What has been your experience with Hydrochlorothiazide ? Here is mine......

HCTZ is trash. Stick to low sodium if you want a new placebo to try.

 

HCTZ was the first thing my ENT put me on 20+ years ago. I quit having vertigo spells for years. But who knows if it was the HCTZ or not. My regular doctor took me off of it for a while one time cause of kidney readings or something, then when I started having spells again my ENT was wanting me back on it. My regular doctor done blood testing again, and put me back on it. My ENT really believes it helps. I don't know.

 

The diuretic is supposed to reduce excessive fluids in your body. Which they say the excessive fluid in your ear causes the vertigo

 

and that’s what makes this disease so strange is one thing that works for one person does not work for another. HCTZ did nothing for me, but the low sodium diet helped with the stuffiness and got my hearing to almost normalize for awhile. Steroids have always helped me but the effects are temporary. In the end I just feel like there’s not much we can do and the fact that the disease waxes and wanes with no interventions makes the placebo effect very high.

 

Yeah, over the years with the coming and going of this disease, I've never known when something is actually working or not. I've went for months eating and drinking what I want with no problems. Now when I had the lymphatic decompression surgery, I was normal for 5 years, but it came back. My ENT said that has been the results of several patients. They had me to try the Meniett device, kind of a last resort. I only tried it about a month,, because my insurance doesn't pay on it. I rented one, but it didn't help at all. I'm just waiting on this to calm back down like it has in the past.

 

I completely agree with you.

 

My last vertigo spell was July 2020 and it was a cluster that lasted 4 days. It then disappeared as quickly as it came. I have not had a vertigo attack since then, but then again, I am treating this very aggressively. I just finished dexamethasone ear injections and I am on 40mg of prednisone for a month to try and slow the progress. It’s very depressing to hear the awful tinnitus and I know you guys know what I mean. It seems the tinnitus gets worse and worse after each vertigo attack.

 

Neurologist in Arizona says that drug is worthless. Put me on Acetazolamide and Gabapentin. Have not had a dizzy or vertigo attack nor a drop attack since. Tinnitus has reduced. He says ENT docs do not know much about Menieres and new patients would be best to see a neurologist.

 

that is a very good idea. I heard about gabapentin being helpful.

 

Psychiatrist put me on gabapentin and klonopin. I’ll see how it works for the tinnitus.

 

UPDATE: Out walking my two dogs at 5:30 AM and stopped to talk a passerby. With no warning, I got what I call a seizure and fell to the street. Luckily I did not hit my head. So, acetazolamide and gabapentin may not be the answer. Is what I experienced called a drop attack?

 

I am on Hydrochlorothiazide/Triamterene. I'm only on half a pill so I haven't really experienced any side effects. Have you had your potassium levels checked?

 

I’m starting Triamterene tomorrow. I really feel all this is bullshit, but let’s see. My hearing in my left ear dropped precipitously despite steroids shots. And don’t even get me started in the tinnitus…

 

I'm taking Maxzide which is a combination of HCTZ and Triamterene. I am willing to try anything to avoid future vertigo attacks. I actually stopped my medicine because I hate taking medicine and then three days later I had another vertigo attack so I quickly restarted. I spoke to a friend this week who has been on Maxzide for years and she hasn't had another vertigo episode. I guess everyone responds differently to medication. I hope it give you relief. I'm still trying to figure out the tinnitus piece of it

 

Have you read anything on Auditory training? Just found something on that recently. Haven't really looked into thought.