BPPV, ear wax & Colace

[Judie P]

Hi, everyone (especially chat friends).  It has been four months since I had my neck "replaced" with 12 screws and two rods (C2 - C7 decompressed and fused), and it seems to be healing okay.  However, I ended up in ER this week with dizziness, nausea, and the inability to keep my balance.  It came on all of a sudden and I have never experienced this before.

After spending 6 hours in ER, they came to the conclusion that I have BPPV. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is triggered by certain changes in head position, such as tipping the head up or down. It's rarely serious unless it increases the risk of falling.
People can experience dizziness, a spinning sensation (vertigo), lightheadedness, unsteadiness, loss of balance, and nausea. Treatment includes a series of head movements that shift particles in the ears.

Well, that's great.  With a 70% loss of head and neck movement, the exercises were not going to happen for me.  So I decided to start rolling around in the bed from side to side.  Things are going to get better, but it will take time.

I don't believe this has anything to do with Sjogren's, but the stress of it all set my Sjogren's symptoms off.  I get the digestive issues.  By the time my ER doctor saw me, the ear wax in my right ear was hard and dry.  It was a blessing that he understood Sjogren's, and even asked me how long it took to get diagnosed. 

This is what he did.  He put Colace, a stool softener, in my ear.  He said it is the best way to get ear wax to soften for Sjogren's patients.  After 15 minutes, the wax was soft enough for him to get it out.  What a relief!

It seems my symptoms are getting less every day and my stress level is down.  Now if I could only get my computer back from the computer hospital, I would have more money coming in and be able to get back on chat!  How am I doing this today?  My husband is allowing me the time to write this on his computer!  LOL

[Scottietottie]

Hi 

Wow - that's really interesting. I went to see about getting a new hearing aid the other day. The audiologist said she couldn't take a new mold because my ear was filled with too much wax. Some hard and black. She told me to go to a pharmacy and get something to get rid of it. It's only in one ear. The other is clear. I have a lot of problems with balance and get dizzy if I move my head around much. Maybe it's the wax! Bought some stuff called Otex - so I hope it works. Wont know till I go back and try for a new hearing aid again! Thanks for the info.

Take care - Scottie 

[meirish]

Hi to both of you. I have had the positional vertigo for quite a few years. My ENT called it "rocks in the head" as it is particles of calcium that sort of "drop" out of the normal fluid. He would do the head maneuver and I have had to go to PT one time to have it done. Now I just live with it. I only have 50 per cent of balance due to ear surgery 23 years ago so I am used to sort of staggering like a drunk. Have to make sure to always watch my footing and make sure I get enough exercise to keep my legs strong.

Keeping the legs strong really is one of the main things that helps us to prevent falls. Plus we can't walk as fast as we used to so we are more sure of where we place our feet. Curbs can really be troublesome for me.

The colace in the ear thingy is brilliant. Sort of makes one wonder who took the chance doing that the first time and found it worked. Another thing that is weird but works is using shaving cream on a wash cloth to wash the sweaty areas of our body to help prevent yeast and rash. Also works well for people who are incontinent and struggle with sore bottoms. I learned this working in a nursing home as a nurse about 35 years ago. Have to make sure to not use too much cream and to make sure it is rinsed off. Works great and is easy and cheap. I always buy the Colgate or Barbasol shaving cream. It also works great on a person's feet. The reason it works so well is that it has the ability to kill off bacteria and fungus plus it keeps the skin very soft. Same thing it does on the face. I have used it on my feet for years and works so well. I'm amazed that diabetics aren't advised to use it to keep their feet in good shape.

Take care all. meirish

[meirish]

I just recently reread this post as I have a friend who has lots of ear wax. This really is interesting about the colace. So...I decided to google colace and ear wax and found a lot of info about using this med {which was pointed out in articles was a stool softenor not a laxative} and also the fact that you can buy colace in liquid form. I did not know that.

It would seem to me that using it liquid either orally or in the ear might possibly be a little easier on people who have sensitive colons. Just wondering if anyone has questioned a doctor about this practice. This seems very interesting to me and must be ok to do as there were so many articles and I found no article that said it was dangerous. Just interested if what others have found. Thanks meirish

[Scottietottie]

Hi 
 
I saw an audiologist yesterday. My first appointment with them this time was back in April. (I need a new hearing aid) Back in April they couldn't take a mold because my ear was full of wax. Went to a pharmacy and bought Otex (recommended for ear wax) - used it as advised and went back to the audiologist. Is your ear clear - they asked. "oddly enough I can't see in my ear to check" I replied. No difference in hearing because that's the ear that is deaf. Sent away with instructions to use olive oil. did so. so yesterday - guess what - still too waxy for a mold. I said I'd read that colace might work. The audiologist has never heard of it. I gave her the British translation as it were. she'd never heard of stool softener being used in ears. I suggested (pleasantly) that she researched.
she's told me to go to an ear wax removal clinic which will not be free. NHS doesn't do it any more apparently. Once upon a time the GP would have done it. I may try to track down Colace!
I need a hearing aid for the other ear too she says.

Take care - Scottie.