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beginning of the end

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by Santa, Feb 23, 2015.

  1. Santa

    Santa Member

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    Redbird asked:--"Santa, I know you said that it took a few days before you felt better... but did you feel worse the first few days of taking the OPC?"

    The third day on OPC was bad. I had vertigo and the strangest noises in my ear. Helicopter sounds- whup, whup, whup and screeching and squawking.
    The next day I woke up and I was feeling better than I had felt in the previous 10 months. My ear was clear and my hearing was about half of what I was hearing in my right ear. And the hearing has improved to about 75% of the right ear.

    Many people and Doctors think that supplements and many medications will make you feel worse before you feel better.

    I think the tinnitus ( the high pitch) is sometimes worse than before the OPC. But, most of the time I just don't notice it. Kind of like the floaters in my eyes. They are there but, most of the time I just don't notice them.

    I still think it is a combination of valacyclovir and the OPC that is giving me the results I am having. Some mornings I wake up to a little fullness but, within an hour of taking the valacyclovir and OPC my ear is clear again.

    Last week I had a few times when I felt queezy and I thought Oh, NO. I am about to have vertigo. But, I didn't. I also think it might have had something to do with drinking too much Vodka the night before. I haven't had any Vodka in the last three days and I haven't felt queezy.

    It is Spring. A big allergy season here and a lot of people are getting colds. We are having rain almost every day.

    Another thing I have been taking which I should have mentioned a long time ago is Flonaze. or Flonase- not sure how to spell it. It helps with the build up of mucous in the nasal passages and lungs. I still get some mucous. But, not like a year ago. I know the body produces naturally about a quart of mucous every day. It is a good thing. It helps lubricate us. But, my body was producing way more than I needed. Now, my body is producing about the right amount, I guess. But, some mornings I notice I have a little too much. I think the OPC also helps with eliminating the excess mucous.

    I haven't had vertigo since February 23.
     
  2. Santa

    Santa Member

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    When allergens get into the nose the body produces more mucous to wash them out of our sinuses. If we blow the nose too hard it can blow the mucous up the eustachien tube and Into our inner ear which can cause an infection in the inner ear. Also when we sleep flat on the bed the excess mucous can travel up the eustachien tube. A good idea especially in allergy season is to sleep on an angle, propped on pillows even.

    A product at your health food store called Xlear is a sinus care spray. It helps cleanse sinus and nasal passages and wash away pollutants, irritants, and other airborne contaminants. It soothes and moisturizes.
     
  3. Hollyflo

    Hollyflo Member

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    Sep 19, 2014
    OPC update: Now taking one OPC pill twice a day and same with valacyclovir. The most significant improvement I've noticed now in the two weeks is mush less aural fullness and roaring. The tinnitus is still there with the hissing but without the fullness it is mostly easy to ignore. We've had some rains come through and have had a couple of raspy throats and loads of mucus but still not getting into the f--cked zone.

    Also on all JOH but starting to ween off things as they run out to see…so many pills!

    The malaise remains the major issue for me and that I haven't found any solution for :(
     
  4. Santa

    Santa Member

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    Any improvement is good.

    My hearing fluctuates but, it never gets as bad as it was before taking OPC. Sometimes I think I am getting fullness but, I rub my fingers next to my ear and I can hear them. Sometimes my hearing is almost as good as my other ear.

    I still have tinnitus, the high pitch hissing. I still haven't had vertigo since Feb. 23.

    I am on blood thinner and veins in my legs were looking like 80 year old's legs. Now, they look much better.

    We have been having April Showers for the last three weeks and lots of plants spewing pollen which has been causing lots of mucus. I have been cleaning out the sinuses morning and night with a bulb syringe and saline. Also, I have been using Flonase morning and night. Still have some mucus but, not as bad as last year when I wasn't doing either.

    I'm happy you are not going into the Fracking zone.
     
  5. Hollyflo

    Hollyflo Member

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    Sep 19, 2014
    ;D
     
  6. Hollyflo

    Hollyflo Member

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    Sep 19, 2014
    Hey Santa,

    How did you get taking two OPC's a day? Do you take tem both at once or split. I wonder if taking more would amplify the good effects. My MM is starting to fall under the radar and taking two at once seems to be the bomb.

    Thanks and Ho Ho Ho Holly
     
  7. Santa

    Santa Member

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    EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

    That sure is GREAT NEWS!!! Holly, I am so happy for you!!

    I take one in morning and one at night.

    Today my hearing is a little over %50 of right ear. Hearing does fluctuate. Tinnitus is low today. I am dealing with lots of allergens in my area.

    Like I said in earlier post, my legs look so much younger. This OPC is incredible for circulation. I wish I had started it 10 years ago.

    I don't know about increasing dosage or taking them both at same time. Let me know if you try the increasing dose and how it works for you.
     
  8. enjoy

    enjoy Member

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    Good morning Santa,

    Is this one from Nature's Way similar in content to what you are currently taking?

    http://www.iherb.com/Nature-s-Way-Masquelier-s-Tru-OPCs-75-mg-90-Tablets/2048
     
  9. Santa

    Santa Member

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    It sure could be. The brand I bought is from hbc Protocols. It's 100 mgs and comes in a bottle with 180 capsules. I think it was $76. Suggested dose is two Per day.

    So, it's expensive up front but, will last three months.

    I don't know how many yours is suggesting to take.

    I called and talked to hbc's and talked to someone that knew all the ins and outs about OPC. Of course most of what he said went over my head. Someone like JOH would have a better understanding of what he said.
     
  10. Hollyflo

    Hollyflo Member

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    Urg. Had the worst MD week in a long time. Woke up in the middle of the night three times this week with the spins. Roaring and hissing that is louder that most any noise I can make around me and that malaise making it hard to get moving.

    Guess its the end of the beginning.
     
  11. Santa

    Santa Member

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    Awe Frack.......Say it isn't so.............Damn, I am so sorry you are having these episodes. Let's hope this is really the beginning of the end. I had one really bad day before it got better. Maybe your end is three bad days.

    Don't give up hope. You seem to be doing everything that you can be doing.

    I have times when it seems like I might be about to have an attack, but it just doesn't happen.

    My tinnitus is very loud most of the time. Sometimes its even in my good ear. But, most of the time I ignore it or go where it is noisier and forget about it.
     
  12. Hollyflo

    Hollyflo Member

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    Hey Santa. The spins stopped and the ear distress died down but for the last month been dealing with back spasms which are more painful so take away the focus on the ear.

    And the beat goes on…..
     
  13. Santa

    Santa Member

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    Yay, I'm glad you are not spinning in the Fracking Zone.

    For a bad back I do the Cobra, sit-ups on a big ball and leg lifts. Actually I do these to keep from getting back aches. If I don't exercise my back will start hurting.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccuvvH8Dg4s
     
  14. LessA2

    LessA2 New Member

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    Wanted to chime in here because I read this thread and decided to try the OPCs. I had heard of this stuff before and it sounded really promising, and I had high hopes for it, but after 13 days (on the HBC product) it seems to be having no effect at all. Zilcho. My symptoms are hearing loss and constant roaring sound in one ear, and that generally stays about the same from one day--and month--to the next. It also hasn't had any effect on my chronically swollen legs and feet (which is due to venous insufficiency).

    Santa, do you mind if I ask you how much(ish) you weigh? I'm wondering because the Nature Made OPC product says to take double the number of pounds of your body weight in mg per day - of course that is a completely different product and I wouldn't assume the same formula would apply, but I do wonder if I might not be taking a high enough dose. (By that formula I would need to take more than 400mg a day, yeah I am a fat lady.)
     
  15. Santa

    Santa Member

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    Hi Lessa2

    I weigh 190 lbs.

    I give most credit to a combo of valacyclovir and OPC.

    I am on warfarin (blood thinner) and my legs were looking really bad because of that. Red splotches that kind of look like a rash. They have improved a lot since starting the OPC. If I stand on my feet for hours then the blood starts pooling around my feet, ankles and calves.
     
  16. LessA2

    LessA2 New Member

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    I'm giving up on the OPC. It didn't do anything. I took it for a little over 3 weeks. If someone else is interested in trying it, PM me and I'll send you the rest of the bottle (I got the HBC Protocols brand, 180 capsules). Better that than it should go to waste.
     
  17. serbian

    serbian Member

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    Mar 25, 2015
    Sorry to hear that OPC has not helped you. But, it makes no harm, why don't try for some more time?
     
  18. Santa

    Santa Member

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    Lessa2

    I give credit to my improvement to a combo of valacyclovir and OPC.
     
  19. LessA2

    LessA2 New Member

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    Dec 1, 2014
    I guess I will stick with it a while longer after all. I did try valacyclovir, 3g/day for 6 weeks, no change at all. I would have thought at that high a dose, it would have done something if it was going to. You think it's something about the valacyclovir and OPC that makes them work better together? Or that they have different effects and you need both? Honestly I'm confused about this because I would think that if the disease has a viral cause, and the antiviral is effective against it, then the antiviral would be all you'd need...
     
  20. Vicki

    Vicki Guest

    Not all Meniere's is caused by a virus and even if it is about 10% of people with MM according to a study I posted may have a mutant form of the virus in which an antiviral will not help. I hope that is not the case for you.
     

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