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.
Does anyone else feel like their health is falling apart since getting Meniere's? I was pretty healthy before my first attack, now it seems like I'm falling apart to the point I get embarrassed and ashamed to bring up something else to my doc for the fear that he thinks I'm dreaming this stuff up. I swear, every day it seems like something else is going wrong with me.
Sorry to hear you are having so many issues. It is often difficult to determine what is wrong from a guessing standpoint and much easier to figure things out based on a fact and testing standpoint. This would lead us to first base on general care. I know you see a specialist or a number of specialist but do you have a primary care physician? In other words a family doctor, perhaps someone who has known you for a number of years? We often over look the importance of these doctors but need to understand there is a difference between telling a specialist and telling your family doctor. The difference is that at least once a year you should have a full blood panel done to look for anything that maybe irregular. This would then trigger further investigation if needed, a tightness in the chest could get you referred to a cardiologist, a arthritis issue to a rheumatologist, a mass could be sent for a c-scan or x-ray. We know these doctors can not cure or treat many conditions but they do a bang up job getting that blood work back and suspecting other conditions. Write all your symptoms down and go see the family doctor. Ask if a blood workup on everything would be a good idea. My doctor wanted to even test me for poison in my blood when I first talked about Meniere's, I am glad we tested and ruled that one out! I wouldn't want a movie made after me for Life Time Network,...LOL!!!
God bless, write it down
Your buds
Rich
@801man, I can definitely relate to the exhaustion. I work 12 hour shifts at my job and its starting to get harder and harder just to have the energy to make it through the shifts.
@catalinav, as far as I know right now, my cholesterol, blood pressure, and everything else is supposedly fine. But I have strange aches, shooting pains, muscles twitching, eye floaters, you pretty much name it and it seems like its happening
@ Kimeeib, Where I live it takes soooo long to get in to see a specialist. I'm still waiting on the neurologist, I have over a month before the Shea Clinic can see me again, and if my family doc suggests something else next week, there's no telling how long it will take to get in to see that specialist.
And in the meantime, I feel so bad most nights that I almost give myself a panic attack because I convince myself I might not wake up the next day. Its just gotten crazy. I keep telling my wife that I firmly believe the diagnosis that I have Meniere's disease, but I just can't see it causing me so many other problems.
I am amazed that your doctor hasn't ordered a full blood panel on you. With your prior problem with potassium, I would insist on it be done. If you feel like your body is locking up and you cant move, heart races ect that is potassium deficiency.
The next issue is how MD effects you mentally, I can not stress how devastating this can be, in my case it is depression.
Third on the list is the medications you are taking. I would research every thing you take and look at the side effects. Most meds cause some form of drowsiness. I take 5 that do this, I need them all but am always tiered.
One thing that has helped me very much is taking vitamin B6 200 mg a day. This vitamin is amazing, it is a natural diuretic (not a strong one) it increases your metabolism giving you energy and dose not stay in the liver (you pee it out) you can not over dose on this. For me it perks me up like coffee use to with no MD effects. You may want to consider getting some for work and take them when things become too tiered. You can sleep also.
MD is such a mess, I am excited to hear you are wanting to do the John of Ohio regiment. You have some really admirable qualities! The way you quit smoking is a fine example, I wouldn't want to stand in your way to success at anything you try! Keep your spirits high and keep fighting this thing!
God bless!
Rich