Meniere's Disease Support Group
Meniere's disease is a balance disorder of the inner ear. The symptoms of Meniere's are variable; not all sufferers experience the same symptoms. However, "classic Meniere's" is considered to comprise the following four symptoms: Periodic episodes of rotary vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, and a sensation of fullness or pressure in one or both ears.
Hi All,
It's been a while since I've been on here, but I want you to know that I think of you all often, and hope at least some are finding relief.
I've been doing well - hoping this period of remission lasts - it's been almost a year since my last vertigo, and my dr has me trying to back off some of my meds now since he had pretty much maxed out all options trying to get things under control last spring and summer.
I know that usually MD comes back at some points (and it's not totally gone, I still have almost constant tinnitus, but I can ignore that. As long as I don't have vertigo, I call it remission). However, I am trying to make the most of every day while I feel good.
I'm sending prayers for everyone that you will have a remission soon also. Take care!
It's been a while since I've been on here, but I want you to know that I think of you all often, and hope at least some are finding relief.
I've been doing well - hoping this period of remission lasts - it's been almost a year since my last vertigo, and my dr has me trying to back off some of my meds now since he had pretty much maxed out all options trying to get things under control last spring and summer.
I know that usually MD comes back at some points (and it's not totally gone, I still have almost constant tinnitus, but I can ignore that. As long as I don't have vertigo, I call it remission). However, I am trying to make the most of every day while I feel good.
I'm sending prayers for everyone that you will have a remission soon also. Take care!
God bless, thanks for the great news!
Rich
No Rich, my hearing isn't completely gone, so I don't think I'm at the burnout stage. It isn't great, but it's not gone. I think it's at about 50% of normal. And the tinnitus is pretty constant as I said, but I can live with tinnitus. That's been going on for so long that I don't even notice it unless I think about it.
I can give you the list of things I'm doing, it's long: low-sodium diet (1000 mg/day), high-dose diuretic (1.5 tablets of maxzide daily), constant dose birth-control pill with no monthly break, lemon bioflavinoid (1000mg/day), zyrtec (10 mg per day), flonase (2 sprays per nostril per day), weekly allergy shots, imitrex as needed (as soon as I start to get the headache that comes just before the vertigo). I don't think anything on this list is more important than anything else - I think it took finding the entire right combination for me to feel better.
As you might guess from my list, my dr suspects that both allergies and migraine are triggers for my vertigo and so this list treats those aggresively in addition the usual MD stuff.
To be clear, he doesn't think that I have MAV (migraine associated vertigo) because he said that MAV doesn't cause the hearing loss that I have. But he does think that there is a connection - that migraine triggers my MD, which causes the vertigo. So if we can stop the migraine just as it starts with the imitrex, it cuts down on the vertigo. It seems to work. I'm having one of these days today - I had a headache this morning and was feeling off balance. Took an imitrex and both the headache AND THE OFF-BALANCE went away. This discovery was huge for me, because nothing had EVER treated my vertigo symptoms before - meclizine, klonipin, valium, none of them helped even a little bit. So imitrex has been a lifesaver for me.
I know that everyone is different, but maybe my list of stuff will help someone else.
Don't lose hope everyone! Keep trying and I hope you'll find the combination that works for you.
God bless! Keep us informed.
Rich
At least the meds are all generic, that helps.
And as you know, both the flonase and maxzide are long-term meds - 2-3 weeks for the flonase, and 3 months for the maxzide to help. Same with the diet.
Who knows that the future holds with this disease, but I'm making the most of the days while I feel good.
Or at least that's how I remember how it was...LOL
Feeling my oats.
Rich