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Triggers

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by Susan Weaver, May 24, 2019.

  1. Susan Weaver

    Susan Weaver New Member

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    HI all - I am going to post two questions in two separate threads. This question is about triggers. Given the on again off again nature of this condition, it does seem that "something" triggers it but how do we figure it out?. Here are my own observations:

    1. Salt/sugar in my diet - how is this a trigger when I can go two years without an episode and then suddenly have one? I went on a cruise in July of 2018 and ate food I don't normally eat that contained more sodium and sugar than I ever have and drank at least one or two drinks per day which is more than usual and did not have an attack. In fact, since the cruise it has been 10 months between attacks. So do I conclude salt/sugar n my diet plays no role?

    2. Allergies - this may be more of my trigger than food. One very definitive attack occurred within hours of the field in front of my house being hayed in June of 2018. However, how is it that I could go two years with no attacks, and they certainly hayed the field the previous two summers? All my attacks thus far have been in April, May or June or August-November - both allergy seasons for me. I have documented allergies to all things trees, grass, pollen and house pets but have no allergy symptoms like hay fever, etc. Is it my dog? I've had dogs 30 years? If its allergies why does it come and go?

    3. Stress - this is really hard to figure out. I've had stressful periods since I got this condition and no attacks and then some attacks might follow stress - so is it stress?

    I'd like to hear from some people about how they have identified triggers. All my attacks come on gradually so nothing so helpful as a "trigger" happens and then an attack comes on.
     
  2. zotjen

    zotjen Member

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    Susan, you identify your triggers by trial and error. You are correct in that what affects one person might not affect another (e.g. sodium). Stress, particularly stress at work, is a trigger for me. However that just affects my ear in that my tinnitus increases. Whenever I had a vertigo attack, I have no idea what triggered it. I think it's safe to say that for some people there are no triggers. It just happens. I don' think there necessarily needs to be a trigger to cause an attack. There may be others who disagree. I'm sure it's also possible for some people to have triggers but for whatever reason, can't be identified.
     
  3. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    Susan
    I agree that for me triggers are nebulous. I had a 3 year spontaneous remission, with the only difference being I’d quit a very stressful job. So I attributed that to my “cure”.

    I went through other stressful things, wasn’t particularly careful with salt, lived in the same shitty barometric hellzone, drank coffee and wine during that time.

    Then it came back with a vengeance.

    Now, once my vertigo is flared up, it does seem more prevalent when our barometric pressure is dropping quickly, when I have hormonal hot flashes, and if I over indulge in restaurant food. Noisy and visually stimulating places are tough and triggery. Often the last straw before a vertigo is rushing back and forth (eg kitchen work), having my neck bent over a book or phone etc - but maybe these too are false associations, and just common activities.

    I’ve had vertigo attacks in the middle of the night (not rolling over), getting dressed, in the shower, on walks, on the couch watching tv, eating at home and restaurants, in the sun, indoors, on booze, off booze etc etc, during massage or acupuncture, on antivirals, on B vitamins, joh, allergy season, not allergy season, on antihistamines, on Migraine elimination diet and migraine prevention drugs etc etc.

    I know this isn’t too optimistic. Others have found more consistent triggers. But for me, accepting this reality has been a long hard road of hopes dashed... Acceptance is now my most useful ally to combat my fears and move on to other treatments.
     
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  4. Clare

    Clare Active Member

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    I've followed almost the same pattern as Anne, ultimately settling into acceptance and getting a laby when the vertigo made life not worth living. I do have a couple of variations, however, starting with genetics. My father had Meniere's, and I think there is a genetic component to mine. However, I am also an identical twin (we were part of the Minnesota Twin Study on nature/nurture), but my twin has never had any MM symptoms. Like so many findings in the Twin Study, I believe there is a genetic predisposition that get switched on for some people during life, and not for others.

    My theory about stress is that it releases cortisol hormone which weakens our normal defenses and makes us more susceptible to illness. With Menieres, once it gets set off it creates more anxiety which produces more cortisol, and we find ourselves augured into a flare-up phase that can last for months. During a flare-up period I am more sensitive to sodium than during a remission period.

    Spring and fall seem to be more sensitive seasons than summer and winter for a lot of us. Many of us are affected by the barometric swings, and perhaps there is also more ambient stress during these periods where our daily activities switch with the seasons.

    I've been tested for allergies and don't have any; however, it makes sense that when the body is fighting allergens it has less defense against other assaults, particularly when also hit with jolts of cortisol. Possibly viral overloads affect us similarly.
     
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  5. California Sun

    California Sun Active Member

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    I am very long term in dealing with this monster. Right ear since 1971, left ear since 1993. I had shunt surgeries in 1974 and 1993. In all that time, the only trigger for Meniere's symptoms in general I have ever noticed is stress and drastic weather/barometric pressure changes. As far the severe vertigo, the shunt surgeries ended that--so far--but prior to that, I noticed that the worst vertigo attacks seemed to happen while I was sleeping, so maybe lying down was a trigger. Other than that, I never noticed anything specifically.
     
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  6. Rgv

    Rgv Member

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    Hi Susan,
    For me, its salt and stress that trigger
    Even slight stress, then dizziness/ brain fog follow immediately. Too much salt and next day, im done.
    I had to stop coaching HS softball a week ago because the adrenaline put me in brain fog every day. To this day, those brain fog episodes really set me back mentally. I'm just not right.
    I guess everyone is different. Good luck
     
  7. Susan Weaver

    Susan Weaver New Member

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    Thank you all who are sharing experiences. I appreciate your insights into this frustrating syndrome/disease. This is not a "club" I ever wanted to be in, but everyone here is so helpful, encouraging and honest and I appreciate it so much. This is a great site with wonderful people.
     
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  8. Robert Wilson

    Robert Wilson Member

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    I have migraine-like triggers. It is really difficult to ascertain how much of what might cause an attack, I think in part because there are so many factors. But allergies, stress/sleep deprivation, and dietary triggers are all certainly involved. Sometimes, I feel like I have a lot of margin and can get away with a lot. Sometimes, I feel like no matter what I do I'm on the edge of trouble. This could be because of things outside of my control (weather, allergies), but it could also be because there is a viral component (guess) and at different times it is just stronger.
     
  9. Dario

    Dario Member

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  10. Dario

    Dario Member

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    Hi Susan, my MD experience is very similar to yours. I have only ever had 3 attacks and they appear to be about 6 months apart. I was only diagnosed after my third attack but after my first and second (not knowing what it was) I just continued with my normal everyday life. My everyday life consisted of adding salt to absolutely everything, drinking lots of alcohol, having about 4 coffees a day and smoking quite a few cigarettes a day too. How could it be that I was fine for approx 6 months at a time when everything I have stated above are known to be triggers. I still don't know what does it for me. My last attack was on 23 Feb and although I have been slightly unbalanced since then I seem to be doing quite ok. Since being diagnosed I have definitely eliminated as much sodium as possible, cut down heavily on my smoking, am down to 1 coffee per day and have also cut back on the drinking. I am on the Betahistine and also on the vitamin B5/6 combo. Let's see how it all goes but I still cant put my finger on it to be honest. This is a very strange disease that appears to have a mind of its own - there doesn't appear to be any right or wrong. Maybe it does just come and go as and when with no apparent triggers ....who can say!
     
  11. June-

    June- Well-Known Member

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    Your allergy may manifest itself most in your ears. Mine did. Dr derebery at House Ear did testing and shots that made a great difference to me. Hay, straw, whole wheat flour in the air while making bread ... these were big ones to me. I al so responded to anti virals. The two together did the trick for me. A third trigger seemed to be barometric pressure and elevation. This is no longer an issue for me.
     
  12. Jimii

    Jimii Member

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    Susan,

    I may be unusual, but I have only had two vertigo attacks. MD started for me 18 years ago, and for the most part I ignored it. Both attacks were recent. 4/9 and 4/21. I also feel like it isn't going to happen again.
    I also had a relative with MD, my grandfather.
    I am keeping a medical journal now. For me I don't think I will ever find a trigger.

    Jim
     
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  13. Dario

    Dario Member

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    Thanks for sharing Jim. Have you ever changed your lifestyle or diet since being diagnosed?
     
  14. Jimii

    Jimii Member

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    Dario,

    I actually haven't been diagnosed yet, but have all the classic symptoms now that I have had the vertigo attacks.

    Yes, I have changed my diet radically a few times over the years, not for Meniere's but other things ( I don't want to become my father:)). I am obsessed with trying to keep my weight down, and avoiding diabetes.
    I gave up coffee three years ago (weird heart condition). I went paleo for a year or more. Vegetarian, for quite a while, even vegan for a few weeks. That was hard. Like Susan, I question the sodium trigger thing. Every winter I eat lots of soup. I may go from 4000+ mg one day to 1500 or less another day.

    I've never smoked, and am in good general health, no allergies, no terrible aches and pains. I do like really good beer though. Treehouse and Trillium are in driving distance. At least beer is low in sodium.

    Jim
     
  15. California Sun

    California Sun Active Member

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    My feeling about sodium as a trigger is that it is a trigger for some, but not all. My feeling about the low-sodium diet is that it helps some, but not everyone. If it worked so well, none of us would be suffering. Some people do have a tendency to retain fluid, so it makes sense to me that those people would be the ones who would most likely benefit from it. Since so little is known about this disease, the approaches used to try and control it are all shots in the dark.
     

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