredgoblu]

cannot hear people or music

I guess that Bose Wave radio may not be such a good gift idea after all (for Rush, that is).

[wingnuts'nbolts]

In his own voice on his website! It is amazingly true. As feisty as Rush is he will overcome. He will continue as before and be even better. My goodness, with the way the world has changed we need him even more to help decipher the goingson around the world.

[AmishDude]

It is kind of strange that it came upon suddenly, but many radio guys develop hearing problems. Imus, for one. Who knows if this developed over time and Rush just noticed the change recently. If it is a sudden change, a virus seems very likely.

[muleskinner]

After listening to Savage for a few months I realized I had to put up with 20 minutes of hysterical, self-promoting, police-statist BS for every minute of genuinely thoughtful and/or humorous material

Ditto, Homer

[imperator2]

I hope he tried high dose prednisone and/or methotrexate for autoimmune hearing losses. The cochlear implants work well, but not sufficent for phone conversation.

[jokemoke]

I love to listen to Rush! He is the best conservative talk-show host! He simple must continue...! If anyone can do this- Rush can.

My prayers go out to Marta and Rush.

[KsSunflower]

This is very sad. You would not believe, well you probably would, the comments on a thread at Dumbocratic Underground.

Dumbocratic Underground

[DonQ]

Do you think Limbaugh is now reconsidering his long-standing opposition to the Americans with Disabilities Act??

[krodriguesdc]

Well here is a very respectable peer reviewed journal saying the same thing...

Again I am not saying that Rush is using hydrocodone/acetaminophen - but you said that vicodin does not cause hearing loss and here it clearly states that vicodin is associated with hearing loss...

Am J Otol 2000 Mar;21(2):188-91 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Profound hearing loss associated with hydrocodone/acetaminophen abuse.

Friedman RA, House JW, Luxford WM, Gherini S, Mills D.

House Ear Clinic, Inc., Los Angeles, CA 90057, USA.

OBJECTIVES: To describe profound hearing loss associated with hydrocodone overuse and the successful rehabilitation of these patients with cochlear implantation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: A tertiary otologic referral center. PATIENTS: Twelve patients with rapidly progressive hearing loss and a concurrent history of hydrocodone overuse. Interventions: Comprehensive medical histories, physical findings, audiometric tests, and, in those patients undergoing cochlear implantation, postimplantation performance data were reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical characteristics of hydrocodone-related hearing loss and open set word and sentence performance in those patients undergoing cochlear implantation. RESULTS: Hydrocodone overuse was associated with rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss in 12 patients. In four patients the initial presentation was unilateral, and two of the patients experienced vestibular symptoms. None of the 12 patients experienced improved thresholds after high-dose prednisone. Seven of the eight patients undergoing cochlear implantation have demonstrated early success with their devices. CONCLUSIONS: Hydrocodone is frequently prescribed in combination with acetaminophen for the relief of pain and has a side effects profile similar to other medications in its class. Although not described previously, overuse or abuse can be associated with a rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss. These patients can be successfully rehabilitated with cochlear implantation.

PMID: 10733182 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

junk science - I don't know - tell that to the authors...