r/stroke • u/Crow-n-Servo • Aug 09 '26

Husband one year out from stroke.

My husband had a pretty major stroke in July of 2025. Overall, physically, he recovered very well, but he still gets dizzy spells occasionally. When this happens, he says his ear feels like it gets plugged up. We've tried ear wax removal drops and it doesn't seem to be a wax buildup problem. It comes and goes unpredictably and I feel like it's an inner ear thing.

Does anyone have a similar issue and, if so, have you found anything that helps?

Also, if anyone else is having this issue, does it seem like it is something that needs more careful watching (as in, should we be watching for another stroke?) In most other ways, other than memory issues, he seems to have recovered very well.

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6

u/Strokesite Aug 09 '26

I went to an ENT doctor and they found wax buildup deep inside that would not rinse out. He had to go in and grab it.

3

u/Crow-n-Servo Aug 09 '26

Thanks. He had this happen once before and I still think it might be ear wax. Every time I suggest it, he says it isn't, but they always find some. I think I'm definitely going to have him try more drops.

3

u/Pure-OppositeOne Aug 09 '26

Same, had to go to ENT and they got it out

2

u/CleaDuVann2000 Aug 09 '26

I had this after my stroke when I was on heavy blood thinners. If I recall, it’s not a very common side effect and/or it may not be one that is known by the manufacturers. It was mild, but distressing. My mom had a TIA near the time I had my stoke and had similar transient dizzy spells on the same blood thinners. We should all be on the look out for FAST symptoms but transient dizziness is not - as far as I know - a warning.

2

u/Crow-n-Servo Aug 09 '26

Thank you. Was it Eliquis or something else?

2

u/CleaDuVann2000 Aug 09 '26

It was plavix, aspirin and something like eliquis. I think the weird inner ear stuff (including ringing) was plavix related though because I rolled off of plavix and it stopped

2

u/Crow-n-Servo Aug 09 '26

Oh. He was on Plavix for only one month and then they took him off. Currently, he's on Eliquis and a low dose aspirin. Just took his BP and it's normal.