It is to those who have reached this so-called phase, I direct my question. I have late-stage, bilateral Meniere's and have been fighting the Meniere's dragon since October 28, 2004. My triggers are hormones, stress and weather. Since my surgery June 2016, my vertigo lasts about 18 hours. My doctor and I have discussed this "burnout phase", which is never a guarantee and I know that even if I do enter it, I will only lose the vertigo. My question for those who have entered it, did your symptoms get worse before you entered the burnout phase?
Debbie, at the beginning of this year I saw my meniere's doctor for a routine annual checkup. I had gone 9 months without any vertigo, and she thought that maybe it had reached burnout. Beginning a week later, I had over 50 full-spin vertigo attacks lasting > 2 hours -- definitely a worse flare-up than ever before. So it clearly had not yet reached burnout. I've scheduled labyrinthectomy surgery for August 23, which will be 17+ years from my diagnosis. Because of the unpredictable nature of both the attacks and the remission periods, it's hard to judge when the disease has reached burnout. It reminds me of earthquake prediction.
Debbbie, I was dxed with MM in 1997. Between then and 2008 I had two spontaneous remissions from only the vertigo that lasted approx 3 years each. When the MM came back it in 2011 it came back with a vengeance. The vertigo episodes were more severe and lasted much longer than the previous 12 hours. Then it morphed into additional violent mini spins that were only 2 minutes or fewer but boy were they strong. On July 26 , 2008 I had the worst, longest, most debilitating attack of vertigo ever. I was at an outdoor festival and I could not walk . So I endured the public spectacle for hours before I was able to get out of there . That was my last vertigo attack. So in a long answer to your question I do believe that my MM vertigo got worse before I burned out. I sure hope you are nearing burnout. The other symptoms are manageable but that sudden onset vertigo was horrible.
Hello Debbie. Burnout for me came in cycles of various durations until it finally stayed with me thank goodness. Vertigo was not more violent before my hopefully permanent burnout.
Thank y'all for your input. I am finding I am getting worse. Being late-stage bilateral, my vertigo is not as violent as it used to be. After my second surgery June 2016, I lost the vertigo, but kept all other symptoms, for about six months. When it returned, the vertigo was lasting 18 hours instead of 48, however, I had six days of dizzies leading up to the 18 hours. I have noticed changes since about April. I am seeing a possible diminishing of DAs. I say possible as I don't know if it is actually diminishing or I have just acquired the ability to prevent myself from hitting the floor so often. The one thing I was stressing over at first and focused on was how much more difficult it has been for a long while to come fully out of the bouts and recuperate. The doctor agreed that it is a combination of age, fighting for all these years wearing my body out and the Meniere's PTSD triggering my abuse PTSD. After going over this with the doc, I began looking at the other changes. The primary is I am now, no longer having six days of dizzies leading to the vertigo, but I am having what I am calling, mini bouts. These are bouts of full vertigo about the same intensity as my regular monthly vertigo, but lasting only an hour. I lay over on the couch and wait it out instead of medicating. I have had, at times, two a day. I don't have them every day and am now clocking to find the triggers for these. I say this is an indication the Meniere's is worse. My doc did say that I may be one of the few who never see this so-called burnout phase. One doctor has said that I have true Meniere's and the worst case she has ever seen, she does all my Meniere's testing. I was hoping there might be some precedence to indicate I am heading into burnout. I know I will never have full relief as the doc and I discussed last year too much damage has been done and the best I can ever hope for is just no vertigo. I will always have the other symptoms. Thank y'all again.