painkiller abuse and hearing loss

[LunaSea]

A powerful and potentially addictive painkiller used by millions of
Americans is causing rapid hearing loss, even deafness, in some patients who are misusing the drug according to hearing researchers in Los Angeles and elsewhere.

So far, at least 48 patients have been identified by doctors at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles and
several other medical centers who have treated patients with sudden hearing loss. The hearing problems
appear to be limited to people who abuse Vicodin and other chemically comparable prescription drugs by
taking exceptionally high dosages for several months or more, doctors said.

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1840/a07.html?1478

Hmm, sound like anyone we know?

[caledesi]

1. Are his initials RUSH LIMBAUGH? Just asking.

[Langis]

2. How long ago did he lose his hearing?

Just wandering if it coincides with him being on the pain killers for the last 4 years.

Becasue I think I heared it takes use of 1 to 2 years to cause hearing lose.

[sandnsea]

5. Oct 8 2001 - announced it

Apparently it was sudden. Here's a link. Just because it's so weird!!

http://www.radiotalk.org/limbaughdeaf2.html

[karlschneider]

3. Woops!

But you know what? I don't think pills are any good for the kind of pain Rushbo has been feeling. Unless someone has invented a contrition drug...

[mistertrickster]

4. I wondered why Limpballs never talked about what caused his

hearing loss.

I was thinking syphilis . . . that would explain the angry idiotic tirades . . . but then, no, because you have to have sex to get that.