In my previous post, I explained I've been dealing with MD relapse since April 2016. During this time I've continued to lose hearing in both ears. However, during the past month, I've developed an extreme sensitivity to noise, even normal conversational tones. I can be feeling "normal"/good through out the day...but as soon as loud sound is introduced I'm sent into an episode or near episode of dizziness/vertigo. My ears seem to resonate/vibrate the sounds in my head, building a sense of uneasiness and dread and subsequent dizziness. I started on anti-virals less than a week ago and have felt general improvement....until I'm introduced to a social situation with two or more individuals. Taking out my hearing aids helps muffle the impact, but the result of this action is further isolation from conversation. Using the telephone, whether home or cell is nearly impossible and also creates the same trigger as face to face conversation. Does anyone have any insight as to what else may be going on?
Hyperacusis is a common symptom. If the antivirals works for you, then that will probably be one of the last things it gets rid of. I'd stay on the max dose for at least a few months or until you find relief.
Thank you for responding Scott. The hearing distortion has been going on for some time now. Music is off pitch and frequently unrecognizable. Watching TV, listening to the radio, or trying to socialize all become uncomfortable. My own voice resonates loudly and with a weird sense of it's sound, let alone conversation with others in even normal tones. All this, and as I mentioned previously, loud sounds send me into nystagmus, full ear pressure and some ear pain depending on the degree of "loud". I've started looking into Superior Semicircular issues as a contributor...but of course, I also have the Meneires, so my symptoms arent quite as clear.
I had the same and was diagnosed with Tullio's at one point. I had to wear earplugs in the shower at one point. Very disconcerting. Hopefully, the antivirals will clear that up as well. Don't reduce dose until you either find relief or several months have passed. Also, get on 3000 mg of lysine daily (on an empty stomach) and avoid high arginine foods.
"avoid fods high in arginine".....such as chicken, red meat, vegetables, seafood?? If so, then what can my diet consist of?
Eat foods that have more lysine than arginine. Btw, this isn't some nonsense invented on this board. Herpes and shingles folks have found this to work long ago. They have the same viral strain. http://www.livestrong.com/article/260536-list-of-foods-high-in-lysine-low-in-arginine/ http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml
I wasnt trying to insinuate it was "nonsense". Please understand, I have been on the Johns Hopkin's MAV diet for 5 months, which is already restrictive and a bit contrary to the foods suggested by the websites you provided. I'm just trying to find my way here. that's all. thank you for your suggestions. I'll start the Lysine.
Sorry, i didn't mean to imply that you said that. But there is a lot of nonsense out there. I was just letting you know this is one of the good ones. Take the lysine on an empty stomach. JOH can explain why.
Yes, the lysine, if taken whenever convenient (usually with food or meals) gets mixed with the other amino acids in the proteins in food. When floating around in the blood with other amino acids, the body takes them all up and connects them together to make body protein: growth of hair, fingernails, muscles, etc. With that, there is little or no free lysine floating in the blood stream that can get absorbed by a herpes virus. So, CRUCIAL, take the lysine at least 20 min. before a meail (an hour would be better), or at least 2hrs after a meal. With this, the lysine is the sole thing in the stomach and small intestine, and it gets absorbed by itself and enters the circulating blood by itself. Then, the lysine is absorbed by the viruses and disrupts their replication. Take the lysine without food, so as to disrupt herpes viruses, not to grow new body proteins (which happens if taken with food). "Yes, but how can I do that?" Simple. Take a gram immediately upon getting up in the morning, at least 20 min before breakfast. Take another gram in the middle of the afternoon, at least two hrs after lunch. Then, finally, take a final gram just before going to bed, at least 2 hrs after the evening meal. If taking 4 grams (4000 mg), take another gram in the middle of the morning, 2 hr after breakfast. --John of Ohio
Yes. Common. For a long time before I lost all my hearing in my non laby ear....everything sounded like metal clanging. Life silverware hitting the floor. Keep up whatever treatment you doc has you on. Some things work for some....not others. There is no one formula. Beware those on this site that imply otherwise. The good news is that you will make it one day at a time. Read and learn. Lots of good material. Hain is one of the better educator physicians with MM. Google his stuff and read it will help you a lot. Good guy too. Peace.
I've had this problem too the past few months. That along with an awful static sound that seems to vibrate with the noise level. I groom dogs and there is a lot of loud barking, clippers running, etc. Drives me mad some days. I put an earplug in that ear and it helps but or course makes hearing harder in an already hearing damaged ear. I'll take the reduced hearing over the noise sensitivity and static though.
I too have extreme sound sensitivity. Not sure what can deal with it, except ear plugs and avoidance. Have seen the best Meniere's doctors everywhere. and in my opinion the very best is Dr. Jennifer Derebery at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, California. But having moved, I have also had great doctors at the University of California-Davis, in Sacramento, California. Bottom line: we are pretty much the f word. I have a cochlear implant in my left ear, hearing around 20-36% on good days in my right, lots of distortion, total disorientation in the dark, attacks like a spinning top sometimes during the day, and tinnitus attacks armies in WWI would envy. You have to get used to your symptoms, even though as we all know they can vary day to day, hour to hour. Learn what you can safely do, and do that. Take whatever meds help. For me, it's alcohol, but then coming from a military family extending over 300 years, I have the alcohol gene, so I can ingest ridiculous amounts to deal with my Menieres with no other ill effects. Not even hangovers. Have never had one, even after a couple of bottles of vodka. Most of you cannot do that. For all of you, and I have not posted for a long time since after moving from Santa Monica, CA to Sacramento, CA my symptoms radically lessened, I have this piece of advice: get an appointment with Dr. Dereberry at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, CA. She gets us like no one else. Her place has unique tests that will tell you how good or bad you are, and calibrate that. You need to see her. She is also incredibly kind and helpful. I mean, I am old and weird and with the greatest wife in the world, I would want to marry her. She is that good, that charming, that helpful, that kind. Spend what it takes to see her. It might save your life, or at least enough of it to make it worth living.