Appt at MEEI!

Good Luck, hope it all works out for you

 

Dr. Rauch is my OTO. He is a real straight shooter. No fluff. He did my laby almost 3 years ago. I went in at 3:00 in the afternoon for the surgery and went home the next morning. Good luck with your appointment. You are in real good hands with Rauch if you make the decision to have the surgery. Good Luck!

 

Good Luck! Keep us posted!

 

I wonder if Dr Rauch supports the anti-viral treatments also? Or is he in the other "camp" that do not agree that anti-virals have a place/success in treating Meniere's?

 

I can tell you unless he has changed over the past two years he does not support the anti viral theory.

 

Not to cast any aspersions, but it is not inappropriate for one to ponder if a physician’s dismissal of evidence for a herpetic root cause of Meniere’s and the now-proven efficacy of antiherpetic drugs might be influenced by the diminished fees he would suffer should his surgical patients gain successful treatment from prescribed antiherpetic drugs?

A few years ago, before Dr. Gacek published his peer-reviewed article showing the clinical efficacy of properly-prescribed antiherpetic drugs, a physician’s dismissal of this therapeutic approach could have been plausible. All ENTs learned in med school that Meniere’s Disease is profoundly idiopathic; meaning it has no known or even knowable root cause. The surgical knife, therefore, can be a first-line therapy in recalcitrant cases, where the standard “take this diuretic and eat a very low salt diet; and see me in six months” therapy doesn’t work.

Were I a prospective surgical patient with Meniere’s, I’d certainly want to first try a six-month course of Dr. Gacek’s therapy. It’s a whole lot less expensive, and for over 80% who use the therapy profound or complete symptomatic relief is gained.

I’d want to know the evidence-based reasons my surgeon would not first allow antiherpetic therapy. A claim of personal disbelief, or inexperience, would be entirely inadequate (if not downright unprofessional).

Gacek’s paper is here:
http://www.mm3admin.co.za/documents/docmanager/6e64f7e1-715e-4fd6-8315-424683839664/00056616.pdf

–John of Ohio

 

JOH I appreciate all of your contributions to this forum.

I believe that anyone who goes to the degree of choosing surgery has most likely researched every avenue dealing with this horrific disease. Once a person has made the decision to choose surgery it is usually because they are at the end of the line. Yes, anti virals have been successful for some folks and your regimen has been a life saver for some folks. But for the 20% of the people who have tried anti virals with no success or who have tried your regime and had no success and who continue with debilitating symptoms sometimes the only way out is surgery.

Sally is excited about her appointment with Rauch, she will make a decision after meeting with him if she wants to continue with him as her OTO or not. When I met with Rauch he said to me, "Sharon please if you want to seek a second opinion do so." Truthfully, I was done seeking second opinions, I was looking for a way to end my misery and I found it. Surgery is not for everyone, just as anti-virals and your regimen are not for everyone.

I do want to express however, that I truly appreciate all that you offer on the forum, especially for our new members. Anyone just starting out with the disease should look into your regeimen, research anti-virals and anything that can help them. Never give up hope.

 

I should add that my reason for posing the question about anti virals is that Dr Rauch is in the same area as Dr Gacek and wondered if they shared similar position on anti virals.

I believe that one is at a point that they believe surgery is an option - it absolutely is their option and one that shouldn't be questioned. Only those of us who have walked in those shoes can truly understand that there can be a point that one says "that is it". And when that point is reached, it is not anyone's place (least of all mine) to question. I have stated here before that if i were to get the constant vertigo attacks I would go surgical immediately.

Sally, I am excited for your upcoming appointment and hope that you get the answers you need to finalize what decision is best for you!

 

Rauch will look you in the eye give you your options to slaughter the beast and it is then up to you To make a decision. As Red said, he is not some touchy feely guy but that is what I needed.

All he is, is one of the best OTO's and surgeons on the planet and that was good enough for me, you are in good hands. He "gets" mm as he has seen the worst cases in the world and knows how to fix your problem.

JOH, I am one of the people who did not have suscess on your protocol but I also did not email you with my experience as is did not want to have a negative impact on the 87% cure rate statistic.

I am sympathetic to the laby.

 

what makes me angry, very angry is that antivirals do not work for all. I wish so much they did.

Now that I got that off my chest, each of us need to do whatever it is to get relief from this curse of a disease.

Please update us when you can artlover and again Good luck!

 

Vicki I hope someday there will be a definite answer to this disease and a definite way to cure it for all of us. You are a great asset to this forum. We are so lucky to have you as part of "the team" that continues to search for the answer.

 

Thank you so much for your kind words.

I hope so too and they find the answer/cure soon.

 

Vicki is so right. It will be wonderful if someday they find something that works for everyone. I get really tired of trying new things for 90 days only to be disappointed when they don't work. I've definitely gotten the most relief from antivirals and JOH, but still have my dizzy times. I respect any decision others make for treatment knowing someday I may walk that path myself.

 

My very sincere best wishes to you, Sally, that whatever course of treatment you and Dr. Rauch decide is best for you will result in a silencing of the beast and blissful, spin-free days ahead for you. Good luck!

 

Such positive posts--not all in agreement, but positive and encouraging to hear folks disagree, without being disagreeable. Thanks to all of you for your help over the years I've been on this board too. There were days I was just sooo down and many here understand what that means. Your encouragement helped me and continues to do so. I do hope you, Artlover, get the much needed relief you are seeking. Keep us posted.

 

Sally I had one gent shot before my laby. I wish I had just gone with the laby. The gent made me very sick. It took me a month to get my balance back and after 8 months vertigo returned. Dr. Rauch offered another gent shot or the laby. I chose the laby. The one good thing about the gent I believe it did kill off some of my balance system therefore my recovery from the laby only took 2 weeks. After the gent shot I felt light headed every day until I had the laby. Dr. Rauch will only do 2 gent shots. He believes if the gent does not work after 2 shots there is no reason to keep doing them.

My personal opinion is to go for the laby and be done with it. Best of luck!