meniere's disease/ horrible dizziness! (tibula, yoga, tooth, doctors)

[gcandles]

I was recently diagnosed with Meniere's Disease and am having a hard time surrendering. I know that's what I need to do, but thankfully some days are better than others. My vertigo attacks are generally severe, I'm afraid of falling and must lay down with zero movement to initiate recovery. I immediately have the nausea (throwing up). I usually lose track of time during the attacks. During my most recent attack, I thought perhaps just 15 or 20 minutes had passed, then I overheard my husband on the phone saying my attack happened over 1 1/2 hours prior. So, there's some disassociation with time during my vertigo attacks. After the vertigo attack, I feel completely and utterly exhausted and it's frightening to feel that way after doing nothing but throwing up. Then I sleep for 3 hours or more and feel, just okay, but well enough to get up and move around. I had the brain scan and all the tests and the ENT says I'm normal, but all my symptoms point to Meniere's.

The part that sometimes drives me insane is the ringing in the ears. Some people don't understand tinnitus and say "yeah, I have ringing in my ears all the time". Okay, whatever!! The tinnitus I have varies in volume and sometimes goes so loud that it puts me in tears. Then I begin to question God and offer my suffering because I don't understand why this is happening. I get emotional just discussing it, even now, because it is so disruptive to a normal lifestyle. But I have a small child and have to press on positively.

I go to an allergist tomorrow and I'm going to request that he place a tube in my ear as I believe I may have ETD (Eustachian Tube Dysfunction). This is my last hope after all the doctors I've seen. I believe this started after a cold and my tube because clogged with post nasal drip. However, I've read that Meniere's can begin with the onset of stress and my initial symptoms began during a very stressful time in my life. I also believe any of these problems may be inherited thru genetics.

I tried a process of elimination I have noticed small associations with the onset of tinnitus so far with some things:
1. Diet Cola
2. Air Freshners
3. Exposure to Loud Noises
4. Sodium Intake.

I feel the best on the days AFTER I have hardly eaten. The american diet is loaded with sodium, so the days that I eat all natural and very small portions, the next day I feel like a million bucks. But it's hard to change the american lifestyle. Afterall, that's what americans do, is eat.

Wish me luck at my appointment tomorrow.

[mrstewart]

Some ENT's will give steroid shots in the ear. It sounds horrible but apparently there are good results.
Betahistine is also prescribed frequently.
Good luck to you.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by gcandles

I was recently diagnosed with Meniere's Disease and am having a hard time surrendering. I know that's what I need to do, but thankfully some days are better than others. My vertigo attacks are generally severe, I'm afraid of falling and must lay down with zero movement to initiate recovery. I immediately have the nausea (throwing up). I usually lose track of time during the attacks. During my most recent attack, I thought perhaps just 15 or 20 minutes had passed, then I overheard my husband on the phone saying my attack happened over 1 1/2 hours prior. So, there's some disassociation with time during my vertigo attacks. After the vertigo attack, I feel completely and utterly exhausted and it's frightening to feel that way after doing nothing but throwing up. Then I sleep for 3 hours or more and feel, just okay, but well enough to get up and move around. I had the brain scan and all the tests and the ENT says I'm normal, but all my symptoms point to Meniere's.

The part that sometimes drives me insane is the ringing in the ears. Some people don't understand tinnitus and say "yeah, I have ringing in my ears all the time". Okay, whatever!! The tinnitus I have varies in volume and sometimes goes so loud that it puts me in tears. Then I begin to question God and offer my suffering because I don't understand why this is happening. I get emotional just discussing it, even now, because it is so disruptive to a normal lifestyle. But I have a small child and have to press on positively.

I go to an allergist tomorrow and I'm going to request that he place a tube in my ear as I believe I may have ETD (Eustachian Tube Dysfunction). This is my last hope after all the doctors I've seen. I believe this started after a cold and my tube because clogged with post nasal drip. However, I've read that Meniere's can begin with the onset of stress and my initial symptoms began during a very stressful time in my life. I also believe any of these problems may be inherited thru genetics.

I tried a process of elimination I have noticed small associations with the onset of tinnitus so far with some things:
1. Diet Cola
2. Air Freshners
3. Exposure to Loud Noises
4. Sodium Intake.

I feel the best on the days AFTER I have hardly eaten. The american diet is loaded with sodium, so the days that I eat all natural and very small portions, the next day I feel like a million bucks. But it's hard to change the american lifestyle. Afterall, that's what americans do, is eat.

Wish me luck at my appointment tomorrow.

I understand everything you said! Most of the time the ringing in my ear doesn't bother me, but there have been times it was so loud it work me up. A white noise machine really helps at night with that. I had gotten huge relief from Lipo-Flavoinoid, it's over the counter, made for people with Menieres.
My husband also has it and when he has an attack he doesn't remember much about it. A low salt diet is a MUST. Too bad there is not more study done on this.

[chaeobods]

About 8 months ago I discovered my balance seemed a little off, due to this my anxiety levels rose. Believing I was in the midst of a heart attack I had my landlord run me over to A+E (ER) where they performed an ECG with no issue, chest x-ray (no issue there), basic blood work (no issue). This all took a few hours and I eventually made my way home feeling better.

Passing this information onto my doctor, he immediately classed it as anxiety problems. I argued the original symptoms: Balance disturbed, empty wretching as I attempted to be sick. I basically went away empty handed. It all happened again, costing me another day of work, I saw a night doctor who instantly prescribed me Beta Blockers (I tried one, next day lethargy was beyond words) - the packet was disposed of at a pharmacy.

A third attack led me back to A+E where I had yet another ECG with no issues reported. A nurse took some time to talk to me, checking reflexes and such. She was pretty much bewildered - but by pure luck she talked to a friend outside who said she'd heard of this before and I was prescribed 12 Stemetil (prochlorperazine).

Stemetil (prochlorperazine)

That was pretty much my miracle drug. Two days later I contacted my doc who prescribed me the monthly allowance of 84 tablets. I was also put on Citalopram to deal with the anxiety issues.

Citalopram - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Months later I'm still on 20mg of Citalopram daily, I barely touch the Stemetil (except for the moment, as I just contracted a severe bout of cold).

I would urge you all to discuss Stemetil with your doctor. Of course, first step is to Google Stemetil and Meniere's.

prochlorperazine meniere's - Google Search

My choice to take the anti-depressant/anxiety drug Citalopram was a bold move on my part and not neccesarily something you should consider immediately. My doctor gave me a few days to mull over the decision.

Bear in mind, that he maybe right - I perhaps don't have Meniere's, but don't let that put you off. It's hard to define the disease - I'll find one page that says it's permenant misery, others say it fades in time (attacks become less frequent/disrupting.

Edit: Sorry, I can't get the links to work.

[gcandles]

I cannot locate enough information about the prescription prochlorperazine, unless there is another brand name for it. It seems like every time there is a medical illness docs are quick to say these things are 'stress related' or 'depression' is a factor. Everyone has stress in their lives. It is a human aspect. Getting down on your feelings every now and then is also very normal in human behavior. I don't think I have a disorder in anxiety or depression to attribute my meniere's to. I hate having meniere's, but I've learned to live with it. Does meniere's make me anxious? Of course it does because I don't feel in control of myself during attacks. About the only thing meniere's has done for me is evaluate my religion and with all of my suffering, I'm no longer afraid of much. It's seems as though I'm stepping out of a religious way of thinking into more of a scientific way of thinking.

[teacher1066]

Four years ago, I started with this whole Meniere's mess in between chemo and radiation treatments. The doctor's didn't seem to know or care about my attacks. After 3 months of weekly attacks, crying and praying, they stopped. They came back very sporadically at first this year and then hit me hard and consistently starting January 3rd. I've now had 17 days straight of attacks, feeling off, being deafened, etc. I've been working through it, but it's been the hardest. Cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation were a piece of cake compared to this. I will have an ENG, MRI, and CHAMP in the next few weeks and then meet with my ENT again. This is a long process, but I refuse to give up hope. I have a wonderful family, good friends, and strong faith. I have been praying for all of you and your families, and I would appreciate it if you pray for me, my children and my husband as they have been through a lot with me. Thanks and I'll continue to keep you all in my prayers!

[Padgett2]

This is one of those confusing diseases. It's basically a problem with the balancing mechanism in the inner ear. One of the simplest things to try, and if it works it's a winner for you.

Lie on your back. Roll over and lie on your right side for a while. Then do the same for the left. See if you can detect a difference in the amount of dizziness. If you can, the dizzy side is the problem ear, the other side is your "good side". Don't lie on the bad side. Try to keep from turning your head or tilting it toward that bad side. It may take two or three days, but if you begin to see an improvement, then, continue until it corrects the problem.

This isn't something that I dreamed up. It is a actual treatment program for certain types of inner ear problem. It may help your problem, it may not, but it's worth trying. I go through this a couple times a year. I have to sleep on my right side....which is NOT my favorite side. I have to put pillows to my back to keep from rolling over in my sleep.

[gcandles]

Padgett, thanks for posting the treatment. However, it sounds like you may be describing BPV, which was an early symptom of my meniere's. I suffered with BPV for 1 year, then it disappeared for 2 years before striking me like a freight train with meniere's. Many people mistakingly associate BPV with Meniere's. With Meniere's, there is absolutely, positively, no way you will want to move any part of your body during an attack. It is an indescribable suffering. It is like the 'teacher' described....her chemo was a piece of cake comparatively. After much suffering with meniere's, the only clear advice I can give to the suffering person is not to cry, etc., but to try as hard as you can to just surrender. It is a part of your life and there's nothing else we can do but to grasp it. I always felt I was a burden on my family, but that's really not the case. Your family wants the best for you. So, if that means you lay in bed and do nothing to make you feel better, then your family is likely to understand. The last thing a meniere's patient needs is to carry their family as a burden.

[Thislife]

What kind of job a person with vertigo do? My vertigo has returned after 17yrs and I feel like I am constantly in a small boat in a violent sea, my vision gets distorted and I can not open or close my eyes. Its nightmare but my Job centre is pestering me to find job and my adviser says "employers are sympathetic" I don't understand where is she coming from, a ill person is a ill person and who can give a job to a person with a vertigo. I am stressed and worried because I have two children and I am single parent and if I don'/t find job, my children and I will be homeless.

[gcandles]

Unfortunately, you are extremely limited on your job options with vertigo. The worst part is that, since it is an invisible illness, you will run into people that simply don't believe a word you are saying. I've been told "it's in your mind". People can be hurtful and hateful when you have an invisible illness. One thing that helped me tremendously was doing a sinus wash daily. Although I still have the tinnitus, the vertigo has subsided for now. I've had the vertigo at it's worst, so I understand where you're coming from. If you have been with the same employer for at least 7 weeks (in Texas), you should be able to apply for disability and receive some financial assistance. However, I'm not sure if that means you will need to have documentation from a doctor. I would start this process now, if I were you because vertigo may be the biggest challenge you will face in your life.