Menieres disease.

[RETIRED]

I have had this for 30+ years.

The first attacks came about in 9-12 month cycles with vomiting and unable to move for up to 25 hours.

They eased off to about one attack every 18-24 months after about 4 years.

The vomiting part stopped after about 15 years but severe long lasting (up to 12 hours) vertigo attacks continued until about 5 years ago.

The tinnitus associated with this has grown steadily in my right ear until I only 5-10% hearing left in one ear (right) and 40-50% in my left.

In the last 12 months the attacks have been steadily increasing to about 1 every 2-4 days lasting from 1-4 hours.

No nausea just vertigo attacks.

Has any one else here got it? Does anything work for you?

[Batpig]

Dear ,

Have you tried the medication "Serc" by any chance?

I don't suffer from the condition myself, but I had cause to look into the matter a while back when Mum seemed to be suffering from something with similar symptoms. My sympathies are with you; it sounds like a terrible thing to live with...

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

[mic-d]

Hi sorry to hear that. There's a bit in my family but I don't have it. I heard that a low salt diet helps and as a last resort there is some sort of surgery. I spose you've been to this site (http://www.menieres.org.au/treatment.php).

Out of interest, how does your tinittus show itself? ringing or fluttering like a moth in your ear?
good luck with it.


Cheers
Michael

[Chesand]

Hi

My daughter suffers from Menieres and Serc helps her. Also low salt diet.

If you have not already done so, you should have a consultation with an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist for evaluation. He/She can then prescribe Serc if it is appropriate as it needs a prescription.

As suggested above there is a lot of info available. I am not sure if that site has a link but there is a Menieres Association.

Hope that helps

[RETIRED]

Thanks all. I have tried Serc but it made me worse.

Crazy, but the side effects are vertigo and dizziness.

I have appointments with an ENT specialist in about 3 weeks and a neurologist in December.

My GP is pretty good as his mother has it so he keeps up to speed on it.

The "ringing" is more like a sound generator that goes up and down a scale. We also have the Indian and Pacific Oceans battling it out on the odd occasion.

[Chief Tiff]

In the UK you can buy an over-the-counter travel sickness remedy called "Stugeron", it contains a drug called "cinnarizine". I suffer from pretty chronic sea-sickness (maybe I shouldn't have joined the Navy :rolleyes:) and have been taking it for years. I have mild tinnitus but I could't say cinnarizine has any affect one way or the other. I also give it to my daughter (10 YO) on before flying or long car journeys.

When I came over to Oz I was surprised to find that it could only be supplied by one chemist in the entire country and it could only be prescribed......for menieres.

I guess it would help more with nausea than vertigo, but if you want further info PM me.

[artme]

Not good and I am surprised that ou are still sane after all these years of torment.

I have a vague idea that I watched a TV show about this subject some years ago. There were some specialists operating on patients by relieving the pressure that is supposed to cause the problem. A very minute amount of fluid was drained from the inner ear.

[Big Mac]

Hi ,
I have had it for forty odd years,have 70% loss in one ear and 40% in what was my good ear.
Never had vertigo but the tininitus is bad.

[Ricardito]

Hi
My wife was first diagnosed with this disease in 1992 where she spent five day in The Eye and Year Hospital heavily sedated although she had episodes before a series of episodes kept on recurring most notably four years ago she had one lasting for nearly two months on and off however she does not have hearing loss.
Odd but she has battled other very serious diseases in the meantime only once 13 tears ago after a large operation she had serious complication at hospital after some chemo administered after a major operation she began to have serious complications but she was heavily sedated and basically she dropped on the spot once more for three days.
In between we use a pamphlet published by the Eye and Year Moving the sands it is about head and body gentle exercises to prevent sudden attacks. Hope this helps and as cited before medications and low salt diet help improve the condition. may be you should ring the hospital and ask for such paper I am sure they can help you in the ENT section

[rsser]

Good luck with the consultations ; hope the specialists have something useful to offer.

[Harry72]

, I know this may be a long shot, but sure its not a reaction to a particular type of wood you work before these bouts?

[RETIRED]

Thanks all for the responses.

At times it does get very depressing.

Harry, it can happen when I haven't been near wood, e.g. on holidays.

It just happens out of the blue.

Hopefully the specialists will find something that can ease it a bit.

[rsser]

You used to go to the 'iron ear' hospital for this kind of thing :wink:

[rsser]

OK, more seriously:

1. Signs and symptoms can vary, and practitioner X will diagnose this disease and the next guy or gal may diagnose something else.

2. Assuming you've got a decent diagnosis, again X will prescribe one form of treatment and the next may prescribe another.

3. Even then, treatments have diff effects on diff folks.

Medical science has a great many variables to take into account.

If you're not confident with one opinion there's every reason to get a 2nd opinion.

If you're any good at reading research results, then check out the Cochrane Collaboration online.

[Ricardito]

You make some good observations on your post However there could be many reasons why practitioners say this or that or have a formed opinion and certainly many people do not fall in certain categories.
A second opinion is in most instances a very valid point I am strong believer otherwise as an example my wife would have been dead four times over in the last 14 years.

[rsser]

What did the ENT specialist say ?

[Allan at Wallan]

Was unaware of your problems . Can only say
hope all goes well in the immediate future and that you
get some relief.

Allan

[Foo]

Any positive news yet ?