Actor Larry Lamb has discussed the ‘hellish’ condition he came down with as a result of a debilitating fever, caused by an infection following a trip to Senegal
Gavin and Stacey actor Larry Lamb, 77, has spoken about a terrifying illness he contracted after a trip to Senegal, which left him feeling like he was dying and resulted in permanent hearing loss. Larry, who is known for his robust health, had travelled to Senegal to raise awareness about poverty-stricken children.
However, upon his return, he developed a severe fever that lasted for months and eventually affected his ears, causing complete deafness in one ear. Recalling his ordeal, Larry said: “It’s been catastrophic. I’m famous for never being ill. But I went into complete physical meltdown. At one point I felt like I was dying. But the real shock was when I realised I couldn’t hear properly.”
The cause of the infection and subsequent hearing loss is suspected to be malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that can cause fever, fatigue, and headaches. Larry explained: “We were in and out within a week. Back home in north London I felt fine, so stopped taking the Malarone pills”, reports the Mirror.
“I’d been told I should take them for eight days after leaving Senegal, but didn’t understand why as I was completely well. But about three days later I began to feel ill. It was like the worst hangover I’d ever had. For a few days I had a fever which caused me to sweat and then cool again. I couldn’t sleep – I didn’t have the strength to do anything.”
After a dreadful hospital stay where he “felt as if [he] could die,” Larry noticed some odd noises in his right ear, according to the Express. “I’d never had any hearing problems and suddenly had really bad tinnitus, as if someone had hit me on the head.”
Despite treatment, Larry’s hearing loss remained, and doctors told him to “deal” with it. However, this was easier said than done as it affected his career.
He remembered: “It was hellish. If I was sitting with two or three friends, it was impossible to follow the conversation. I suddenly understood why people with hearing loss can become isolated. It was such a strain that I couldn’t always be bothered to keep asking people to repeat themselves. It’s easier to tune out, so that’s what you do.”
After more tests, Larry was diagnosed with hearing loss in his right ear and mild loss in his left. Doctors explained that the star had experienced the same type of hearing damage that comes with ageing, but “more suddenly and profoundly,” making him reliant on a hearing aid.
Colin Campbell, an audiologist who treated Larry at a local Specsavers, explained that malarial infection can damage the hair cells in the inner ear, which send electrical signals to the cochlear nerve. The extent of hearing loss is related to the number of damaged hair cells.