I have been taking a diuretic since 2010 when my ENT first suspected my fluctuating hearing loss of low sounds, low pitched tinnitus, and occasional vertigo was due to Meniere's, the dizziness increased this past month, and I am in the process of getting the Menniet device, the specialist I saw in May, thinks the Meniet device will help my hearing loss and he thinks I have been affected more with hearing loss than vertigo with the MM. So when the vertigo increased I thought it was the MM, however on 7/10/15 I called my FNP because of the dizziness for 5 days, since it was a Friday, and we live in a small town, and I have a history from other problems she suggested I just go to the ER. so I did and labs showed my sodium level was only 124, and it is supposed to be 136. I had to stay in hospital for 2 days getting sodium through IV and the doctor wants me to go off the diuretic because he thinks that is what caused the sodium loss, I am home now, have not talked to the ENT yet, he is the one that put me on the diuretic, SO TO GET TO THE POINT, DOES ANYONE ELSE TAKE A DIURETIC FOR MM, JUST WONDERING. AND THANK YOU THE ONE THAT STARTED THIS FORUM!
Hi Linda, yes I take 25mg of hydrochlorothiazide once a day for 3 months as prescribed by my Neurologist. What he told me is that some people react favorably to it and get the excess fluid out and their problems goes away. You should always read the pamphlets they give you about a medication if you haven't, in there I saw that it will take excess sodium and water. Chances are you were on a low salt diet for a while coupled with the diuretic, your blood pressure fell low and you got dizzy, just increasing salt a bit in your diet fixes it (they just pumped salt into you). So far I have no seen any difference taking the diuretic but I'm only 1 week and a half into it out of the 3 month period. I really do hope that this helps.
Hi prozeal, hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg was what I was on too, since around 2010, I stopped for a period when I could hear, and then the hearing loss came back and I promised myself I would never stop the hydrochlorothiazide again, You are right when I finally accepted the diagnosis of MM, I went on a low salt diet and a month later is when the dizziness started! However the hydrochlorothiazide never seemed to help again, so maybe I should just do the low sodium diet not both!
Yeah it's probably best to do just one or the other, doing both I'm sure would make you dizzy again. How long did it take you to get your hearing back since you first started taking diuretics in 2010? Did you also take 1 tablet per day?
Hi Linda your sympts sound exactly like mine My problem is mostly with the ear flucuating I'm on the same diuretic it didn't help mucb(I've only Started with mm symptoms since feb15) Dr increased dosage to 50 mg didn't help but my Potassium an sodium dropped after the first Week on the diuretic I do think it makes me dizzy even Though my levels Now are normal, I took it upon myself To take 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 before bed it makes A big difference and I eliminated the other 1/2 so I'm taki g 37.5. I found steriods helped but Feel horrible on them so I went to an infectious Disease dr and got a kenalog 40 1 cc injection It's a steriod that stays on your body for a year I got tremendous relief but still had to watch My diet a bit. Maybe try splitting the diuretic Or taking at night can help good luck to you
Hi Prozeal, I started taking the hydroclorothiazide in 2010, it didn't help my hearing, I also took Lipoflavonoids, after a few months of struggling someone suggested a chiropractor for the tinnitus in my ears, I went to the chiropractor 2 times, and I STARTED HEARING AGAIN! I stopped with the hearing aides, didn't need them, stopped the water pill and the lipoflavonoids for at least one year. Then it all started all over again and this time the chiropractor didn't help after several treatments, I started the water pill again and the lipoflavonoids and vowed I would never stop either again, anyway my hearing has fluctuated off and on, but it is just worse again lately this summer, it was bad 2 summers ago too, I am going to get allergy tested in August. Whenever the hearing goes down, the stress goes up, am not sure which comes first. But anyway I think I am going to try the chiropractor again just for good measure. I hope and pray the hydroclorothiazide works for you. I am just glad when the hearing is better!
Thanks for the warm wishes Linda, I hope it works for me too. That's great that you got relief for a year after doing chiropractors. Ever had an MRI of your head to check for brain stem/spinal cord compression? If there is compression and the chiropractor relieved it maybe that is what had helped. But be careful with chiropractic work when it comes to the head and neck especially when they do the fast jerks and cracks. If you're problem is not Meniere's and a problem of the brain stem or spinal cord being squeezed by misalignment, maybe look into NUCCA (it's chiropractic but very gentle nothing fast). I tried it for my meniere's but it didn't work for me, I'm also going to look into MAV next myself. From what you wrote it seems your hearing acts up more in the summer time, so the allergy testing is a good idea I think. Maybe for the rest of the year there are traces of allergens so you get fluctuations.
Hi Mustang and Prozeal, I am not sure what kind of chiropractor, he does do acupuncture too, he mainly works on my neck which is out of place, he is gentle and kind and is a Christian which means a lot to me. I live in a very small community in the middle of an oil boom, I travel 50 miles to see him. I have had MRI's because I had a benign meningioma brain tumor removed in 2006. I also just had an MRI last Fri when I was in the ER having tests done for dizziness, my plan now is to get a copy of the MRI and take it to him, he has always wanted to see one. Good point my brain is okay!
Diurectic didn't do much for me so haven't taken it for a while. It had no impact on my symptoms at all one way or another. However, when I was first diagnosed I immediately cut my sodium intake and within 2 wks my blood pressure had fallen very low and while I didn't "feel" any impact the dr was concerned so had me go back to normal.
nicmger, how long did you take diuretics before you stopped? Also how long were you prescribed to take it? I take 1 tablet a day for almost 2 weeks now but prescribed to take it for 3 months, so it's very early. I haven't seen any difference but my weight has gone down by 1-2 lbs. This is mostly water weight I'm sure which is the point of the diuretics.
I actually took it for more than 2 yrs. Didn't stop initially even though i didn't see a difference because I was afraid not to take it. Last Sept my prescription ran out so I decided to try without it. I had been taking anti-virals at that time for 5 months and not only had I not had a full vertigo attack, my ear ringing and pressure was improved at least by 95%. If you haven't tried anti-virals I would try to get your doctor to agree to try (at full recommended protocol) for at least 3 months to see if they work for you. Yes my weight fluctuated down when i took the diuretics too. Maybe I need to start them again just for that. LOL
Oh ok 2 years is a long time. I'm happy to hear anti virals are working for you as well as others. It gives me some hope. My doctor is open to prescribe acyclovir already without any problems, he' said he's going to do some research into it as well and to see him in 2 weeks. He said that the antivirals have their own symptoms which don't sound that great. But it seems most of you don't have any symptoms to it?
lol it's not fat loss it's just water loss, water is supposed to be good for us anyway so since it didn't help you it's probably best to keep the water weight
I would like to know what your doc says the antiviral symptoms/side effects are. I have yet to find any side effects from them. I am curious though if anyone else has any effects? I do know that hair loss may be one (because of that thread on here)...
I am ready to try the anti virals! I have an appt. next week and will take the material I found on here, when I had the low sodium, I found out the anti depressant Prozac can also cause sodium loss especially in someone my age, I am 63, the dr in hospital cut it waaaaay back, by Monday and Tuesday I was feeling it and panicked and took the full dose and then got dizzy again! So now am drinking power aide, and I am supposed to be on low sodium, it is a never ending cycle! However good news, I am feeling better today and I am leaving for work in a few minutes, if in emergency, I always have an Ativan! Even though I don't want to become dependent on them. Hope everyone on forum has a good day! I also take tegretol due to simple partial seizures due to a benign brain tumor that was removed in 2006, scar tissue remains which is why they think the seizures have remained, I think tegretol may also cause low sodium too, and mixed with the prozac and diuretic and following low sodium diet zapped me, but I am better now! Next step try the antivirals for tinnitus and hearing loss, Question do the antivirals help with MAV?
I have been taking a diuretic since 2005 when I first saw the doctor. When I was still retaining water he doubled my dose to the maximum daily dosage. I also have Orthostatic Hypotension and the treatment for that is to eat a lot of sodium. My salts are usually low and I have to keep them to a certain level or I pass out. I have learned over the years, since being diagnosed with Meniere's Disease, to eat just enough sodium so it doesn't affect the Orthostatic Hypotension too much and also not so much it causes the spins with the Meniere's Disease. In May, I became so dehydrated from the diuretic even though I was drinking near a gallon of water a day, I ended up in emergency. That doctor took me off the diuretic and potassium. I have now not had them in two months and I still drink lots of water and eliminate it properly. I haven't noticed much of a difference wiht regard to the Meniere's or Orthostatic since I have stopped taking them.
Hi Debbie, thank you for the input, it is probably selfish of me, but it does make me feel better that I am not the only one who has problems with this. I don't feel so alone, there are other people experiencing the same things as me and can understand the problems. Hang in there! And I will too!