The Cure for Menieres Attacks

I don't understand the reasoning for castor oil packs behind the ears. The inner ear is encased in rock hard bone. No way is a castor oil pack behind the ear going to draw water out of the inner ear. It doesn't make sense on so many levels. Why does it have to be castor oil if it's in a pack? Couldn't you just use water? How about cooking oil? Nope. Can't get on board with this one.

 

Joney,

Joney, as you go along life with Meniere’s, you need to try whatever makes you confident and happy. Some things will work and others won’t, some things make sense and others don’t BUT that may be just the one that works for you. We are all different, respond differently and have different genetic makeup so do and try whatever you feel comfortable doing. Best wishes in your search!

 

Cheryl - I certainly understand your skepticism. I’m willing to try just about anything. I found the following on How to Make & Use Castor Oil Packs | Wellness Mama. It explains how this could help.

What It Does
Castor oil packs harness the anti-inflammatory and lymph stimulating benefits of castor oil but allow safer external use. From a 1999 study:

With a minimal 2-hour therapy period, this study found that castor oil packs produced a “significant” temporary increase in the number of T-11 cells that increased over a 7 hour period following treatment and then returned to normal levels within 24 hours later.

The T-11 cell increase represents a general boost in the body’s specific defense status. Lymphocytes actively defend the health of the body by forming antibodies against pathogens and their toxins. T-cell lymphocytes originate from bone marrow and the thymus gland as small lymphocytes that identify and kill viruses, fungi, bacteria, and cancer cells. T-11 cell lymphocytes supply a fundamental antibody capability to keep the specific defense system strong.

In short, castor oil packs have been said to help detoxify the liver naturally, support uterine and ovarian health, improve lymphatic circulation, and reduce inflammation.

There aren’t any conclusive studies on the use of castor oil packs externally (though there are some preliminary ones), but a long history of traditional use in many cultures. There is some evidence that it can have a suppressive effect on tumors and a positive effect on arthritiswhen used externally.

Castor oil packs also provide time of quiet relaxation, which also has health benefits, so I thought they were worth a try!

 

Bennyhill, I miss you and wish you would come back to the forum. I have been on B6 - 100mg and B5 - 125mg every morning after breakfast for 40 days and I can say that my Meniere's vertigo attacks have stopped. My tinnitus has greatly reduced to the point that some days I don't even notice it at all. Thank you for your previous posts and sharing your story and your knowledge.

 

Glad to know you are still around!
I have suffered with Meniere’s since August, 2008. Some years were not too bad others have been horrible. I had been episode free for 17 months then on January 4, 2019 I had a severe attack lasting at least 4 hours and the entire next day recovering. I had 11 episodes from Jan. 4 through March 13 about 7 days was the longest time without an attack. Mine lasts from 2-4 hours and then a full day to recover. Some days my tinnitus was almost unbearable. I have definitely surpassed my old attack periods as it has now been almost 6 weeks since the last one. Tonight my tinnitus is about a 2 on a scale of 1-10, ten being the worse. Thanks again for sharing your story!

 

Hey Benny / everyone,

Thanks for your posts about vitamine B and salt intake. It gives me hope!

I started 10 days ago using B5+B6 and paying attention to my salt intake. No improvement yet but for the sake of empirical evidence I will report back after around a month (at least) to let every know how it went.

Cheers

 

My only symptom so far is attacks of temporary hearing loss where sounds are muffled and distorted/fuzzy. No vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus or feeling of fullness of the ear. In a thread I posted yesterday, a forum member said it may be Cochlear Hydrops, which could possibly progress to full Meniere's with vertigo if not treated. Would the B5/B6 regimen be worth trying at this point, or is it only useful if you are having vertigo, tinnitus, etc.?

 

Bennyhill - I have been taking a B Complex for quite some time and wonder if that is sufficient for my B5/B6. The B5 is a little less than what you have suggested and the B6 is over. However, whatever your body doesn't use, you pee out, so that shouldn't make a difference.


Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Capsule
Servings per Container: 60

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value

Thiamin (as thiamin HCI) (B1) 100 mg 6,667%

Riboflavin (as vitamin B2 and 67% riboflavin 5' phospahte (activated B2)) 15 mg 882%

Niacin (as niacinamide and 9% inositol hexaniacinate (no-flush niacin)) 110 mg 550%

Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCI and 5% pyridoxal 5' phosphate (acitivaed B6) 200 mg 10,000%

Folate (as Metafolin®, L-5-MTHF) 400 mcg 100%

Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin, 30% adenosylcobalamin and 30% hydroxycobalamin HCI) 1000 mcg 16,667%

Biotin 400 mcg 133%

Pantothenic Acid (as calcium pantothenante) (B5) 100 mg 1,000%

Choline Bitartrate 30 mg *

Inositol 25 mg *

 

Keep us posted. My only symptom has been ear fullness since Narch 4 when I had a middle ear infection. My ENT thinks the infection spread to my inner ear and that I have hydrops. He has put me on bumex which oddly enough can cause tinnitus. Yes.. seems I have s little of that go on now as well. Plus, I have noticed I seem s little clumsy!! I am afraid my ENT is right. He is sending me to a Neurotologist. So... we shall see! I am awfully tired of this clogged up feeling!! It’s been constant for 10 weeks. I need encouragement!!

 

Been a while. So I’ve stuck with the b5/b6 regiment, with added 200mg mag citrate 2x daily. I’ve seen ups and downs as far as tinnitus and fullness and some passing dizziness, but I haven’t had vertigo attacks. I think my big triggers can still trigger the fullness and bad tinnitus, but this combo of supplements keeps it under control otherwise. My triggers are lack of sleep, stress, anxiety, missing meals or not eating at similar times everyday and overexertion. I also recently started 25mg a day cbd oil which he,ps with the stress and anxiety factor.

 

Bennyhill- would also like to add that I did go out and get additional, separate B5 and B6...although I could not get them in the exact dosages you suggest, so that meant splitting capsules, which wasn’t easy. Also, I felt like the B complex has a lot more of the B vitamins I could use. I’m hoping I can continue with this.

 

Just wanted everyone to know that I tried the B5+B6 supplements (and paying attention to salt intake) for a month and I have seen no improvements in any MD symptoms.

In fact, my symptoms actually stuck around for the longest period of time. Last whole month has been terrible for me with almost no brakes in vertigo nor tinnitus and some extreme tinnitus a few days after waking up.

Talking to my new ENT (who was not at all helpful nor empathic) he did not give me the chance to discuss dietary changes or vitamines and gave me three months of Betahistine. I will try this out for the full period and post an update on the forums.

Good luck everyone!

 

This is the first time I've ever heard of this so am trying it. I've dealt with Meniere's for decades. I don't have much hope that it will help, but I figured it's worth a try. This latest episode started in mid-February and so far hasn't involved any significant balance issues. I've had shunt surgery in both ears many years ago (1974 and 1993) which so far has helped with that. I have continued to have problems with the more recent ear in regards to the other symptoms. After a 5-year complete remission I have had a lot of problems the last couple of years, wit periods of complete remission lasting a few months. Even after all these years I have to find anything that helps. The symptoms are bad enough that they disrupt my life and I can't do what I want and need to do and can't function well. I am always tired, even though I get enough sleep.

About 10 days in taking the B5/B6 I started feeling much better. The symptoms were still there but at a much lower level. This lasted for 4 or 5 days then yesterday I woke up with that horrible blocked feeling and the hearing in that ear mostly gone. This happened after a drastic weather change. Drastic weather/barometric changes and stress are the only triggers I have ever identified after all these years. Today I am having very loud tinnitus but a lot of the blocked feeling is gone and some of the hearing has returned. In any case, I am going to give this a fair try, a couple of months at least and see what happens. I will come back and edit this post after I have done that.

100 mg B6 is available pretty much everywhere. The only Pantothenic acid I was able to find was 500 mg capsules, which obviously can't be divided. I did find 250 mg caplets online which I am cutting in half.

 

1974...holy cow!! I am not to good at math but I think that means you had the shunt surgery 45 years ago.

I was diagnosed at 28 and had the shunt at 37 years old. I would love to hear more about your life story and you were able to manage this disease for almost 5 decades. That is pretty amazing!!

If you get a chance please give me (and many others) some advice for the next 40 years. Thanks for sharing!!!

 

I’ve been taking a B vitamin complex capsule. I see that there’s a 500mg timed release B6 tablet made by Source Naturals. Does anyone have an opinion on timed release B6? It seems to me that it would be better choice overall since B6 is water soluble.

 

I, too, was wondering if a multi-vitamin that has all the usual B-complex components wouldn't also help? I already take one that has the following: 2.55 mg riboflavin, 30 mg niacin, 4 mg B6, 24 mcg B12. Or aren't these dosages sufficient? The % DIV is listed as well over 100% for all of them (?)