Question:
Has anyone experience problems with patulous eustachian tubes after weight loss?

I have been experiencing a great deal of trouble with my eustachian tubes since I have lost so much weight. After several visits to my ENT, he determined that I had patulous eustachian tubes (the tubes stay open instead of remaining closed as they are suppose to be normally). This causes sounds outside of my head to become very muffled and hard to hear, yet the sounds inside of my head are very loud (i.e. I hear the air passing through my nose as I breathe normally, the sound of my tongue moving in my mouth, etc.). This is extremely disturbing when I sing! I sing a lot as I perform with a choral society, a small women's ensemble, and also with my choir at church. The ENT doctor said that what has happened is that I have lost so much weight, that I have even lost fat that is normally around my eustachian tubes and that has relieved the pressure that that fat normally places on the tubes to keep them closed, thus the pressure is not there and the tubes tend to open up. Has enyone else experienced this problem? My surgeon has never had a patient come to him with this problem.    — LuAnn S. (posted on June 20, 2002)

June 20, 2002
Hi LuAnn, about 2 weeks ago, someone asked about this same condition on the message board. She had just been diagnosed. I did a little research for her on the internet and found some interesting information and e-mailed her. Her first name is Andrea and I am not sure of her last name. I looked through my e-mail and found her address it's [email protected] Maybe you could touch base through e-mail and commiserate together. Hope this helps. Shelley
   — Shelley.

June 20, 2002
Hi, I am Andrea. I was just, 2 weeks ago, told I have this as well. I have done tons of resurch and it seems there are a lot of things you can try but no real cure. It is very uncomfortable and not fun. I too like to sing and it messes with that a lot. My surgeon was of no help and never even called me back. I was told by my ENT that this may resolve itself when my body stablizes? I am 6 months now. Lets hope so!!! Please write to me if you want to share this with somebody else that is going through it too. Keep smiling it helps, I think? :.) Love, Andrea
   — Andrea P.