So my hearing on some days is so distorted, it's very hard for me to understand people. But lately, it seems if I blow through my nose kinds hard, it shifts something, seems like fluid, and the hearing gets much better. But in about 15 seconds, I hear a pop and the hearing gets distorted again. Sometime when I swallow, it will get much worse also. I flew in an airplane lately a couple of times, and once, my hearing got much better, but once, they popped and the hearing got much worse. Is anyone else with meniere's experiencing this. It seems like maybe tubes to relieve the fluid or pressure would help. It's very frustrating when you're talking to smeone, then suddenly you can't understand them
I have experienced all kids of fluctuations but can’t say specifically related to “popping” of ears. Maybe eustachian tube dysfunction?
Yes, I get the popping sound and ear distortion like when on a plane ...often when I am in an attack period. For me, when the popping intensifies, I know I am probably headed for a full blown vertigo attack. I just thought it was part of menieres, but it will be interesting to read what others may post. Bonnie
Yes, but only recently (last 4 months or so when the vertigo attacks started). I have been on the phone only to discover everyone sounds like the adults in a Peanuts special. Sometimes it is almost normal. My pops sound different now. I live at 1000' elevation. Every morning driving down the hill my right ear will pop. I try to blow my nose to fix it, but it never works. Jim
Yes. I used to get that brief relief from distortion . I think it was called valsalva or something. It never lasted. I too thought it meant it was middle ear etc etc. I was wrong at least in my case. What fixed the awful distortion, and it was awful, was antivirals. If you have not tried them, i hope you will. I am assuming you have been diagnoses with either Menieres of Cochlear hydrops when i say the above. If not, of course see an ENT first.
I took acyclovir rxed by family dr for three months had about 60% improvement which was huge for me. Then i went to dr derebery at house ear clinic in LA and took famvir and allergy shots. The famvir i took for months, not years. I took it occasionally after that for a six week period when i had a flare up later. I have not taken antivirals at all for years, maybe six or so years since i took it, i dont know exactly. But the period when i took it steadily was less than a year. I always thought the antivirals did the most for the distortion and tinnitus, the allergy shots, and time seemed to bring back the hearing loss. Good luck. The distortion and relentless LOUD tinnitus was really life spoiling. I hated the autophony most.
June, thanks for the info. I have been reluctant to try antivirals but I have tried just about everything else. From steroid injections, to edolymphatic sac surgery. It all worked for a very short period of time but has come back now in both ears. I was diagnosed with meniere's about 15 years ago, and it was reaffirmed when it moved to the other ear and I was tested again. I'm willing to try anything so I am going to ask my Dr if he will prescribe them for me. Thanks!
June. Who knew to perscribe u the anti virals, was it the ENT or did you read about it online or something?
I read about it here, mentioned to my family doctor. She knew the specialists have given up and she knew i had a recent history of cmv (a herpes virus mono) and she said ‘you know if a mother has cmv, the baby can be born deaf’. She saw little risk with acyclovir and said ‘if you want to try it, i will prescribe it’. It worked about 60% which was huge for me. Then i read dr derebery had rxed antivirals so i went to see her to see what more she knew as it was all new (the use for mm, not the antivirals themselves) to my dr.
Hey June. You gave me the same advice in another post, and today was my yearly physical. I mentioned it to my doctor, and I now have a prescription for Acyclovir. He was originally going to give me something else, but I asked for the Acyclovir. I was told that I could take several pills at once, but I know that you had spread them out over the day. What was your spacing? I figure one when I wake, one before bed and the rest at even intervals.
People on JOH and antivirals: do you take Lysine while take the antivirals? Any opinion on what works better?
No. If you take two things at once, you will not know what worked and if you get side effects you will not know what gave you the side effects. Dont gild the lily, just take the antivirals I would say. They are designed to work stand alone, they did for me. Remember, your ear has been damaged, when the virus is knocked back, the ear will not completely heal all at once. Give it time as long as you are going in the right direction. Down the road, you can tweak your approach if you like.
@snuka, I have the exact same thing you are describing. The whole aural fullness/ear popping thing gets better when I take diuretics. Hygroton worked really well for me. Recently another ENT prescribed Hydrochlorothiazide as it is apparently milder. And so better as a long term solution. It does not seem as effective though.