Sudden Hearing Loss: What are options if steroids don't work?

I was told by an ENT, who spoke at one of my HLAA chapter meeting, that there is only a small window of opportunity to treat sudden hearing loss with steroids. Since many insurances require a referral from a primary care physician before a specialist can be seen, that window has probably already closed. I don't think there is a good understanding of sudden hearing loss yet. On a positive note, I suddenly lost my senses of taste and smell. Steroid treatment did nothing so I was sent for an MRI. Those scans revealed nothing abnormal. It took about 8 months, but my taste and smell did return without any additional treatment.
Tony in Michigan

That happened to me and it was a pine nut allergy

@sjd324 Did your audio or ENT send you for an MRI to rule out an acoustic neuroma? This happened to my wife 2 years ago when I was at the Salt Lake City HLAA convention. My wife woke up that morning and sent me a text to call her ASAP. She said she woke up with loss of hearing in one ear. Fortunately I was surrounded by experts at the convention. I found an ENT who said to immediately get to an ENT for steroids and an MRI. They gave her another drug but I can't remember what it was. By getting on the steroid right away, the inflammation of the neuroma, which had been pushing on her hearing nerve, reduced within several days and she has been fine since. Since her neuroma was small, we just go back every year to see if it has grown much. They are usually slow growing.

Thanks for the input!

Hi,
In November 2020 I had sudden hearing loss in left ear 3khz -30db after a few months I had a sudden hearing loss on high-end frequencies (over 10Khz) -30-60db
after the second loss my I got steroids (prednisone 60mg) for 2 weeks I felt the 3Khz improve a lot (-10-15db) 5 months after the hearing loss! but when I stop the 3Khz back to -30db I also suffer patulous eustachian tube in both ears
Maybe in the future, the 3Khz will back to normal?
Thanks!

Hello @aviorrok and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am not sure if you have maybe already come across this previous discussion in the Hearing Loss Group, but wanted to share in case you would find it beneficial.

-Sudden Hearing Loss Options after Steriods are Ineffective:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/sudden-hearing-loss-options-after-steriods-are-ineffective/

What has been recommended to you?

Patulous Estachian Tube problem with hearing loss. Any treatments that can help?

Hi Sunny, welcome to Connect. You might find this discussion helpful.

- Ear tubes: What are my treatment options for chronic otitis? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ear-tubes/

How long have you had Patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction? What treatments have you tried?

I had sudden hearing loss is one ear in 2014. Normal MRI, started steroids 3 days later but it didn't do anything. My question now is that I have gotten used to using one hearing aid but I am wondering if it would be worth it to try the device that would transmit the sound to the hearing aid I hear with. I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has experience using this system after using a single device for so many years. It took me a few years to adjust to one.

I had sudden hearing loss in one ear 8 years ago. I have been wearing Phonak bicros since my loss. I am considering the new Osia from cochlear. The feedback has been positive so for