What is the difference between Cochlear Hydrops and MD? I have fullness, tinnitus, sound distortion, low few hearing loss, one in a while hyperacusis, and occasionally very little lightheadedness, but never any vertigo. What is the difference between these two? Thanks,
I have EXACTLY the same symptoms as you. CH and MD are different only in that MD has the vertigo component. My first cluster of attacks in 2009 went away with 1500 mgs of Famciclovir per day for only 3 days. My new round started in January this year and I am yet to see relief - the brand of the drug I use now is generic and I am considering changing the brand or switching to Valtrex.
The difference between cochlear hydrops and menieres is where exactly in the inner ear the hydrops is at the moment. In one area, it causes vertigo, in another hearing problem, often it is in both areas and causes both hearing loss and vertigo. Often it starts in one area and progresses to both. I had the same symptoms as you. Antivirals helped enormously, especially the distortion. Allergy treatment (shots) was equally helpful. Now I have none of the symptoms except for a little backsliding once every year or so.
I have been on Valtrex for 6 weeks now (see my other post today http://www.menieres.org/forum/index.php/topic,37792.0.html ) and have not noticed any difference in my symptoms. In '06 I noticed voices on the phone were funny only because I had the phone up to that ear. If I used the other ear or never listen to anything with that ear only, would have never noticed it. Got it checked out and was told I have MD. Since the distorted sound was all I had, I was like whatever. Then last November the day after we attended a play I woke up with fullness in my ears (had that before after being at loud concerts so nothing new) but after week it did not go away so went to see the old ENT but he retired so I went to a new one and he said I have MD and to eat low sodium diet and be on my way. A week later started to get tinnitus and shortly there after the other symptoms and it has been that way ever since. I wonder sometimes if it was not the loud music that caused it?????? How does one know that they have allergies that could cause this?
My dr says allergies are not believed to be the cause of menieres but they upregulate the immune system and that exacerbates the MM symptoms. So calming the allergic response then takes pressure off the Menieres. I found out by having allergy skin tests. It was not the scratch tests they do on the back but little bits injected under the skin of my arm. I did not consider myself a typical allergy sufferer stuffy nose etc but I did test positive to lots of things. I had noticed that while the antivirals helped a lot that in allergy season I started having problems again. I have wondered myself about the noise connection. There seem to be an awful lot of musicians on this board.
