New here and terrified

Hi Robyn!

Welcome! I'm 49 and also suffer from an anxiety disorder though I am apparently high-functioning so not a lot of people know it... but trust me, everyone on here knows the terror and anxiety you are feeling. Not only trying to figure out how to work and raise families and function with this debilitating illness but also, as you point out, reading about all these horrible outcomes for some people - it's hard to remain positive and not fear for what the future will hold. But there are plenty of stories about people who go into remission for 10 years, 20 years, indefinitely..... the key is to find the trick to it for you specifically then remain vigilant.

The good news is that you are "early stage". And with any condition, better outcomes are related to getting early treatments as you know.

I cannot comment on the drugs or what questions to ask of the medical professionals but I'll offer my thoughts otherwise....

Low sodium is important but for most people they need more than that to control this.

There is a lot of evidence (certainly anecdotal on here and I support this theory from my experiences too) that there is a viral component to this, especially the Herpes virus (think cold sores, shingles and chicken pox). That it is to blame. Please read up on these forums on the "John of Ohio Regimen" and give that a good read and the recommended supplements a try. It has helped many.

In addition, consider & research the following:

• Candidiasis (overgrowth of yeast in your gut as a result of taking antibiotics usually)
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Food allergies and food sensitivities - I recommend seeking out an IgG food antibody test through Genova Diagnostics if you are in the States, or LifeLabs version in Canada
• Avoiding foods high in arginine (like nuts) as they promote viral replication
• Taking a high potency B Complex as well as a good multivitamin
• Some of us are also taking supplements such as pycnogenol, glutathione and/or NAC, a new one I recommend called Fucoidan and others - there are a lot of threads in the forums.

Anyway, since you are otherwise healthy and it sounds like you are the type of person willing to put in the work to maintain good health.... I'm pretty confident that your issues can be resolved with some combination of the above approaches.

Let us know how you do!

 

Hi Robyn. Welcome, although I wish you didn't need to be here. I have Meniere's. Had a terrible bout with vertigo in November when the hurricane came through so I, too, find barometric pressures greatly affect my symptoms. I will spare you my story but I did share your concerns with my vestibular physical therapist today. He said it is necessary to induce your symptoms, to some degree, in order to get a good assessment for your treatment. He explained the problem in detail, so the therapist was correct. I know it is terrifying, I hate the thought of vertigo happening, but, as I progress through PT, I see improvement over time and with dedication to doing the exercises. Perhaps your next therapist will be able to provide a detailed explanation to allievate your fears. Hang in there.

 

Hi again.

It sounds to me like the viral component is a for sure in your sufferings!

Regarding the pressure changes: Well, we know that MD is caused by excess fluid in the inner ear (from inflammation or whatnot) but it is not known why. But if the mechanism is the excess fluid then it would stand to reason that atmospheric pressure changes are going to affect the pressure within the ear chambers and that will exacerbate or alleviate symptoms. We all know how pressure changes affect ears with flights (or any scuba divers know). So that would make sense for all of us.

What we are trying to do then is figure out, for each one of us (is often different for everyone), what is causing the inflammation. Hence my original list.

I strongly suggest you look up and print out the John of Ohio regimen and get on it ASAP. Share it with your naturopath as it is well researched, with lots of sound theory behind it and there is absolutely nothing harmful in there. You can raise the concept of antivirals with the ENT and some are receptive and others are not but you can arm yourself with natural antivirals like the Lysine (make sure you are taking 3000mgs + per day to have effect at this point), and feel free to add others like Fucoidan secondarily.

You may also wish to share the following science-based article with him/her: Vertigo and Dizziness - Life Extension

Generally speaking, a vegetarian diet is high in arginine (which competes with Lysine and thus promotes viral replication) given it's dependence on nuts, seeds and legumes for protein (all high in arginine). If you are following a vegetarian diet for health reasons then maybe it's time to rethink as it would be promoting MD rather than good health. I remember being in university and going vegetarian for a year for health and moral reasons, only to feel crappy and only to find out that I actually had IgG antibodies to, and therefore food sensitivities to, most nuts and legumes and especially soy! So it might be the best diet for most people but it was not for me. If you are vegetarian for moral reasons then you'll have to come to some happy medium.

Note too that protein powders are often high in arginine and also look at things you are taking like soy milk and almond milk and things like that which you may not think about when you are avoiding nuts and legumes....

And when I say "high in arginine" I sort of mean foods that are high in arginine and low in lysine. If something is high in both (like beef or other animal proteins) then it is "balanced" and the lysine will antagonize the arginine and all will be well. It's the imbalance that is more a problem.

You mention cheese but I rely heavily on greek yogurt for protein these days. I mix up this banana-avocado-matcha powder-cinnamon-greek yogurt-baby spinach smoothie for breakfast most days and it's the best (super high in potassium). Smoothies are a godsend.

Hope this all makes sense!

 

Oh, and for sure your naturopath can order an IgG Food Sensitivity test for you. It's a real eye-opener!