Do you get warning signs before an attack? As with everything else about this disease everyone has different experiences. It took me awhile to put together what mine are as I was so focused on the attack itself. I'll start to feel hot especially in the back of my neck. Like a flush. Usually the tinnitus picks up. I usually also have that uh-oh moment. Other times it hits with no warning at all.
This is so familiar and yes, warning signs are always there for me. They usually get easier to recognise the longer you have it but do not always come on in the same manner. Sometimes I get the fog first or the fullness will increase with tinnitus, or it goes straight to vertigo and hugging to floor. With years of practice now and also having the unfortunate benefit of watching and learning off my wife who also has Menieres for 5 years longer than I, taught me what to do and watch for. What we have found is to get to the ground as soon as you start feeling anything coming on, whether its fog, cognition issues, headache, nausea, it doesn't matter get to the couch or the bed and just relax. This alone seems to stop most attacks. I truely hope this helps in some manner : ) The key is to relax and get whatever stress is bothering you out of your head, even if it's the Meniere's itself that is what is on your mind. Medical evidence has shown that learning to relax is the most important component of dealing with Meniere's as stress is a serious precursor to Meniere's and is often the reason most develop it in the first place. As it is also a trigger for attacks the importance of relaxation should be the number one priority when dealing with reducing the effects and duration of attacks.
I didn't realize that both you and your wife have Menieres. It's good to have someone close to you that knows what you're going through and can help and is supportive. In that you're fortunate. On the other hand, I'm so sorry you both are afflicted with this. I thought this kind of thread would help newbies recognize the signs and help them deal better with an attack. Thanx for sharing.
I do get a warning. Usually my vision gets blurred off and on and I feel uneasy on my feet. Like when I walk it feels strange. If I turn my head, the room doesn't come with me. Once the eye fluttering starts the vertigo is right behind it.
I do not get any warning signs unfortunately. It just hits me out of nowhere. I usually know when I will not have attack, I.e. Little to no Tinnitus, but cannot predict when I will gave one. My tinnitus is very loud 80 percent of the time.
Newbie to the group, but not the disease (I'm bi-lat, been dx for 9 years, 2 as bi-lat and I have 85% hearing loss on one side and 65% on the other...) I don't seem to have any warning signs other than cold sweats after a minor attack, but I do notice I get more attacks the closer to my time of the month, when the weather is being crazy.
There's always the fatigue from having the attack but yes I have felt well in between attacks. How about you?
For the most part yes. It takes me a day or two to recuperate from the bad ones but then I'm ok usually.
Interesting, I generally feel bad 80 percent of the time. The tinnitus and aural fullness is worse between attacks for me. And I feel like I have pre attacks multiple times every day.
I feel bad for months at a time with severe attacks sprinkled In but extremely sick the whole time. I have had a bit of a reprieve since avs. I have always read mm was just episodic, I wonder if the constant dizzy, brain fog, etc is vm or MAV?
I had all of the symptoms all of the time. It got to the point where I couldn't leave the house.mit remained that way until I started the Antivirals. Acyclovir. When that stopped working I was more episodic as opposed to daily. The episodes were minute compared to where I was before. The new antiviral, Valcyclovir, has taken 5-6 weeks but my episodes have mostly stopped. When one hits I know why and to expect it. I work on breathing through it. If I nap when I get up its gone. And either I'm going senile or the brain fog is permanent.
When I feel pressure in my right ear I know I will have vertigo within 30 seconds. With my drop attacks there was no warning at all.
Bea - how are your attacks now? Do you still spin and vomit? You said they were better since being on AV even though you still have them.
Hi! Thanx for asking. I was hitting an even keel. I probably would have stayed there had it not been for some extremely serious family issues all occurring at the same time. That being said, the attacks are intermittent and not as vicious as before. I did have one last week that had me in the bathroom then requiring assistance to the bed. Now I'm having a serious medical issue but luckily I got an emergency appointment tomorrow. While the family issues were quiet today I will say no vertigo, no episode. Mild tinnitus with these heavy storms rolling through but that's candy compared to the rest. I'm really working on the stress and I received a CD of some wonderful, soft, zen-like music he mixed for me. I'm coping. I'm really, really happy someone asked.