Back at Zero

Appt w Dr Hegarty today. Audiogram within 5 points of my best. Seemed great to me but doc put the bad spin on it. He said the fact that it took the Prednisone to break the inflammation is a bad sign. The cochlea is angry and labile. Doc wants me to go six months without any problems. He said that time gives the cochlea a chance to normalize to a new high normal. The membrane of the structure stretches and accommodates to the current pressure, thus becoming normal again. If I can go six months, then we can look at weaning the diuretics. He ordered labs to check my kidney function. We also discussed the Tinnitus. High pitch is permanent damage to the nerve. That's what I have. Volume is an indication of inflammation. During my last flare up, I had a few episodes of it being really loud, even waking me up. It is never going away. He said next appt in six months unless something changes. I didn't tell him I was leaving town.