Hello everyone. I am new to this forum as of today and recently was diagnosed with Meniere's about a month ago. My question has to do with the patch (Transderm Scop). My family doctor prescribed it for me prior to my diagnosis to help with the vertigo. It does help me a lot. The first ENT I saw I did not much care for so I went to another one. He was late for my appointment and therefore rushed through it. All he told me was to take the diuretic Triamterene and come back in 6 weeks. He also wants me off the patch. When I took the patch off last week, within 24 hours I was experiencing vertigo, dizzy spells, nausea and panic attacks. I could not make it the rest of the day this way so I put another patch on. Has anyone else used the patch and if so, did you ever have withdrawal from it and how did you make it through. I did not ask my doctor why he wants me off the patch or how to come off of it without having these huge withdrawal symptoms. I also live at high altitude (9,000+ feet) and find when I go to a lower elevation I feel much better. Anyone else notice this? Thank you for your insight! ~ Jen
I can only tell you my experience. I used it several years ago--not for MM. But for traveling. I'd wear it for 2 or 3 hours at a time--and it worked great, keeping me from nausea--at that time no vertigo or anything. Then at the end of the trip--I was in what I call 'la-la land'! I felt like I was drugged--and could hardly hold my eyes open, or have a conversation as we came home on the plane. Then someone I knew had hallucinations and the doctor found out she had used eye drops with scopalomine in it, and when they stopped those drops, the problem began to ease. I've read it can cause some men bladder issues too. But---having said that, many people swear by it, so it's like any drug--some can take it, others can't. So--do what you think best and ask your doctor why he objects to your being on it. He may know of other problems with the drug.
Sorry I don't know anything about that patch. But I did want to mention I live at a high-ish elevation too (6,500 or so). I've noticed during several recent road trips that I am very sensitive to changes in elevation. Not that things are better or worse at one level or another, but that as elevation changes rapidly (like driving through and around mountain passes) that things can get bad. Not vertigo bad, thank goodness, but my ears plug up quickly and don't unplug for quite some time. I can't pop them either. The feeling of fullness can last for days even once I'm out of the car.
^And I meant to add, that I ask others in the car if their ears are bothering them, and most of the time theirs aren't even popping. Often I notice this even driving from one side of our town to another, which isn't more than a couple hundred feet of difference.
I have never been on the patch so have no idea about the withdrawl part. But if you are getting relief from that, which seems to be similar to an anti-motion type drug, you may find that taking Meclizine helps. In the US, it is available over the counter. And some places even have it as a store/generic brand which saves significant money. It was the first thing that my doctor at the time told me. Good luck
I always had the opposite reaction. When i got over 4000 ft i felt much better. In fish, the ear is the organ that tells them their depth and it is very sensitive to pressure. It is perhaps not surprising then that our ears feel different at least temporarily when air pressure changes. I think i remember a member here reporting that she actually moved to a higher or lower elevation where her ears felt better but the relief was only temporary.
I feel a lot worse when I am at a higher elevation. I feel best at sea level. The mountains just make me feel awful. Plugged ears, nystagmus, lots of lightheadedness and louder tinnitus.
I thought altitude may have been a new trigger. Lady GaGa just performed in Colorado and got altitude sickness! I've used the patch before, it's almost like a withdrawal symptom and yes, it's awful.