I am new to this forum. I contracted Meniere's symptoms in February, 2015. The worst of it is aural fullness, hearing loss in the right ear, and confusion with some vertigo and migraines when I am stressed. All of the usual applications for managing the problem have been addressed. I am living in Mexico currently. It seems I have real variations in aural fullness throughout the day. Could they be from the humidity or the pressure in the air? I feel like a barometer! Also, I am prescribed a drug for ADHD that I have taken for years, along with Acetazolamide, 500mg per day. Has anyone taken ADHD medication with meniere's? It seems that if stress is a factor, then I should try to change this combination. I am concerned about low salt levels, living in a very hot climate. Please, please, please give me some advice or direction. When I get back to the states I will be in Texas, with huge thunder storms. That will surely play havoc with my ears. Today I woke up feeling pretty good, only to go downhill about 11am. Now I am a mess and cannot socialize. I am becoming a hermit! I also hear there is a very good ENT in Houston that I should see. Does anyone have an ENT in Houston that they speak highly about? Does anyone have a nutritionist or homeopath in the Austin area who could check me for allergies? I will do Anything to get better!
Sonomasuz: I have been living with this illness since November of 2016 and it has been and is, pure hell. There is one thing that has improved for me and that is ear fullness. I had a tube placed in my left ear four months ago and use steroid drops three times a day; and I do not have fullness in the left or right ear now. I was to the point of wanting to pull my ears off, with this fullness feeling. Ok, everything else has pretty much turned to crap but fullness is gone. My ENT wants to take the tube out on June 11. I am afraid that the fullness feeling will return--I hope to God not. I have only had four severe vertigo incidences since November, but I am constantly dizzy and have these mini dizzy episodes when I close my eyes, walk up stairs or turn my head rapidly. I use Xanax, Zoloft, and Trazadone to manage depression, confusion, sleep and really bad times, when the roaring and dizziness become unbearable. I know the hermit routine and just a few months ago I was close to a catatonic state. I use to be the life of the party, and now they scare the hell out of me. Even just taking to someone is scary and social settings are difficult. We all are there with you---we won't let you be a hermit. Continue to talk with us.
I always like to focus on what I can do now. Is there anything you can do now to get information or help (besides this forum). Do you have a doctor in Mexico experienced with MM that you can talk to about phasing off your ADHD meds for a trial period? I have ADHD and have tried medications but they make me feel too anxious. Over the years, I have learned a lot of coping strategies for ADHD that really help me with staying focused on tasks and organized. I also started doing a stress-relieving program, Heart Math, which seems to help my stress level. I have read that barometric pressure can affect MM. I live in a hot, dry climate, too. My doctor put me on a diuretic for the MM and I now drink A LOT of water. I am on a low-sodium diet, of course. To ensure that I'm getting enough potassium, I snack on dry, unsalted almonds and other foods high in potassium. If you are at all able, I would encourage you to see a specialist ASAP. I hope you get some relief!
I am effected by air pressure, too. Stormy weather coming in and changes in elevation (especially quickly going down) make my ear feel full, which seems to exacerbate a lot of symptoms. I find this web site helpful for checking the elevation of places I'm thinking of going: http://veloroutes.org/elevation/. I have migraines as well as MM, BPPV, and TMJ also. Anti-viral medication along with the JOH regime has made the biggest difference for me. I have had MM since Dec. 2011. I've developed a lot of ways to make my life easier and address issues. Keeping going forward. You will find solutions to problems that make your life easier and more enjoyable. I'm glad you found us here.
One thing that helps me hugely when I must change elevation are these ear plugs (https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/earplugs/flyfit/). They slow the change of pressure. Even with the ear plugs, I would not go in an airplane anymore. I was getting quite a bit better a few months into this and then went on a cross country plane ride and really have never been the same since. I'm experimenting with train travel now because the elevation changes are gradual.