I went to see a new ENT on Wednesday. I feel so confident. He is quite sure he can eliminate the vertigo. He has treated many patients with MM successfully. I asked him about antivirals and he knows Dr. Gacek and said that if we need to do antivirals we would. He does not find that is the cause in most cases. I first doing an MRI with contrast. He said if it were viral the nerve would be inflamed and it would show. If there is a acoustic neuroma, he treats with radiation in one treatment and all symptoms are gone. If he uses gent. injection, he uses a low dose which does not destroy hearing. He also does the shunt surgery. Quite honestly I would have never considered any of the above options, but he has so much success. His goal is to stop the vertigo and try to regain some of my hearing. I like the approach that he utilizes in that he does not treat until he knows what he is treating. He also said the neuromas are a lot more common than you would know. He recently treated another surgeon in Phoenix who had a vertigo attack while operating on a patient. He could not get his license back until he was vertigo free. Quite frankly, I am happy to be Lysine free with more freedom in times of eating and more time in the morning to sleep in. I know that has worked for many and I say thank goodness....I tried it for 7 months and no luck. I also feel much better about having the MRI and know what is going on.
I do hope you have success with the 'shunt surgery' if it comes to that. I had that and the 'gent' injection at the same time. No vertigo since 2012. As folks know here, I do have ongoing lightheadedness and imbalance issues but that is 'nothing' compared to the vertigo! Glad you have a doctor who does all this and do wish you success in getting everything addressed.
Ask him why antivirals aren't his FIRST choice after eliminating neuroma or other known cause? Why expensive surgeries and tests instead? Ask him for proof of his "success rate". Be suspicious of doctors that talk about how they can fix something that has stymied world class neurotologists for years. His success rate is probably no better than anyone else. He just wants you to feel confidence in him so he can fleece you. My vertigo is gone. My hearing is fully restored. I have no dizziness. I am 100% back to normal. It is all because of antivirals. I get that they don't work for everyone, but it's sure worth a try before doing any surgeries, etc.