How has work been affected?

Try antivirals. Specifically, acyclovir, famvir or valtrex. You need a good heft dose and a period of several months. Search this forum for the specifics. They worked for me, they worked for many, though not all. But when they dmwork, it is a miracle. It not 9nly relieves current symptoms, it stops the progression you are seeing. Good luck.

 

Hi Katie. Everyone's different, but I'll share my experience. I had just moved to Austria at the time of left-side Meniere's diagnosis (which was in the US during a visit). While I noticed the mild hearing loss at that time made it a little slower to learn a new language, my work was in English and wasn't affected. I didn't have any significant vertigo attack until I returned to the US 1 1/2 years. I carried valium with me, which was generally effective at quelling an attack but would make me too sleepy to do anything the rest of the day. I reminded myself the attack was temporary and just had to be gotten through with as little motion as possible. I was never unable to drive for extended periods. Back in the US I did freelance work, so I never had an intolerant boss situation (other than myself). The fullness in my ear has been there but not bothersome to me. Tinnitus was sporadic at first and later became constant but didn't affect my ability to think or to work.

 

I also am I a situation where I do freelance work from home. Ménière’s is never ideal, but if there’s an ideal work situation it would be that. For most of the 7 years I’ve dealt with it, it hasn’t affected client deadlines. Recently things have gotten out of control though (vertigo mostly) and I’ve been very lucky to have understanding clients who have been flexible and worked with me. Pre Ménière’s, I worked a more traditional FT job with a boss etc and it would have been much more difficult to maintain the job with the way I’ve felt, the last 8 months especially. With the way these attacks come out of no where, it can be very inconvenient and sometimes, depending on the job, downright hazardous. It’s a real balancing act.

 

I’m a nurse who works part time so I don’t qualify for FMLA
And I have called in sick several times since August 2017 when this nightmare started
My manager is giving me a hard time and is going to start writing me up
I’m planning on leaving Oct 2019 but afraid I may be fired before that
Any advice is welcome
Thank you

 

Lost a couple careers to MM. Quit last job and got on disability. It's a nasty disease.

 

Hi, Katie!

I was diagnosed in May 2017, and began having frequent, severe vertigo attacks in September 2017. They were disruptive enough that I took leave from, and eventually quit, my full-time administrative job as well as two part-time volunteer jobs.
From December 2017 to April 2018, I did very occasional freelance work from home, but mostly focused on regaining the strength and endurance that I lost in those months stuck at home with spins and fatigue. (Yes, my household has debt, and yes, it's gotten worse since I got sick. I was on food stamps for a little while, then temporary disability from my former employer, then state unemployment; I applied for federal disability but was rejected. Alas.)

Since June, I've been working 20 hours a week at a local bookstore: it's a quiet space, has no fluorescent lights, and the job is generally quite low-stress. I applied to an information science graduate school program late last summer, before the worst symptoms hit, but I'm not sure that I'll enroll if I'm accepted; even the part time work is a huge energy drain so far.

Everyone's symptoms are different. This is very silly advice to offer a nursing student, but the best treatment for me, besides sticking to a low-salt diet, has been to listen to my body when it starts to fatigue. If I start to wobble at work, I find somewhere to sit (or lean). I let myself sleep in on days off if I need to, and try not to feel bad about it.

Best of luck, Katie.

 

I used to spin plates in the carnival. I don't do that anymore.

 

Diagnosed in July 2016 and had about a full month where I was in really bad shape (work was definitely affected by attacks and brainfog). I went the antiviral route along with JOH regimen, low salt diet, essentially no caffeine, and after about 6 months I was doing much better. ATM I havent had an attack since a small one in September and my affected ear has been pretty decent in terms of hearing and feeling of fullness. I have multiple doctors on standby for something more extreme if it ever comes to that. So its still early on but so far so good.