Hi, wanted to post something I'm new to md. I'm so thankful people pour out their struggles and steps to relief. It helps a lot. I live in a very small town and went to 3 doctors 2 were ent and they said I have no idea. Had to travel hour to neurologist and told him vertigo laying on floor dropped, full ear, dizzy all day, buzz in ear all day one side, nausea, and can't go into supermarkets. He did some testing and this is where I am. I have a feeling my cabinet will be full of things to try.
Hi PHN! So glad you found your way here. You will find some answers to your questions, support and perhaps a few alternative treatment approaches. Unfortunately, none of the classic medication treatments worked for me. The only advice from my original ENT that had a positive result in my MD was low sodium. The supplement regimen called JOH helped me immensely. I just started Valacyclovir this past week to see if it will provide benefit. Many here have been thru most if not all of available treatment regimens with mixed results. I hope you find the answers you seek.
Welcome to the site. Many people find full relief through various methods and then move on with their lives. So don't be discouraged. Try everything.
Welcome to the site. Many people find full relief through various methods and then move on with their lives. So don't be discouraged. Try everything. There are several things that can cause Menieres-like symptoms. You can find an exhaustive list here: http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/index.html You should first have yourself checked for all the possibilities by various specialists. Be sure to get the full workup. For example, without an MRI, you cannot rule out tumors. Without a high-resolution scan, you cannot rule out SCD. There are a a lot of different tests for different things. Get a second and third opinion. A lot of doctors spend less than 10 minutes looking at your file and then make a diagnosis. A lot of folks here have been diagnosed with one thing (e.g. Menieres), only to find out years later they had something else (e.g. MAV). Check your diet. MAV can often be controlled with diet. Viral-related Menieres requires that you control your Arginine-Lysine ratio in foods. A lot of folks have found relief from antivirals. Obviously, this doesn't work for everyone, but for those of us who are viral-related, it works about 90% of the time (this number is based on published data by Dr. Gacek in peer-reviewed journals). This is a good place to start reading about antivirals http://www.mm3admin.co.za/documents/docmanager/6e64f7e1-715e-4fd6-8315-424683839664/00056616.pdf https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/otolaryngology/documents/recoveryofhearinginMeniresusingantiviraltreatment.pdf Many people have found relief from various supplements. The most famous one on this board is JOH. You can find his regimen here: http://www.zoominternet.net/~kcshop/JOH.PDF If you think you might have MAV, read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Headache-David-Buchholz/dp/0761125663/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498501145&sr=8-1&keywords=heal+your+headache There are many other regimens that have worked for others, so be sure to read all the threads on this site. There is a wealth of information here that has been built up over 20 years of experience. Even if nothing works, don't panic, because you can always get a labyrinthectomy, which almost certainly will end your vertigo problems. Just make sure you know which ear is bad and that you're not bilateral (even then, you can laby both ears in a last resort scenario). Lastly, while it's good to listen to your doctor, also listen to your body. You are your best advocate. If you think your doctor isn't giving you the best treatment, get another opinion. Keep searching. Most people who found this site eventually left because they got better. Many of the remaining folks are the really tough cases, so don't panic and assume that you'll be one. Think positive and get started on your journey with both eyes and ears open. Good luck. We're here to help.