Howdy Everyone! In May of 2017, at the age of 65 and not knowing anything was wrong with me, it struck. Driving down the road my head starting ringing and all of a sudden severe vertigo hit. Luckily I was close to home, got to my front door and had to crawl across the driveway to get inside my home. The vertigo lasted for 12 hours and thoughts of maybe I'm not gonna make it entered my distorted mind. After that it got worse, every 2-3 days saw me crippled with rotational vertigo that would last for 12-14 hours. Ringing in my ears, distorted sounds, loss of hearing, loss of balance even on days with no vertigo, brutal brain fog and pushing the puke bucket across the floor while crawling to the bathroom. Did all the doctor things along with testing and Menieres Disease was the diagnosis. After a couple months the vertigo subsided to about once a week. By October of 2017 I hooked up with the JOH regime, quit coffee, vodka and the salt shaker. Completely changed my diet but the vertigo continued, it was brutal trying to live with this disease. All of 2018 saw me struggle to try and keep going with no end in sight. In February of 2019 tried Benny Hill's B5 & B6 vitamins with no success. Then in March of 2019 got my family doctor to prescribe Valtrex, actually took the generic valacyclovir, and the results were almost immediate. The extreme fullness in my head subsided, tinnitus was greatly reduced, could hear better but after 3 weeks the vertigo returned. By June of 2019 I noticed the vertigo episodes were not as strong, meaning I could now walk with a cane during an episode, even my appetite came back somewhat and another hearing test showed my hearing had improved. I continued taking Valtrex 3 times a day and by early August another hearing test showed improvement along with my voice recognition which went from a dismal 56% to an astounding 100%, but the vertigo continued. Then my bad back got worse and a pinched nerve was sending shooting pains down my leg and the Doc prescribed Prednisone for the pain. It's difficult to know for sure but after 2 stints with Prednisone I noticed my vertigo was improving. Then on October 1st I had another episode of vertigo, which turned out to be the last episode and on October 21st I got a steroid shot in my back (which worked 100% on my leg pain) but really "juiced" me up. It seemed like the steroids had put me over the top and I've not had a vertigo episode since October 1st 2019. I continue taking all of the JOH regime along with Valtrex 3 times a day, I'm to scared to stop anything since I've been vertigo free for almost 9 months now! Many thanks to this Forum, John from Ohio and to all the folks that post on here. My reason for telling this story is to urge everyone to at least try AV. Your mileage may vary but it's worth a shot.
That is good news and thanks for your story. I am reluctant to try them, but I am not in dire straights either. I think in your shoes I would have run, not walked to the surgeon. You didn't and saved your hearing. Jim
Hi PA Cowboy. Happy tonhear that you are getting relief from the anti virals. I think its my next step. Are you still seeing good results from the anti virals and are you still on 3 pills a day or have you scaled it back to one? Thanks for any insight.
Follow up to my original post. It's been 1 year since my last vertigo episode and overall improvement continues with my balance and hearing. While the tinnitus is still there, it is not as bothersome. Anyone who is new to Meniere's should consider trying Valtrex (valacyclovir), it has not worked for everyone but wow, has it been a life saver for me.
Here's what Google has to say. Is there any long term effects from taking Valtrex every day? - Google Search
I am happy to hear you are vertigo free! May or last forever. In the U.K. doctors do not prescribe antivirals unfortunately. I remember ordering AVs from China. I do not know what I was really taking. That’s how desperate I was.
ENT doctors can’t prescribe antivirals, because there is no such protocol for treating MD. But infectologist easily can, because their job is to prescribe antivirals! I easily got a prescription from the first try.
I am not from the UK. My ENT doctor suggested seeing the infectologist in this case. So I went privately to the infectologist with the Gacek research and there was no problem getting the prescription.
Update, it been over 2 years since my last vertigo episode on October 1st 2019. That's 2 years, 1 month and 13 days...and yes I'm so thankful. Every morning starts with 1000 mg of Lysine. Also I continue with the JOH regimen along with Vitamins D3, K, magnesium, gingko, olive leaf extract and a good daily vitamin. And I continue taking 3000 mg of Valacyclovir daily. Just bumping this to the top in case anyone wants to try and duplicate my success. If you haven't tried antiviral drugs, do yourself a favor and give it 6 months. It might work for you too!
So happy about the continued vertigo relief, Pa Cowboy! Aside from permanent damage or tinnitus, how is your relief from episodes of aural fullness, fluctuating hearing, or worsening balance?