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Link between Meniere's and Thyroid?

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by KaSchu, Nov 14, 2019.

  1. KaSchu

    KaSchu New Member

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    For the past month, I've been battling with the worst Meniere's episode I've had in years. Coincidentally, I saw my endocrinologist today to have my thyroid levels checked. He proceeded to tell me he thinks part of my current episode might be caused by my elevated thyroid levels, that can apparently cause edema and dizziness.

    Has anyone else been told some of their symptoms may be made worse, or even caused by, their thyroid?
     
  2. California Sun

    California Sun Active Member

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    I have heard that, and I remember that when I was trying to get a dx, my thyroid levels were checked.
     
  3. teesdale

    teesdale Active Member

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    You can find a study on the web entitled, "Incidence of hypothyroidism in Menieres Disease," which summarizes the following conclusion: "The improvement in clinical symptoms after treatment demonstrates an association between Meniere’s disease and hypothyroidism which was found to be significant. Hence, clinicians should consider screening patients with Meniere disease for thyroid dysfunction who are not already taking supplements."

    The multi-factorial nature of the causes of Menieres is really disheartening.
     
  4. zotjen

    zotjen Member

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    Hypothyroidism is when you have an under active thyroid. KaSchu, you mentioned you have elevated thyroid levels so are you saying you have hyperthyroidism?

    I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 12 years ago. Prior to that, I had experienced some bouts with tinnitus, fullness, and distortion but had no idea what it was. It was only after I had been taking thyroid medication that I was diagnosed with Meniere's after having constant symptoms including vertigo.

    Since taking the thyroid medication, my thyroid levels are consistently normal. The study suggests that there is an association between Meniere's and hypothyroidism and that treating the hypothyroidism with medication can also bring relief to Meniere's symptoms. This hasn't been the case for me. In fact, it's been the opposite since I didn't experience full-blown Meniere's until after I started taking thyroid medication, at least two or three years later.

    What does all this mean? Who knows? There are still so many unknowns with this disease and possible causes that trying to connect all the dots can seem futile.
     
  5. California Sun

    California Sun Active Member

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    I was dx'd with hypothyroidism about 15 years ago and have taken thyroid meds since. My thyroid levels have remained at stable and normal levels all this time. The thyroid issue has never affected the Meniere's one way or another.
     
  6. Bonlyn

    Bonlyn Active Member

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    I have been on thyroid medication for @ 20 years for hypothyroidism. I did not get menieres like symptoms until 5 years ago.

    I took the name brand synthyroid until @ 4 months ago when I found out synthryoid is no longer gluten free, and I have a severe gluten allergy. That was the whole point for paying extra for the name brand. I now take Tirosint which is gluten free and has no fillers.

    I point this out only for those who may have allergies, if you do the generics..they change their fillers and synthroid is no longer deemed gluten free.

    I wish I could get off of the synthetic thyroid medication because long term I think does more harm then good, but ultimately having an out of whack thyroid is worse.

    So can not say if thyroid is connected to menieres, but I do have controlled hypothyroidism and uncontrolled menieres.
     
  7. Bonlyn

    Bonlyn Active Member

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    Sorry meant to say Tirosint is gluten free and has fewer fillers, not no fillers.
     
  8. KaSchu

    KaSchu New Member

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    I have hypothyroidism - underactive thyroid - but my medication was making my thyroid overactive. I've been on 175 mcg of levothyroxine and 20 mcg of liothyronine for several years, but the endocrinologist just reduced my dosage to 150 mcg of levo (generic Synthroid) and 15 mcg of lio (generic Cytomel) daily to see if it helps.

    I've been told over the years that there might be a link between the 2 issues, but I never thought the symptoms of hypo/hyperthyroidism could mimic those of Meniere's. I'm not super optimistic but I'll look for hope where I can find it!
     
  9. June-

    June- Well-Known Member

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    Please let us know what you find out.
     
  10. KaSchu

    KaSchu New Member

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    This is far from scientific, but I started my new thyroid meds on Thursday and by Sunday, I was starting to feel somewhat normal again. Today was the first day in probably 6 weeks that I haven't taken any valium. I feel like I'm at least 95% back to normal.

    Now, is this because of the change in thyroid meds or did the new diuretics that I started a few weeks ago finally start to work? Or is it the B5 & B6 I started 2 weeks ago? Or the low sodium diet that I finally fully committed around the same time? Or was it the Medrol dose pack I took 6 weeks ago or the God awful steroid shot into my inner ear a month ago? Or maybe, just maybe, this stupid episode just burn itself out?

    But - if you have Meniere's and thyroid issues - this might be worth asking about. My endocrinologist says that most thyroid issues are too complex a GP to handle (his words, not mine). He says that most people with hypothyroidism need to be on 2 a combination of 2 synthetic hormones - T3 & T4. He added T3 (Cytomel) to the T4 (Synthroid) I had been taking alone for years and it made an almost immediate difference. Apparently, T3 is absorbed very quickly while T4 takes longer, so his reducing my T3 last week may be why I'm feeling better now.
     
  11. KaSchu

    KaSchu New Member

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    What's WP thyroid if you don't mind my asking?
     
  12. zotjen

    zotjen Member

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    I had also heard that taking T4 is not sufficient. Most standard blood tests only check T4 levels. I asked my GP about this a few years ago so he ordered to have my T3 level checked as well and it came back normal so I had no change to my meds. I did find this on the web:

    "Current guidelines from the American Thyroid Association recommend that people with hypothyroidism be treated initially with T4 alone. Adding T3 should be considered in people who continue to have symptoms of hypothyroidism, and whose T3 levels remain in the low end of the normal range."
     
  13. KaSchu

    KaSchu New Member

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    I was sent to an endocrinologist because despite my obviously exhibiting the symptoms of hypothyroidism, my blood work would always come back as being within the normal range and my GP wasn't making any changes.

    My endocrinologist says that everyone's normal range is different, and he feels most GP's depend too much on the official guidelines and less upon whether their patients are exhibiting symptoms. Even last week, when he said my thyroid levels were high and lowered my meds, the lab results said my levels were within the normal range. But they weren't normal for me and he thought my dizziness could well be a symptom, so he made changes.
     
  14. Bonlyn

    Bonlyn Active Member

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    WP thyroid is a brand of thyroid that contains T4 and T3 hormones, it is deemed more natural because it made from dessicated pig.

    I can not take because I have an allergy to pork, but there were some problems with it according to an article I read, with WP and Naturthroid. Apparently the pigs they use come from China and were not the best fed pigs and people were having problems.

    So now there seems to be a pig shortage and sometimes it is out of stock.

    You can probably google it to learn more.

    I was on Synthroid for @ 20 years but now am on Tiosint..like synthroid but has no gluten.
     
  15. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    I developed hypothyroidism after the birth of my first kid 25 years ago.

    My Menieres started about 15 years ago.

    I only had to adjust my synthroid dose once, about 5 years ago, probably because of menopause.

    Hypothyroidism is prevalent in my family. Maybe there’s an autoimmune correlation with Menieres, but I don’t think my thyroid issues caused the Menieres.
     
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