Re: Reason for Vertigo and balance problems after surgery

[Guest guest]

O Boy! Now I understand why it's difficult to get information

concerning this from my doctor as to specifics...who is at risk,

etc. My gut feelings were right; we're all candidates for vertigo

when we undergo CI implantation.

I have a question: I had thought the semi-circular canals controlled

our balance and CI surgery could cause them to become disturbed, thus

generating the vertigo. I've never heard of a " balance " nerve so can

someone tell me what this nerve does and how do the semi-circular

canals relate to it?

--Gayle

*******************************************************************

> Hi everyone,

> I attended a cochlear implant support meeting Saturday and our

guest

> speaker was Dr.Risvi from Bay city MI. He was so very helpful in

> answering all of our questions and one of the questions that came

up

> was why do some people have balance and vertigo problems

[Guest guest]

Hi !

I found the doctor's comments interesting concerning balance

issues. As one whose balance went out of the window following CI

Surgery, I sure wish I was one of those who made a complete recovery

over time. It's okay, though, because I have adjusted by becoming an

expert two stepper. My ENT essentially told me that some pieces of

balance nerves were left in my implanted ear and were now sending

mixed messages to my brain. I was told it would resolve itself in

time; but when I wasn't feeling better 2 months after surgery, I

begged for exercises to do at home. I did balance exercises for 14

months to help retrain my eyes, ears and brain to work together on my

balance and they have helped a lot. I've come a long way since

11/25/02! I no longer bounce off of everything in sight; but I still

do have a noticeable sway in my walk. Not everyone recovers their

balance completely even with time; but you can learn to adjust to

it. Despite balance problems, I am sooo very glad I got implanted!

Today, my hearing is better than it ever has been in my whole life!

Patti

Surgery Day 11/25/02 (What A Day!)

Hook Up Day BWP 1/2/03 (A Happy Day!)

3G 1/31/03 (An Even Happier Day!)

> I attended a cochlear implant support meeting Saturday and our

guest

> speaker was Dr.Risvi from Bay city MI. He was so very helpful in

> answering all of our questions and one of the questions that came

up

> was why do some people have balance and vertigo problems after

> surgery even if they've never had a problem with it before..His

> reply was that during surgery the balance nerve on the implanted

> side is disturbed and he has yet to have anyone who hasn't

> completely recovered from this over a period of time. If the

problem

> is severe, the dr can give the patient antivert to help with the

> vertigo. This makes perfect sense to me..I don't know if there is

> anyone who hasn't recovered completely outside of Dr. Risvi's

> patients, but there you have a simple explanation to a sometimes

> very aggravting problem.

>

> Hugs,

> Silly MI

[Guest guest]

Gayle,

I'm not real sure about this so I'll take the 5th on this one<grin>

but I did do a search on balance nerve and found this link. It

explains balance, dizziness and several topics.. Check it out and

see if this is of any help to you.

Hugs,

Silly MI

http://www.houseearclinic.com/hddizzns.htm#surgch

In , " Gayle " <gayle227@y...> wrote:

>

> O Boy! Now I understand why it's difficult to get information

> concerning this from my doctor as to specifics...who is at risk,

> etc. My gut feelings were right; we're all candidates for vertigo

> when we undergo CI implantation.

>

> I have a question: I had thought the semi-circular canals

controlled

> our balance and CI surgery could cause them to become disturbed,

thus

> generating the vertigo. I've never heard of a " balance " nerve so

can

> someone tell me what this nerve does and how do the semi-circular

> canals relate to it?

>

> --Gayle

>

[Guest guest]

I can see balance and vertigo problems happening after CI surgery.

The Cilia (hair cells that turn vibration into electric signals) are

in the cochlea for hearing and the semi-circular canals for

balance. They share the same endolymph fluid. I know because I

have Meneire's disease that causes the fluid to be under pressure

(destroys your hearing and balance). When the do the surgery, too

much fluid may drain out and cause balance problems until the body

replenishes it. It should be temporary, if not something else went

wrong. If you do experience vertigo, don't bother with antivert.

Get low dosage of Valium (epam) since it works better (with 13

years of balance problems I know).

Doug

> Hi everyone,

> I attended a cochlear implant support meeting Saturday and our

guest

> speaker was Dr.Risvi from Bay city MI. He was so very helpful in

> answering all of our questions and one of the questions that came

up

> was why do some people have balance and vertigo problems after

> surgery even if they've never had a problem with it before..His

> reply was that during surgery the balance nerve on the implanted

> side is disturbed and he has yet to have anyone who hasn't

> completely recovered from this over a period of time. If the

problem

> is severe, the dr can give the patient antivert to help with the

> vertigo. This makes perfect sense to me..I don't know if there is

> anyone who hasn't recovered completely outside of Dr. Risvi's

> patients, but there you have a simple explanation to a sometimes

> very aggravting problem.

>

> Hugs,

> Silly MI