Hi all, I have lived with MM for many moons now. I still have hearing in one ear but none in the other, chronic mild dizziness, and chronic loud tinnitus. I was wondering how other people have dealt with the getting old part. Along with all the other parts of us that get old, how does this affect you? I know that fatigue is the biggest one for me. It scares me how tired I get. I try to exercise as much as I can but that makes me even more tired. It is a constant balancing act for me. I know that "one day at a time" is important but I just wonder how others deal with it. A/D's have really worked for me in the long run. I hope that my good ear holds out until the end. I guess it is the unknown that scares me. But I have been through enough to know that I will be okay. How has MM affected you? XO Sally
I wanted to die before I got the laby. As the getting old part, I know there will be a day I may need to use cane, scooter or power chair but that is ok with me. I can still laugh at/with my kids/friends/family and enjoy their company with a cane or chair. One thing I will not do is live dizzy and with vertigo, and I will not try to be a hero or superman and think I don't need an assist ice device because in my business I see it every day. Falls are one of the leading causes of death in people over 70. I have no shame pulling up to Disney World with my grandkids in a tricked out scooter. I just want to be there for them.
Hi, AD's are anti-depressants. As odd as it sounds, it is the only thing that has worked for my tinnitus. XO
Sally, The laby is short for labyrinthectomy and it is simply where they remove your diseased inner ear you do loose your hearing in that ear but you will never be dizzy, have brain fog or fatigue again. It is a surgery.
Even though my MM symptoms have been taken care of for almost 2 and a half years by antivirals I still have little stamina and get tired easily, have my whole life, my mom used to say that I was born tired. Which is another reason why I feel strongly MM is autoimmune.
I love this forum and I love the people who post on this forum....please do not give me shit for saying this because I am old. Get a laby and you don't have to worry about growing old with mm. Love you all!!!
A laby would take care of symptoms but not the immune problem I would think. Same as AV's does for me but the av's do take a load off my immune system. But a laby is right for some people, I agree.
Vickie I appreciate your comments. I hope everyone knows that a laby is not for everyone. My comment was to make people smile especially the elderly
Fatigue is a big problem for me too, Sally. I'm 53 now and I find I don't bounce back from bad days quite as well as I used to just a few short years ago. I work from home so I'm very fortunate that I can take short naps during the day when I need to. I can't exercise as vigorously as I used to but I still try to get a light workout in every day to help keep my energy level up. I like doing Chi Gong too. It's very relaxing, helps with my balance and it's energizing at the same time too. As far as getting older while dealing with MM I just kind of take things one day at a time. Most days I don't feel old but then other days I feel much older than what I actually am so the good days sort of balance out the not so good days for me. All my best to you, Lulu
If antivirals didn't help me and my vertigo attacks became very frequent I would seriously consider a laby. BTW I am elderly LOL I will be 63 next month UGH! People say I look younger than I am but I feel like 163 many times everything makes me tired.
I AM very old...close to 70. (Most of the time, I don't feel it.) I guess my biggest fear now that I am older is hurting myself if I fall. Margie
Why not take that fear away and use an assistive device like a cane, scooter or power wheelchair. Safety First, your family and friends need you.
Gee. Artlover, I 'really feel old now'! I'm 77 and this all began for me late in life--when I was almost 70! I was in very good health until MM hit. Then came the Hearing loss, vertigo, shunt surgery and dizzyness--days with nausea, etc. But--no more vertigo since shunt surgery in 2012. Nausea comes occasionally with the daily feelings of dizziness and head pressure. Tinnitus is 'there' but not nearly as bad. I deal with balance issues but it hasn't gotten so bad that I need a cane--yet! I have fallen recently--first time (except for drop attacks before the surgery), and it was in the dark, heading to bed and just went down==broke a vertebrae in my back--spent a night in the hospital and got the back vertebrae fixed. Now dealing with the healing from the 'jolt' of the fall. Back hurts but getting better. So, hang in there--and know if all the folks here can 'make it' and keep on keeping on--you can too! We all can!
Hi all, I didn't mean to say that 52 is old, I was just saying that I have had this illness probably from birth or from age 11 so I feel like my body is old before its time. I think about hanging on to my job until 62 when I feel tired now. I don't really care about age, but society does. So all those in their 70's, kudos to you! It gives me hope. I was using "getting old" in the sense of body failing, things breaking down, etc. I just get tired of the battle. But I keep trucking! XO Sally