My Story (Going Bilateral?).

A little Christmas update. I’ve been on some of joh, and valtrex, and using TheraSpecs in fluorescent lighting, all for about 2 weeks. I got Daith piercing 1 week ago. I had been having vertigo every 2-3 days all fall, and was getting clicking and tinnitus in my good ear. I’m now about 10 days without a full on vertigo. I’m dysequilibrated, and often feel like a vertigo might happen but so far if I stop what I’m doing, sit with an ice pack on my neck, and maybe take some Advil or clonazepam... so far this is much better. In spite of 3 weeks of chinook winds!

I noticed a weird thing - laughing or straining to poop - something about the pressure that creates - makes me feel like I’m tipping over. It’s not new, but I’m just more conscious of all these things, as I look for signs of improvement.

 

Bummer about the attacks and ent visit. I’ve had the longer and shorter vertigos too. Either length can be mild or violent, gradual or sudden onset. The sudden violent ones are the scariest. The long ones are death- wish provoking. I’m always relieved when one is short.

I’m one with definite Menieres, and definite migraine, and I think they now overlap.

Being concerned about going bilateral... worry won’t get us anywhere, but take whatever action we see fit. I personally haven’t tried diuretics because already my blood pressure is low. Hopefully some others here can help you out.

 

Hey it's Peter here answering the question about diuretic. I've been taking 50mg htz for six years now for meniers disease. I think it might help some but not like ide wish. I really don't like the stuff because it makes you drink water non stop. Summers here in North Carolina are hot to, so it's like water in take is non stop on that medicine. I don't think it would hurt to give it a try though. Just be ready to carry water with you.

 

jusaiyan; Nope, don't go back to that ENT. This is weird because you do not get dizzy with movement like I do, or when laying down and turning my head. But, I do get momentary micro vertigo attacks if I stare at something to hard and up close. Maybe eye muscles can trigger a micro by just being extra stimulated somehow? My micro's are just like yours, but not 20 seconds, more like 10. I am due for balnce testint at a local hospital physical therapy unit. Your ENT should have also recommended an MRI also like mine did.

 

jusaiyan; I also think tinnitus is somehow linked-in with vision because when my eyes are tired or strained, and if I shut them hard, I GET A VERY LOUD SOUNDBURST of tinnitus for a moment. Also when my eyes get strained and i move them fast, i get micro vertigo.

 

Well, I just got my hearing test back, and I'm pretty sure it means I'm bilateral. My right ear is the bad one. I went through a few months of frequent vertigos, including those sudden brutal ones which may make me lose my driver's licence, last spring and fall, and started to get tinnitus and that weird click/deep tock tock occasionally in the left (good) ear.

My hearing test is mostly the same as a few years ago, except for decreased word recognition on the right (bad), AND left ear normal limits but a "mild sensorineural hearing loss" in the lower frequencies."

So, sh&t.

I guess I won't know for sure until I do the nasty vestib tests again...

I've put in a request for info and communication with the House Ear Clinic, and will see my gp here Calgary next week to get referred back to Calgary's vestib clinic (Dr. Beth lange) - which will probably take many months. She doesn't communicate so well, so it might be worth the $$$ and travel to get a top notch opinion. I'm inclined to get both sides fixed, whatever that means.

I'll keep doing my research, especially on this website. Advice, observations, etc are very welcome. I'm so grateful for all you warriors here, sharing info and wisdom and experience.

 

I'm happy to hear that it's less likely to have MD in both ears if over 40 when it started. I was 62 when mine started, am 66 now, and now have tinnitus and some (moderate) hearing loss in my good ear at 8000 hz. I've been thinking it's moving to my good ear but maybe it's just age related loss in that ear. I count my blessings that I was not young when this started.

 

I'm happy to hear that it's less likely to have MD in both ears if over 40 when it started. I was 62 when mine started, am 66 now, and now have tinnitus and some (moderate) hearing loss in my good ear at 8000 hz. I've been thinking it's moving to my good ear but maybe it's just age related loss in that ear. I count my blessings that I was not young when this started.

 

Anne I am so sorry to hear you are struggling. Have you undergone any invasive procedures? There is a remedy out there for you, it just needs to be found. Thinking of you! Stay strong

 

No invasive procedures yet but I’m ready now.

 

I had EDB done . There is a doctor in Canada ( forgot his name ) who stared it all a few years ago. He has been very successful from what I know. Perhaps worth investing. Just a thought. Stay strong Anne!!!!

 

What’s EDB? If you remember the doctors name let me know. What city?

 

Never mind - I found the EDB info in another stream. Thanks!

 

Anne, before I had my laby, word recognition in my bad ear had dropped to 4% at 100db. I don't know how I would have evaluated destructive treatment if my hearing had been better and there was more to lose. It's great to be rid of the vertigo, but the loss of hearing has a huge social impact. If I had a choice, I wouldn't give it up without a big upside. Single sided deafness makes it difficult to be in situations with more than a couple of people, or where there's background noise or music. Scratch the restaurants and bars and big events. It is very isolating, and I think that should be carefully considered as one thinks about destructive treatments. However, if vertigo attacks are so frequent and debilitating that one is housebound and in constant fear, some loss of hearing may be a worthy sacrifice. Fortunately or unfortunately, my useable hearing was pretty much gone, so the laby had only upside benefits in getting rid of the vertigo. I'm so grateful to have had it; nonetheless, I still grieve the progressive hearing loss of Meniere's and how it has changed my social life.