I have been on the antiviral (Valtrex) for the fourth week now, and I have noticed improvement: 1. Not sleeping 12 hours a day now 2. Morning fog has decreased significantly 3. Hearing is way up especially on the bad ear! (my other ear seems to be the problem now) 4. No long vertigo spells! 5. Short-term dizziness has decreased!!!!! 6. Better able to deal with noise and crowds 7. Hearing distortion has decreased significantly! 8. I want to socialize more now 9. Some music is easier to listen to now! 10. I feel better in the morning. I still have problems: 1. Tinnitus is slightly decreased but still very loud and difficult to deal with 2. I have noticed diarrhea spells since starting the drug--of course not sure of the cause of this 3. Still have trouble with getting dizzy going up stairs and into dark rooms 4. Still having headaches and vision distortions and my hearing also declines briefly 5. Bass still very difficult to listen to. 6. There are some days where I go backwards, but the general movement is in the right direction 7. Ear pain is up. For the first time, I have felt actual traditional old time pain in the ears along with itching. I have not experienced this much in the past. It doesn't bother me. Give me pain over fullness and dizziness any day! Folks I have been in a downward spiral for the last nine months. No improvement, only things getting worse. That has changed. Thanks to those who gave me the information on anti-virals. I am praying to God that I improve further so that I can live my life and enjoy again and I include you all in my prayers.
That's good news and I hope you continue to improve! I personally would continue the max dose for a month or so before cutting back. Don't panic if you have a short relapse. It's quite common with AVs, and usually only lasts a few days. The virus has done damage, and it will take awhile for that damage to heal even after the virus has been suppressed.
Jimmy, I am SO happy to hear that! Any progress is good news and that sounds significant. I hope that good progression continues for you!!
Great news, Jimmy! By now I think you have found 3 things for your wellness - antiviral, taking gentle care of your nose (not blow your nose too violently), and optimal sleeping (not too short, not too long). I hope this trend continues. Keep us posted!
Jimmie...I'm very close to reaching my 6th month on antivirals and JOH. It took until about month 4.5-5 for me to start trusting that I'd gotten my life back. and though I'm approaching 6months (in 3 days) I'm going to stay on the high dosage for at least another month. I truly dont want to lose what i"ve gained. I truly hope your course of treatment continues as well as mine has so far. there are still "moment" but NOTHING like what I was living with prior to starting this approach. good luck to you
Jimmy--this 'made my day' hearing that you are doing 'soooo much better!' You had us all sooooo worried about your being so 'down' due to your illness. We understood but were really hoping and praying for some improvement to give you encouragement to hang in there until you got better. Well, though you aren't 'well'--you are well---on the road to healing of your mental state--not matter how things are doing physically. It's soooo good to hear that. Keep on keeping on--you're going to make it and be an encouragement to all of us here too. Yanksgirl
Jimmy, thrilled to hear that you're feeling better. I too think antivirals have drastically improved my life.
Jimmy, so happy to read that you are doing so much better. I hope it continues to get better. Dwayne's question is important. I have been doing well myself lately and I credit the antivirals. However, I started doing well on the Northstar brand generic but quickly began to deteriorate when they switched me to Mylan. Then two more brands didn't seem to be effective. I managed to get back on the Northstar in mid-June and have now been symptom free since 11 July. If you're on generics, please be aware that all generics are not created equal. Best of luck on continued improving health.
An update 8/30/2017: 1. Taking Valtrex. 2. Some things are much better and some things not so good. For the first time in almost eight months I can hear bass again! Not perfectly, but much better. Still having trouble with loud roaring noise. Much better in terms of dealing socially with people. I still get dizzy often. I used a small shower while visiting my parent's house, and almost fell due to dizziness for about 10 minutes, and then it passed. It was as if I couldn't take the walls closing in on me. I still have to watch any sudden movement because I become unbalanced very easily. I did something crazy two days ago. On a trip back home, I listened to my Ipod to Pink and Linda Ronstadt on my truck stereo. I turned the music up because I could finally hear bass with only minor distortion!!! I was so excited I forget about volume!! Now paying for it with horrific tinnitus, headaches, and ear aches....I know that was a stupid thing to do. Still some disorientation yesterday morning due to a week at my parent's house but all in all, not bad. No major brain fog again, thank goodness!!! I hope to God I don't go back to where I was....
Keep hanging tough, Jimmy. I was on antivirals for a few months before I got significantly better. Better days could be ahead for you.
I know exactly what you mean about the bass. I wont detail the before and after because you know it all. But isnt it a miracle. A funny thing. We had hard wood floors put in our house during the time of my initial onset. It was over a year later after av's that i said 'what is that sound?' It was my footsteps on the wood. Just keep appreciating the little things that are hige and doing ehat got you that far.
Stay the course and stay patient. It's a slow healing process. Also, be very careful about your diet and amount of stress. Virus loves stress and arginine.
And watch the caffeine. I am cussing myself right now because i overdid it today and my hearing is reverberating a little. Dumb, dumb, dumb!
I haven't been here for a little while and am sooooo happy to read this!!! Yay!!! Yay for improvement! It is such a miracle. It seems to me that given that the antivirals are working for you that suggests that you do indeed have a viral component. Are you doing lysine, too? I think the double whammy of both the anti-virals at full dose and the lysine (taken on empty stomach) really bashes back those viruses. That helped me get it under control when I had a bad flare up. The good news is that if you can get it under control once, you most probably can again.