I am scared. I was really hoping it would never progress to vertigo. It was awful (and obviously you all know that all too well). I am supposed to see a new neurotologist in January but I am going to see if I can be sooner now. A couple questions for you all. Do most people have their ear get clearer after vertigo? Mine is still full as ever. Also, I'm guessing a killer headache is normal afterward, too? I went to sleep right after the attack last night and woke up today with a bad headache. I'm assuming from being so tensed up.
My ear pretty much stays the same before and after a vertigo attack. It varies by person. On a few occasions I ended up with a headache.
sorry to hear about your vertigo, there is absolutely nothing worse. Life with vertigo is no life......but always remember you have options and you do not have to live in hell on earth with your head in a bucket. good luck and always remember, Do no let menieres control your life, you have options!!!
I'm sorry the vertigo got you, RedBird. It really is AWFUL. How long did the attack last for you? I think it varies from person to person so much, it's hard to see any pattern, even within a person. I had bad vertigo attacks early on in 2011, within the first 2 weeks of the other symptoms starting. I had about 5 attacks that year, and after that, they've gotten fewer and farther inbetween. Those early really bad attacks would last 2-3-4 hours and yes my ear felt immensely clear when they were over (had been painfully full leading up to it). I haven't had an attack in quite a while now, but the last handful I did have were much shorter in duration and my ear was no less full after than it was before. My hearing has really taken a dive. I could be wrong but I think that ear has begun burn-out.
Thank you everyone. I really appreciate all of the feedback. My ear is actually feeling clearer now. Clearer than it's been in months. Mustang, I do have TMJ. I have had problems with it since Inwas a kid so definitely something for me to consider. I am also going to bring up the viral theory. I have said this on the forum many times before but I had Bell's Palsy (which is thought to be cause by the herpes virus) twice on my left side. And my left ear is my bad ear. I am convinced it's related. Danni, MAV is something I really want to talk to the doctor about, too. I have strong hormonal links to my symptoms. I also have light sensitivity and auras.
A couple more things I want to add. Last night before the vertigo I got really hot and sweaty, nauseous and very dizzy. I went to lay down and the room started spinning immediately. I jumped out of bed quickly and the spinning stopped but I was still dizzy and nauseous. I paced around the house for a while, afraid to stop moving. My husband convinced me to lay down again and then the room started spinning again. Is that typical of Meniere's vertigo to get worse when lying down? Also, my good ear started popping like crazy during the vertigo which I thought was odd.
I get veey similar with my mav,the popping ear sounds like eustachian tube dysfunction to me but i know an awful lot of mav sufferers suffer from their ears popping as one of their symptoms.Can i ask in the ear you have CH can you "pop" it?? Xx
Both of my ears pop constantly but in my bad ear it does not relieve the pressure or fullness feeling.
Thats what i get alos(with mav) intense 1 sided ear pressure with roaring tinnitus) like you,popping doesnt relieve the pressure at all.Funnily enough i saw my dr today and he said theyre just starting tounderstand migraine is affecting so much,he said when i have my ear episodes as i call them lol thats migraine attacking my inner ear(also i get facial pressure numbness and he says thats migraine attacking my facial nerve).He said theres a really grey area where migraine mimics menieres. Really hope you get your answers soon,will keep following xxxx
Thank you so much for all of your input, Danni. For a while I was convinced that I actually had MAV instead of Meniere's. About a year after I had my first baby I started taking 10mg of Prozac for depression, about 4-5 weeks later my ear felt so much better! It continued to feel better and then I got pregnant with my second baby. I felt great throughout the pregnancy but just like the first time I started feeling awful again about 3-4 weeks postpartum. I am on a higher dose of Prozac now (20 mg) for about two months so far and no improvement. So I am a bit confused.
I have found that at least letting the doctor know how miserable your vertigo has become can get you in sooner. I literally begged, and told the secretary that I know patients with more urgent issues going on can be worked in, even with a busy schedule and then say 'please' see if that can be worked out. It did for me. Good luck!
Thank you, yanksgirl. I tried calling when I had the vertigo 2 weeks ago, telling them how freaked out I was and they said they couldn't fit me in until my appointment in January. I did have a migraine with aura yesterday. It makes me wonder even more about MAV. Could the migraine have brought on my ear fullness? I had a pounding headache along with visual disturbances (squiggly lines, bright spots, light sensitivity).
Red bird, I'm sorry you're suffering. I've had everything you describe. I'm Menieres bilateral. I'm taking antiviral snow and they have helped. I really dislike waiting for Dr appointments. I also had the visual disturbances. The sweating and nausea and vomiting. When it's subsiding I get very cold. I hope you get in sooner.
It could have. I know many here who do have that along with the Meniere's. I'm not sure if I do or not. Rarely get migraines--not since my younger days. But--my neuro-ent put me on Prednisone and it caused my b/p to spike and I got horrible migraines 3 days in a row--ended up in the E.R. 3 times for b/p control and pain control of the migraines---no vertigo occurred though. I was weaning off the Prednisone. Dr. said no other patient of his had that happen. But--the E.R. said Migraines can occur due to elevated b/p from the effects of Prednisone. So, patients are different. Just a bit of fyi on top of your vertigo situation. I'm sorry you can't get in sooner. Hope you told them to please put you on a cancellation list to 'move up' your appt. I have done that a few times too. Do hope you are vertigo free and migraine free until your appt. Let us know.
The type of vertigo you describe sounds very much like positional vertigo, known as BPPV. I get this a lot with vestibular migraine (I don't have typical Menieres). BPPV can be treated using the Epley maneuver. Last time I was lucky enough to be treated using an Omnimax Epley rotating chair, it fixed it straight away without any residual dizziness.
Thanks everyone. This is interesting. Thank you for bringing it up. I did think it was odd that my rotational vertigo would stop and just because dizziness when standing, I hadn't really heard people with Meniere's mentioning that. I thought the rotational vertigo of Meniere's happened no matter if you were standing or lying down. I understand everyone is different though. onehorse, I am curious... do you get ear fullness? I have almost constant ear fullness except it cleared for a while following the vertigo.
Redbird...for years ive had off and on ear fullness to varying degrees evey single day,especially my right ear..my ear episodes as i call them i have sudden drop out of hearing,increasing roaring low tone tinnitus,ear becoming increasingly full of intense pressure and distorting sounds,it lasts for hours..it literlly terrifies me!! It has always happened either before,during or after a migraine and i have now seen 2 ents who are certain its mav.Doesnt it sound like MD though..but no they're certain its mav.I have been referred to neurologist for new meds.It does sound to me like its mav though xx