Why do these things always happen on holidays when I don't know what to do or who to call? Woke up this morning with such severe ringing in my ear but it wasn't just that it was buzzing/humming/ringing and pulsating so loud as if the blow dryer was on up against my ear. I was laying on my good ear at the time too. I couldn't get comfortable changing positions in bed and trying to see if one over the other would work better. Nope! Nothing! Went downstairs. Nothing helped. I could and stil can feel my pulse in my ear. I've had fullness and ringing in my ear for 1 1/2 weeks and it won't stop, but this is the loudest ever. I started Lysine 3000 mg/day two days ago. I don't know if that has anything to do with this. I took Sudafed because I don't have anything else to take. The loudness is lower but the hissing/humming is still very loud and when I move my head from side to side or even put my finger against my good ear, the buzzing/humming/hissing gets louder. What is this?
Hi Patti I'm sorry that you're feeling lousy. It is common to feel worse for a bit before the effects of antivirals kick in. I would keep on the treatment. Also, see if you can get valacyclovir from your doctor, since many here have better luck with that than JOH or lysine.
How do you get these prescriptions for antivirals? I'm getting a new PCP in January. Until then I'm stuck. Even my new ENT hasn't prescribed anything for me-not even diuretic. I go back to him in February, but I'm going to try to get a sooner appointment.
There are a zillion and two posts on this site about antivirals. http://menieres.org/talk/index.php?topic=1689.0 Search posts by Vicki and search for Dr. Gacek
Patti, The Lysine must be battling with the virus, it happens when someone starts lysine or and AV. They get worse before better. IMO The fact you are getting more symptoms since starting Lysine indicates your MM symptoms are caused by a virus. Antivirals would work faster than lysine in suppressing the virus,but you still may feel worse before better, but believe it or not that's a good sign. BUT Sudafed can be ototoxic and make tinnitus worse, I would recommend finding one that is not ototoxic, like Benadryl or another that others have used on the forums that do not affect the ear.
Yes, I will try to get the antiviral. I see my PCP on 1/13. She is new and this will be our first visit so I don't know how receptive she will be. I also have an ENT appt. in February, but I'm hoping to move that up sooner if I can. Funny you say about Benadryl. When I told a doctor about Sudafed she mentioned she didn't like the side effects, and then I mentioned Benadryl and she was fine with that. I just wish Benadryl didn't make me so tired. Good advice! Thank you!
You're welcome. Benedryl is a vestibular suppressant besides being an antihistamine, so its helpful with Meniere's and MAV. Maybe try half a dose.
Also I just recalled I read somewhere a doctor saying if an antihistamine doesn't make you drowsy it is not crossing the blood brain barrier, which is what we need for it to be effective with us with MM or MAV.
I find taking a children's chewable Benadryl works for me during the day. It not nearly as potent. I also take it as a vestibular suppressant like Vicki says but mainly for allergies.
It happened to me again. All day I felt my ear was a little louder than usual. Last night I was blow drying my hair, and when I turned the blow dryer off, it sounded like it was still on in my ear. The ear once again was pulsating with my pulse. I took a benedryl and layed in bed. I turned the essential oil diffuser on and tried to sleep. When I turned my heard to the left, the sound was worse so I just layed there (propped up) with my head forward. I woke up around midnight and things were better. Today my ear is less full but the tinnitus is still kind of loud. Last Wednesday I went to my chiropractor and after my adjustment my ear drained (not completely). Then a couple hours later my ear got loud (but not as loud as last night or the time before), so I went back to him. He said the fluid was moving around and he did some procedure with tuning forks. This seemed to help and the fullness went away for four days. I'm on JOH and will be starting Vinpocetine tomorrow. The last three days I actually drank 12 8 oz. glasses of water and kept my sodium to under 1,000.
Pattid, my tinnitus this last go round was the worst ever....it was if a freight train was going thru my head I could not hardly work in my office..couldnt use a phone..the secretaries would have to come up to my right ear and talk to me as I couldnt understand them from 2 ' away but after 10 days on antiviral my hearing improved and i could actually enjoy tv again plus as per JOH I upped my lysine dosage. But during this time before the antivirals kicked in i thought i was going to lose my mind so i called my pcp and she prescribed some xanax...first time in my life i have ever taken anything like this but they helped...i would just take 1/2 a tablet a couple of times a day or at nite so i could sleep so when you go see your dr you might request something like that...just to help you until the antiviral kicks in.
I hope my doctor will prescribe an antiviral. I see her next week. I will mention what you said, nroper.
Oh I really feel for you. That loud constant tinnitus is really hard to deal with. I'd call the doctor's office and try to be seen sooner. I can tell you that for me once I started on the anti-virals the tinnitus got much quieter quite quickly. I can't remember now, but I think it was within a day or two. There were some weird noise before it got better. I have rarely had it loud for a prolonged period since, and even then it's not as bad. In the meantime chamomile tea can help with anxiety. Can you avoid using the hair dryer? It is common to have tinnitus get louder when exposed to loud noises. The brain knows that it should be hearing a noise in the bad ear because it is hearing it in the good ear. Once it starts it doesn't stop right away.
I wish I didn't need to blow dry my hair, but my hair is very limp and straight. I've also noticed that the shower is bothering my ear. It's just so loud! I'm praying my doctor will prescribe antivirals. I'm not sure but while looking my doctors name and address up on a website I noticed an ENT doctor with the same last name. This is not a common last name, so I'm wondering if they are married. That would be ironic.
Pattid, during that time of horrible tinnitus i gave up salt, sugar and caffeine..everyone has diff triggers and since i didnt which were mine i tried them all! But vicki and scott tom are correct it gets worse before it gets better. I also walked 5 miles a day....still do as i really believe it helps the blood flow and do as JOH suggests print off the info and take to your pcp before u see him. Good luck and let us know how your visit goes, I really feel for you.
I will let you know. Thank you! Just today I sent a copy of Dr. Gacek's article to my new primary care doctor. I also introduced myself and mentioned I would like to discuss this article with her at my appointment next week. I usually have 800 mg. sodium/day. The days I go out to eat (rarely) it is obviously more. I stopped caffeine and chocolate, and I do minimal sugar. I drink 10-12 8-oz glasses of water per day. I don't exercise like I used to, and I really want to. I used to take Zumba but the studio closed and now I'm too afraid to go to a new place by myself. I know I have to get over that.
I don't know much about loso diets, sodium was never a trigger for me unless I ate a huge amount but I don't care for salt so that rarely happened but 800 mg a day sounds like so little to me. or am I way off base here?
800 is very low! I think mine is around 1200 and i thought that was low. And Vicki i honestly dont think sodium is 1 of my triggers but until i get over the dizziness i will probably stay low sodium just in case.