Thanks for sharing that with me Bulldogs, it is exactly what he shared with my parents and I. Thanks for all the support, well from most of you anyways. I have tried everything including NUCCA, JOH and 3 different antivals for over a year as well as IV vitamin C treatment for 6 months to no avail. I just want my life back. VickingMan, I am not sure what your beef is with Bulldogs but I want his life, not yours from what I gather in your posts. If the laby will give me that like so many others who have had the surgery than that's what I have chosen for myself. This is not a decision I took without much thought but it is the right decision for me.
Trisha Your going to do great and my prediction is your going to have a better life than me. At least that is my wish. As for VickingMan, sometimes it's just best to ignore some people, I can handle myself and prefer to take the high road and pray for him that he finds a solution to his menieres because it is an insidious disease that nobody deserves. As I lay my head down at night I say a little prayer for every man, women and child suffering from menieres because I know I suffered at one time. Hang in there until your surgery, as for me I have a 12 hour drive back from Chicago tomorrow so I'm going to get a bite to eat and go back to a hotel room and watch a little tv and go to bed.
And I would never argue the validity of your decision. It is yours to make and I hope your recovery is swift. Calling me naive and gullible and flaunting your fun life activities as my journal thread was hijacked by you and your friends was the high road? ???
For what it's worth, I wouldn't want my life either. Off balance most days and averaging around 3 vertigo attacks a month right now, eating next to no salt. My life sucks. But neither do I want BullDog's life either. I want to be rid of this disease AND keep my ears intact. Many others on this forum have done exactly that and that is what I aspire to. Not that I would begrudge you the liberty to chose as you have. It is highly likely to provide you closure to this horrific chapter of your life, and that is a beautiful thing.
So much for the support thread for Trisha!!! I just looked at the living room and there are no less than 6 threads dealing with alternative remedies from lysine, to chiropractic, to acyclovir to French Marinetime pine bark. I pray for everybody with this disease that they find relief but to tell people they don't know what they are talking about ect.... Is a little much. Trisha indicated she tried everything and found no relief the least we can do is wish her luck and offer our support.
I really hope that my husband can hold out long enough for a non-destructive solution to be found for him. He started Acyclovir 6 days ago. His vertigo cycle of attacks every 2-3 days continues. Should he have seen improvement by now? He has an appointment with Dr. Rausch in less than 2 weeks. He told me this morning that he would have any surgery recommended to stop the vertigo. The study of Endolymphatic Duct Blockage surgery that Vicki posted gives me hope but I don't know how much longer he can go on like this. Both of our lives have been hijacked by this disease :'(
6 days is a very short time, is he on the right dosage for MM? if hes on acyclovir he can try valcyclvoir it works better. You can contact the in Canada and ask him about the surgery.
6 days is a short time. It took me about 3 months before I felt relief - and I was not having attacks at the same rate as your husband. I can tell you without any doubt that if I was having 2-3 vertigo attacks every week I would have screamed and pushed for the surgery. In my opinion, while surgery is "destructive" (not a fan of that word in this instance) Menieres is way more destructive. Retraining your body to walk/balance is done everyday. There is NO training that can help during the vertigo attack. At least with the surgery there is a plan and confirmed belief that things will be better. For sure. Anything else (shunt, anti viral, vitamin supplements, diet, etc...work for some but not all; and then could work for a short time and then stop). I am blessed in that anti-virals work for me right now and right now my attacks are not ongoing or frequent. I share my opinions above only because I do believe that if your husband is at a point that he is prepared for surgery, and the dr agrees that he is a candidate - it is an option. I prefer to think of the surgery of "destroying" the Meniere's in that ear. Menieres already slowly destroys the balance and hearing in the ear on it's own...so if the disease is very active IMO it is only a matter of time no matter which way one looks at it.
Different story? The last major attack I had, I literally wanted to die. Standing at the sink holding the counter cause I couldn't support myself. Cursing God and pulling my hair out. For me, the anxiety reaches fever pitch after I realize I'm in trouble and before the vomiting starts. During those moments, I am a danger to myself. It's not a different story. Not different at all. I once read that the quality of life of one of us during a bad stretch is around the same as a terminal cancer patient 7 days prior to death. No, this disease won't kill you(pity). But it WILL make you wish you were dead. Some folks will actually act out that impulse. So lets see. Suicidal thoughts and desires... or taking an anti-viral. Seriously? Different story? lol
AIDS patients are not the only ones taking avs long term'. people with genital herpes do as well and doctors agree about the long term safety and efficacy on antivirals. and your misinformation about Dr Gacek's protocol is harmful.
We're gonn a make it Trisha!!!! Just pulled over in Louisville, Ky. and had a footlong Tuna sub from Subway with lettuce, tomato, black olives, onions and spinach with a Coca Cola and a bag of baked layers BBQ chips. It was delicious. I have been out of town for my kids spring break this week but tomorrow I am heading to the lake with them to water ski and wakeboard for the weekend with them and enjoy a nice cookout. These days are coming your way in a few short weeks and mm will forever be a thing of the past. Back on the road, 6 more hours to Atlanta.
Love ya Bulldogs. Encouragement and hope that there can be a day when everyday life is not so altered with this disease is important. i know that it made the difference to me when I joined the original board 4+ years ago - and you were one of the members that always took the time to lift people up, share your experiences, and genuinely care. Hope you had some chips for me too! (Today I have a slight flu bug so def no chips...maybe tomorrow!)
Nicmger I am with you regarding BD. When I joined the group I was at the end of my wits! BD helped me make my decision to have a laby. A decision that gave me back my life. I will always be grateful for his support.
No matter how long you have been on this site, Your statement that the antiviral protocol For Meniere's makes one stay on high levels of antivirals forever is still wrong and misleading to those who might want to try antivirals.
I have nothing against you either and for the most part we have agreed on most things all along, and everyone opinions count but the facts are a different story. How your post was written made it sound as if to say people on the forums are pushing high doses or acyclovir forever, and other statements that seemed to be misleading about long term safety etc. I just did not want anyone who was suffering and considering trying an antiviral to be scared off by the statements in your post. Anyway we cleared this up.
I've taken antivirals for more than 2-1/2 years and as far as it helps will on it forever. I have blood work done twice a year and to date have experienced no I'll side effects. People take high blood pressure meds for life as well as diabetics and many more. Even depression/anxiety meds. My point is that there are many meds people take forever with no ill side effects. Just saying.