Today I told to my husband that I thought his hearing was going, as he had the TV too loud. Instead he suggested I look at it a different way, and that my hearing might be getting better!

I also ate my first real bar of chocolate! About a year after the end of my treatment I found I could suck smarties, and then maltezers. At Easter I found I could eat thin chocolate, such as easter eggs and buttons. But I still couldn't manage large chunks of chocolate. Today I needed chocolate, it was a tough day at work, so I bought a Twirl, and I managed to eat it. I am stunned that I can stil see improvements after all this time.

Recently my eyesight has improved, I can now read books again, without having to wear reading glasses. I am holding out hope that my digestive system will also return to normal in the near future. (I've had to take immodium since I stopped taking morphine).

P.S. Apologies for the advertising of chocolate bars!

Hi Jenni, Sorry if I am a bit dim. Do you think the treatment affected your hearing and eyesight? and why should morphine affect your digestive system? I understood it had a binding effect, is there anything else?

Hi Jenni/Angie,

The R/T definitely affected Robert's hearing also.

Lorraine

Hi there! I am deaf in my left ear due to R/T. First it was just ringing in my ears now - nothing. I've got used to it now. Interestingly I too have had to use reading glasses in the last few months. Is it our age?

Anne W

Hey girlies!
My eyes went blurry on chemo but were fine after about a week.
My hearing is great once i distinguish between the tinnitus & real sounds.
But i also get frequent ear infections as the R/T gave me granulated skin round the ear drum.
Hearing complaints & cisplatin seem to be a reocuring theme. Hence the reason i had hearing tests before during and after treatment.

Jenni,
great to see you're doing well! & have come a long way!

Hi Chelle & Anne,
My eyesight went blurry during chemo as well, but I also lost the ability to focus close up. I had already bought some reading glasses for fine print, but after the chemo I couldn't read anything without my glasses.

I have just remembered some of my school biology (and that has to mean the chemo brain is over as that was quite a long time ago). I have looked up smooth muscles on wikipedia. Apparently smooth muscles control the eyes and the gastrointestinal tract, both of which have caused me problems since the treatment ended. Also smooth muscles use calcium to contract. At Christmas I realised I wasn't eating any dairy products (except for ice cream) and my nails had started to flake. As a woman approaching the menopause I was concerned that my bones would be in a similar state and so I started taking a calcium supplement. Maybe this is what has made the difference.

Has anybody else had similar problems, or does anybody with any medical knowledge have an opinion on this?

My hearing has gone downhill since treatment. I have glue ear in both ears which cannot be resolved by grommetts as my ear canals are too narrow.

I also have tinnitis in my right ear (the side where I had the op & R/T) Hospital also told me that cisplatin may have damaged my hearing.

I'm off to hospital for hearing tests tomorrow.

Lawdy i LOVE those hearing tests! How on earth do you tell the difference between their beeps and the noises in my ears??
Apparently, my hearings very good - i press the button on ALLLLL of the beeps - you're bound to get some right?!

Chelle - Yes, I know what you mean - I got told off for pressing when there were no beeps. My tinitus is on a very similar frequency to some of them!

Anyway I had my tests on Friday. Comparing the results with the tests I had in November was interesting. Left ear (the better one) has improved and now only has significant loss at the highest frequencies. Right ear has get worse, with loss at the mid range & higher frequencies.

Conclusion from all this is that I would benefit from a hearing aid in my right ear, but that an aid would not help my left ear at all as they don't help with those high frequencies much. Alternative is to have an op on my right ear to widen the canal and fit a grommett. I was also told that a hearing aid may stop/reduce the timitus.

I'll discuss all this with my consultant in September and in the meantime benefit from selective hearing!

Talking about hearing - I have it well figured out. When I do not want to continue a converstaion or do not feel like talking , my normal excuse is that in can hardly talk or hear.However, if the occasion demands - I have great hearing and did pretty well in the hearing test. See what I mean - I am ok in all respects but the cancer has decided to reenter my life - but atleast I will not be a dead man alive at the end of this epic.
Lots of love,
Ananth

Ahh yes... Selective hearing.
All men get this... it's most probably in their genetics poor things.
Eg. Me - "could you put the washing out for me?" .... no response... Or Me - "Top gears on" Amir - "great! Be there in a mo"
I thought EVERYONE knew men only hear what they want to hear?!

pardon?

Michelle,
Will you please yell - I can hardly hear you.
lots of love,
Ananth

Have I missed something?

*stamping my feet with my hands on my hips*