meniere's disease/ horrible dizziness! (blood tests, doctor, diet, symptoms)

[Tarastomsgirl]

For the past two weeks I've had horrible dizziness. I haven't really been able to get out of bed and when I do I feel shakey and weak and naseous. The dizziness is like being on a boat x's 10 and never goes away. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and before I open my eyes I can just feel my entire body spinning and rocking. When I just sit still I can feel my head just rocking back and forth like my balance system is trying to find a center point if that makes sense.. I've had chronic dizziness for 3 years pretty much 24/7 but these past two weeks are more than I can handle. I finally gave in and went to the ER today and the doc said it sounds like Meniere's disease. All blood tests and all that came back fine. So does anyone have this and had sucessfull treatments or ways to ease the symptoms some? I'm going on vacation tomorrow and its shapin up to be purtay crappy feeling like this! Thanks for any help

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

I have Menieres I understand what you mean. You can get Meclizine over the counter for the dizziness, it works great. Menieres has effected my hearing, but I also find Lipo-Flavoinoid which is also over the counter and it has improved my hearing a LOT, but I have to take two three times a day. Also cut back on your salt intake that is VERY IMPORTANT!!! And also kind of difficult, but it does make a difference.

[sgresident]

I have been having bouts of vertigo. it is not continuous, though. in november, in the middle of the night, i rolled over and felt like I had bed spins from drinking too much and never had a drop. it lasted for 5 weeks. went to the doctor, the chiropractor and researched the internet. they said is was positional vertigo and that it just had to go away by itself. I couldn't lay flat, or turn my head too quickly! now, it started again!!! not as bad this time. there are some moves you can do. if you look up vertigo on the internet. it is kind of unnerving though. good luck with it. nothing else seems to help. it just has to set itself right again.

[Briolat21]

Positional vertigo is caused by a disturbance to crytals in the inner ear. Its very different than an actual illness/disease because it SHOULD go away.

I first had a bout of positional vertigo (lasted about 1 month) at about age 30. Since then, every year or couple of years it comes back - but was less in duration each time. First time back - 1 week, 2nd time a few days ... no third time yet.

sucked when it first occurred, but now am much more prepared for it.

Good luck with the menierre's (Sp?) disease - sounds awful!!

[Tarastomsgirl]

Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA

I have Menieres I understand what you mean. You can get Meclizine over the counter for the dizziness, it works great. Menieres has effected my hearing, but I also find Lipo-Flavoinoid which is also over the counter and it has improved my hearing a LOT, but I have to take two three times a day. Also cut back on your salt intake that is VERY IMPORTANT!!! And also kind of difficult, but it does make a difference.

Thank you, the doc told me no salt.. its like a double edged sword for me because I have whats called dysautonomia and its a problem with my blood volume, and guess what the treatment is.. Salt.. lots of it, I even carry salt tabs.. So its a choice of do I want to pass out, or not get out of bed and be dizzy .. I hope this clears up a bit soon, my eyes constantly burn and I just feel weird and kinda floaty feeling or something.. I might also try those sea sickness bands from walgreens. See if that'll help too

[SandyCo]

I think vertigo is more common than people realize. I had my first attack of vertigo a few years ago, to the point where I was vomiting. I was okay lying down, but the moment I got up, the room would spin - and I obviously don't have a very strong stomach. It went away after a day.

It happened again when I was on vacation visiting my dad and stepmom in Florida a few months later. I was useless for an entire day again! Exact same symptoms, too.

For me, I think it's stress related. I've gotten to the point where I can control it a little. When I feel a little "weird" even when I'm lying down, I picture my body anchored to the bed, and that helps to stop the spinning sensation. It's still uncomfortable and scary, though!

[MJJersey]

Meniere's is a horrible disease that doesn't get a lot of due attention. It is caused by degeneration of the cochlear nerve in the ear, although the root cause is unknown. It can be progressive and lead to hearing loss. Some docs treat the symptoms with antivert (meclizine). Sometimes steroids, diuretics and low-dose valium are prescribed. My best advice to you is to find a good ENT that works with a lot of meniere's patients.

[Jezer]

I'm in the UK and my mother has suffered from this for a few years.

It got to the stage where she eventually had an injection of Gentamycin- an antibiotic- into her middle ear, to kill the causative bacteria.

It worked but it also reduced her hearing in that ear, which was minimal anyway.

She is far better now.

[findinghope]

my father has menier's disease. back in 1996 it just struck him out of nowhere. he was practically in bed for 6 months and missed so much work. he finally got some kind of injection in his ear and that calmed it. he used to get episodes after that, of dizziness and noise in his ear. kind of a constant ringing but i havent heard any complaints about it in a while now.
he does have 80% hearing loss in one ear and 20% loss in the other.
also a freind of the family has it. she still has not been able to get rid of the dizziness, she wears a hearing aid, and has had to go on disability at a very young age--in her 40's because she can no longer drive...

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Lipo-Flavoinoid has helped the ringing sound and improved my hearing a lot. You can get it at any pharmacy. And Meclizne is great for the dizziness. And low salt diet is a MUST.