its been a while since ive posted a diary entry simply because i have had no change in symptoms since i stopped in week 15. its week 23 now, day 157, 11-07-03 to be precise and ive been to see the ENT doc for a checkup.... remember this was the appointment i was supposed to have at the beginning of May!!!!!!

I arrived at 10.10am and within 20 minutes i was led into a soundproof room for a hearing test. These rooms are incredible! They are small square rooms with 2 big solid metal doors about 2 feet thick and i bet they are lined with lead and 6 metres of concrete. I'm sure I saw a cupboard marked 'rations, gas masks, cyanide pills'

Cutting to the chase, it seems as though my hearing has improved in the right ear. I'm picking up on frequencies right across the board on the affected side but the left ear is still showing the trough / impairment which I had when I was young. Nee bother there. The tinnitus is still there but not as intense and it was explained to me that the dip in chart for the left ear is probably where the tinnitus is coming from.

I saw the ENT doc after the test for what was simply an update session. He asked me if i still had any symptoms, checked my ears, facial muscles and then said he would book me in for a 4 month review.

Face:
Virtually all symptoms of BP have disappeared now with the exception of 2 areas. The muscles above my right lip are still very weak to the point where I can't hold the lips shut and puff out my cheeks... The air just escapes with a pffffffff!!! Also when I yawn my right eye closes by itself so i have to be careful in case people think I'm winking at them

Vertigo:
This is still a little bit annoying as the remnants of this stupid symptom is magnified whenever I'm faced with a corridor or other narrow lanes such as shopping aisles. Feels as though I'm being drawn to the end of the corridor and then whooshed back to where I'm standing. Strange but if you are scared of heights just try and imagine how it feels looking over the edge of a steep drop. Now imagine feeling like that when you are in a supermarket hehehee. Good eh?

When I'm walking around outside i feel about 95% because i get the occasional wobble and slightly warped visuals. How can i describe this? Ok, when i look at the floor it feels like the goldfish bowl effect where flat surfaces seem concaved. Its almost as if I'm wearing someone else's glasses

Tiredness:
I have experienced a lot of lethargy and general tiredness since having RHS but I've been assured that this will slowly disappear

Pains / aches:
No earache for a few weeks and the 'bruised' feeling around the right cheekbone has gone too

Steroid induced munching:
All gone. I'm eating normally now!