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,
I am new here. I'm 34 and was officially diagnosed last year with Meniere's. I have had problems for years (since I was a teenager) and didn't know what it was. I was chasing after allergies as the culprit for a long time as the ear fullness and occasional dizzy spells seemed to occur mostly in the spring and the fall. However, allergy meds and treatment didn't seem to help much.
In the last 2-3 years, things have gotten a lot worse. I am affected in both ears with the left one fluctuating between good and bad and the right one between bad and worse. I can't even remember the last time I heard normally out of the right ear. The dizziness also got a lot worse - a couple years ago I experienced several weeks in which I was just pretty much dizzy every single day and I have been experiencing this ever since. It no longer seems to follow any specific season or cycle... I might have weeks where I'm not dizzy (but still experiencing other symptoms), then I will have several days where I have to take meclizine all day to make it through. Steroids don't seem to help me either. I am extremely active, so all of this has been super frustrating.
I am really having trouble pinning down my triggers, particularly since my ears are never "good" these days (at least not the right one). In the last year, I have experimented with things. I actually don't think that caffeine has a huge effect on me... I do think that decreasing my sodium intake has reduced the frequency and intensity of dizzy spells, but they still happen. I don't drink much these days, but I have noticed that my ears feel more full after I have a beer or two and usually the morning after.
How have you all figured out what your triggers are? How quickly do you feel symptoms after you are exposed? Minutes? Hours? A day later? I am really struggling with this.
Have any of you found that other foods affect your MD like gluten or dairy?
Thanks so much for reading and for any suggestions that you have.
I am new here. I'm 34 and was officially diagnosed last year with Meniere's. I have had problems for years (since I was a teenager) and didn't know what it was. I was chasing after allergies as the culprit for a long time as the ear fullness and occasional dizzy spells seemed to occur mostly in the spring and the fall. However, allergy meds and treatment didn't seem to help much.
In the last 2-3 years, things have gotten a lot worse. I am affected in both ears with the left one fluctuating between good and bad and the right one between bad and worse. I can't even remember the last time I heard normally out of the right ear. The dizziness also got a lot worse - a couple years ago I experienced several weeks in which I was just pretty much dizzy every single day and I have been experiencing this ever since. It no longer seems to follow any specific season or cycle... I might have weeks where I'm not dizzy (but still experiencing other symptoms), then I will have several days where I have to take meclizine all day to make it through. Steroids don't seem to help me either. I am extremely active, so all of this has been super frustrating.
I am really having trouble pinning down my triggers, particularly since my ears are never "good" these days (at least not the right one). In the last year, I have experimented with things. I actually don't think that caffeine has a huge effect on me... I do think that decreasing my sodium intake has reduced the frequency and intensity of dizzy spells, but they still happen. I don't drink much these days, but I have noticed that my ears feel more full after I have a beer or two and usually the morning after.
How have you all figured out what your triggers are? How quickly do you feel symptoms after you are exposed? Minutes? Hours? A day later? I am really struggling with this.
Have any of you found that other foods affect your MD like gluten or dairy?
Thanks so much for reading and for any suggestions that you have.
I am supposed to be seeing the allergist again soon to be tested for food allergies...
For anyone that thinks barometric pressure affects them, how much of a change in pressure causes you to become symptomatic?
Thanks!