I've been on Acyclovir for two years. It took a good six months before I saw a great improvement. My initial dosage was 400 mg. 3X a day. Now I take two a day as maintenance. Occasionally I'll still have tinnitus and pressure, but no severe vertigo and all that goes with that. About halfway through today I started feeling "off." I had to go to the market. It's hot out and the car was really hot. I got to the market and right away I noticed I was a little off balance. My cognition was off too. I spent twice as much time there because I kept forgetting stuff and where it was. I had a list too. When I got home I had to lay down because I was light sensitive and felt a little nauseous. I slept for two hours. I fell asleep almost immediately. Upon waking I still felt off but a little better. I wore my sunglasses inside because I was still light sensitive. I had tinnitus but when I woke up it eventually stopped. I toke a third dose of antivirals as the Dr. advised. Has anybody had this kind of experience while on the antivirals?
I am always light sensitive, and wear sunglasses all the time outdoors and at times indoors when I need to, I also cant tolerate heat which is why along with other symptoms I believe I have MAV as well as MM. You might also, check out the MAV thread and symptoms. I am on AVs for 1 year and 5 months and at times I need to increase from my maintenance dose which is 400 two times a day to 400 mg 3 times a day. During allergy season, under great stress or lack of sleep and if I am sick.
No, I don't have MAV. But I didn't sleep well, it was hot, and it rained last night. Maybe it was a combination of all that or maybe just a bad day. It's been a long time since I felt this way and it brought back bad memories. I will increase my dosage and see if that does it. Hopefully I'll wake up feeling better Do you also feel cold when this happens? I noticed I did feel really cold and had to get out the furry blanket.
I think being tired from lack of sleep, the weather being hot and rainy are all triggers. When I used to get vertigo attacks, before taking AV's I would sweat and when the spinning stopped but I still could not lift my head off bed yet I would shiver. I hope you feel better today and I hope you are not coming down with something like a virus or cold.
Well it's been an off balance day but no more roaring tinnitus. I noticed that when I took my dog to the groomer that I was still off. Had my husband pick him up. Got nauseous and vomited after dinner. With those lovely stomach pains. Just had a yogurt and that doesn't seem to be bothering me. Not dizzy, just off. Weird. Took an extra dose of antiviral so we will see what tomorrow brings. Thank you, Vicki
Sorry you felt bad today Do you think you have a stomach bug? I had a bad one about a month ago I thought it was my MM because I felt dizzy and nauseas, off balance but it turned out to be a bad stomach virus and there is a lot of that going around. With this stupid disease sometimes it is hard to tell what symptoms are being caused by what I hope tomorrow is a better day for you!
No stomach bug or anything like that. I just got off antibiotics, too. I think this is a mini setback. Just reminds me of how insidious this disease is. I hope I'll feel better tomorrow, too. I've got family coming by. I'm so tired. I know that's a part of it. Good husband let me rest today. All I wanted to do is sleep on and off. I went to the Oto last Wed. Of course this would happen after. Maybe her clearing the wax out of my ears set me off. We could guess forever and never really know. That's the nature of the beast.
I have a question. Has anybody taken antivirals and stopped and still maintain no symptoms or once you start them and get good results, you've had to stay on them?
antivirals never worked for me glad they are working for you...but was a bandied for me wish you best of luck..maybe try taking other meds with it??
a/v's worked for me for a few months and stopped should i continue to take them? they aren't doing anything and i continue to take them? i';ve had short lived success before but the a/v's worked for several months making me think something! was working so confused
Bubblebea I take an antiviral and I'm one of the lucky ones since it works for me. I have also stopped taking them since I don't like being on medication and I certainly don't like being on it long term. However, and it may take a while, but when I've stopped my symptoms have returned. When it's active, my symptoms are more like cochlear hydrops than full blown menieres since I have dizziness rather than the violent vertigo. The fullness, hearing distortion and sensitivity are present as well. So I'm still on the a/v hoping to taper off and eventually rely only on lyzine, but haven't gotten to that point yet.
I am on AV's for almost 1 year and a half and have not gone off them and don't want to unless it causes me a problem. The AV's have totally stopped my vertigo and dizziness. under certain circumstances I need to increase by 1 pill, but then when that situation passes I go back to the 800 mg a day maintenance pill.
Chinook, when you restarted the AV's the second time, did it take you longer than the first time to get your symptoms back under control?
It took me months to see a good difference. As I said I've stayed on them. This is the first time I've had a set back. But I feel okay today. Just going to take it slow. Don't want it back. I'd go back on them. Maybe a higher dose? Ask your Dr. Keep taking it, it does take time. However some people say they didn't work for them like so many other treatments. I guess it's hit or miss. Good luck to you.
It took a combination of antivirals and allergy treatment for me to get complete and lasting relief. I surmise that there were multiple things assaulting my immune system/ear. One was a virus and the other(s) were allergies. So it took two types of treatments to let the ear heal completely. At first I had thought the antivirals 'quit working' but later figured they didnt quit working, they just weren't the only thing that attaccked my ear. In any event the combination worked for me and I have not taken av's for a couple years and not regulary for 5 years or more because I haven needed to. But in the beginning the relief from them was dramatic.
hey june after reading so many of your posts i'm going your route start tomorrow wish me luck will also be taking the higher serc dosage and see what happens hope the shots don't make me feel so bad like the first time
I was extremely allergic to all the airborne allergens off the charts seems like it would have to help wish there was a quicker, easier, way don't really feel like waiting several yrs to see any results
Vicki, I've gone off a couple of times and it usually takes a while but the symptoms have returned both times. The first time it took about the same amount of time after resuming antivirals to get relief. The second time it took longer and I was concerned it would not improve and switched to Valtrex from acyclovir. It was about a week after that change that I felt things improving. I'm not sure if it was due to the change of if it was taking longer this time around. Either way, I hate being on medication with no end in sight so I'm also taking lyzine. But it will be a long time before I switch to just lyzine.
Good luck. You mean allergy shots? Maybe ask your allergist what to expect in the way of symptoms the first month or two so you will know what is normal.
thanks june I doubt my allergist is very aware of menieres and its symptoms so it will be hard to explain but i'll try thanks always