Pollen Count Very High - MM Kickin My Butt

Besides the pollen count in my area being very high for trees there's a 60% chance of rain and some wind. I actually felt a pending vertigo attack looming in the background so I increased my dose of acyclovir this morning, took 800 mg instead of 400mg. The pending vertigo feeling has left, for now, hope it stays away from me.

My eyes are so wet and teary and I feel muddled headed (sinuses acting up as well) Good thing I test negative for seasonal allergies ???

Going to do a sinus rinse to see,if that helps. I have some bottles of prescription saline solution from my ENT.

 

It always seems to bother me even though I never test as allergic to it. Stephen Spring shared that there was an animal study where animals were exposed to pollen ( sensitized and a control of non sensitized) and hydrops was incurred by the test group and even the control group. I found that interesting.

 

interesting....so pollen directly caused hydrops in animals?

 

Going on memory here...I think that was the conclusion. Hydrops, I believe can come and go in certain situations and doesnt always result in MD symptoms. I never saw the study and he would have to expound on this, I cannot.

 

Oh the control had a lesser response but still responded.

 

Ok, found his statement. Both groups had an increase....so, Im thinking hydrops was induced in both groups beforehand.

 

Interesting findings, April has always been a bad month for me for vertigo attacks which I always attributed it to pollen, but Thank goodness now it seems, so far (don't wanna jinx myself) that the extra dose of AV's have stopped it in its tracks and after the sinus rinse, the muddled headedness and teary eyes have stopped as well.

 

allergy sensitivity is also due to immune system issues right? If we can suppress allergies I wondering if we can get rid of hydrops and thus control meniere's.

 

allergies are not the only triggers for me, fatigue, nuts ( as I just found out recently), extreme stress, certain weather conditions.

 

Fatigue, high stress are absolutely triggers for me. It seems as if significant weather changes seem to impact me as well. But my top 3 triggers are sinus/congestion, fatigue, stress.

 

how do you figure out the sinus congestion part, and how do you deal with it? sudafed?

 

Forgot sinus infection that used to trigger dizziness and vertigo for me too before I started AV's

 

Vicki-sorry to hear you got your "April dizzies" again! I also test negative for allergies but as you know, got a bad vertigo attack this past Saturday after 7 months w/out a bad attack (since I started on AVs). I'm strangely not having any other allergy symptoms this year though, other than minor sinus congestion, but it must be affecting the ear.

I did the same thing-upped my AVs to the next highest dose (max dose) the last three days and so far, no more vertigo (still don't feel perfect). Sadly, tomorrow I need to drop back down to my maintenance dose, as my doctor doesn't want me on the higher dose. I don't understand why at ALL because I know he has advised others on here to bump the dose back up during times of stress, illness, vertigo, etc. I am perfectly healthy in every other way but MM, so I don't understand why he is saying the higher dose may make the virus resistant?!

Maybe because I was on the highest dose for six months before starting to taper, rather than the three wks he usually has people on that dose? AND my maintenance dose is 2/3 of the high dose-whereas most people's maintenance dose is 1/3 of the high dose. I can't seem to get down to lower than 2/3 the max dose or I get vertigo. Maybe he doesn't want me on the highest dose any longer, since my maintenance dose is relatively high? Who knows! Wish I could stay on this lovely max dose though!

Praying the MM stays away, Vicki! How long do you plan to stay on the 800 mg?

 

Thanks Grace, I felt great all day after taking the extra dose and doing the sinus rinse. Acycloivr only stays in the system for 6 hrs so that may be why he tells me or others to take an extra dose when needed, they are different medications , valcyclovir and acyclovir.

But so glad to hear you haven't had anymore vertigo attacks, 800 mg is my usual maintenance dose, 400 mg in am 400 mg in pm, but I took an extra 400mg this morning making it 800mg in am and tonight 400 mg.

I don't plan on taking an extra 400 mg tomorrow unless I have to.

Prayers when you decrease you still do not get vertigo. Maybe up the lysine when you decrease the AV? But JOH would be the best one to advise on that.

 

so you're doing the sinus rinse too? how's that working out? is it the Sinupulse thing?

 

You know what works? Exercising! Seriously. If you do anything that elevates your body temperature, it just clears up your sinuses and muddled head. Don't ask me the "science" behind it because I don't know that.

Of course after you are done with the physical exertion, your symptoms come back within a few hours but I'm telling you nothing clears up sinuses than running around, walking very briskly, doing some intense-type physical activity (dizziness permitting).

I use a neti pot quite regularly during allergy season or when I have a cold but what clears me up instantly is going for a run. Crazy but it works better than a decongestant!

 

Me too and fatigue is kicking my butt.

 

Sorry Gracie, I hope the allergy season passes quickly for us all.

I asked Dr Gacek about allergies and he told me:
"Seasonal allergies are a well known trigger for Meniere’s Disease. So you should expect to increase the dosage during that part of the year."

I am not taking valacyclovir but acyclovir, I do not know if what he says holds true for the other drug.
So that really confirms why I and others have such a rough time in April.

 

Guess that I did not tap enter enough.

Hi Vicki, Question for ya? What is the difference between "valacyclovir and acyclovir? Thanks.