Mmm . . . one tries. Sad thing is, first time I saw a nice middle aged guy who immediately said I was describing the symptoms of over-pressure in the cochlea. It was not known why this happens. A bleak start.
Second visit, was the lady surgeon, a consultant, who shook her head at this theory and talked about the Eustachian tubes - until I became politely assertive. The symptoms are so like gunge in the middle ear that it's a perfectly sensible first line of attack, but the issue was, she'd not really read the notes of her colleague which are of course on the screen in front of her.*
I was prescribed the drug mentioned. It made me so sick my GP found another drug - which was worse.
Third visit, obtained I'm rather ashamed to admit, was due to the distress I was suffering. (Moments of vertigo, the loss of a lifetimes love of classical piano, and sounding totally stupid when I miss a word and it changes the total meaning of what folk are on about.) I walked into the same room to find yet another doctor, a serious and charming young man who spent more than my fair share of time with me. He held out very little hope, and said the first drug was the best - if I could learn to tolerate it. He's going to arrange re-tuning of my hearing aids which I don't need except for this narrow frequency-band of fuzzing.
For the first time I went to the local church to get me free batteries. Oh, my goodness. In moments I found myself helping old people up stares, or opening doors for them, turning them around when they were going the opposite way to the HEARING AID ROOM sign. Decrepit souls, all with their hands to their ears as a permanant flagging of their helplessness. All needing a chair when they got to the waiting area.
I doubt one of the silly sods was as old as me.
This is a battle I've got to win. There has to be an answer. Doesn't there?
*Our group of hospitals exchange data well enough, but one has to really be a squeaky wheel as duff data in=duff data out. I've had a vitrectomy and peel which is almost always followed by a cataract. I got a day for a VAG laser treatment. Just what I needed, squirting lasers in the WRONG EYE.
The mistake was made it seems, by the people, the company, that dole out the money for the procedures. 'If it's not ordered by them, we don't get paid.'
When did life get so complicated, but never fear, I'm very, very aware of the price of medicine. Four hours in a Texas hospital, with nowt but a drip, resulted in a bill for $17,000. Plus the doctor's $780. Yes, very aware.