Hi, I just signed up for a few personal training sessions to help get in shape since I can't do much anymore in terms of sports. So, he is great but he is having a terrible time understanding MM (even though I have given him a pamphlet). So, I am trying to think of a way to describe it to him. Here goes: Imagine turning on your tv to a static channel then turn up the volume, then stick the tv in your ear 24/7. Then, stick a piece of gum in your ear forever, then to top it off, fill a balloon with water, attach it to a string, and stick it inside your brain forever. That is what my MM feels like every day! So don't push me to go to the gym every day!! Gimme your best description!
Before my laby, my symptoms were pretty much what you describe but I will add to it: I felt as though I was hungover every morning without having any of the fun the night before!!
I would add something like "periods of a sadistic tea cup ride from hell and occasional loosing of ones lunch.
I voted the top one. But I have both just not all the time. Most of the time my head feels like a water balloon but then it gets pain-full and I describe it as being at the bottom of 7ft pool. The tinnitus I have sounds like a band rock concert speaker or low humming.
I explain the vertigo like this: You know those rides at carnivals that spin round and round until you slide up the wall? Then you get off and the world is still spinning? That's just the vertigo.
Redwing, Do you think the laby was worth it. Can you tell me a little more about it? I am thinking about getting it. Thanks.
I thank God everyday for my laby. I am so thankful to being living my normal life once again!! Without a doubt it was the right move for me. I had all the horrible symptoms that comes with meniere's. It wasn't until I developed drop attacks that I realized I needed to do something permanent to end the vertigo and drops. When I was first diagnosed I had pretty good luck with low sodium diet, diuretics and valium. When my symptoms became more regular nothing seemed to help. I never tried anti-virals, my OTO is not a fan. And to be honest with you by the time I went to an OTO my symptoms were so advanced that I was ready to end it. I did try one round of gent and that made everything worse for me. From the time I had my gent shot until my laby I woke up everyday feeling hungover. I had brain fog continuously, my ear felt as though it was 3 times the size it acutally is, my hearing was gone and I continued to have vertigo attacks. I lived like this for another year!! Finally I said I am done, this is no way to live. I scheduled the laby in October of 2012. I can tell you it was the best decision of my life. The only remaining symptom I have is mild, very mild tinnitus. Everything else is gone. I actually hear better now that my good ear is not fighting with my diseased ear to hear sound! So your questions was it worth it absolutely, 100% worth it!!
How do you think I got the nickname BumbleBea? Lol. When your worlds axis is tilting and spinning, you bumble about trying to maintain your balance. Much like watching a bumblebee go from flower to flower!
I wouldn't call that "vertigo" but "just dizzy". If you can stand.....if you aren't helpless on the floor barfing and unable to crawl free of it, then it's vertigo. A person can function while dizzy but is helpless and hopeless and in a complete state of panic with vertigo. If you've never thought you were going to never walk again or ever be able to open your eyes again with out vomiting, then you haven't been there.
To help people understand a good day for me (I'm bilateral) and this also helped the attorney understand to get them to convince the judge I needed disability. Load your iPod (MP3 player) with the sound of a kajillion crickets (when I posted this on my blog I actually had a link so people could download that). Put the earbuds in nice and snug to diminish your hearing and turn up the volume so you can really hear the crickets. Then drink a six-pack of beer or what ever you drink to get a bit inebriated. Now, try to do all those things you usually do.
The feeling of being trapped inside a bubble of fear and feeling a complete disconnect from all of humanity and life itself.
During an episode, it’s like this: Imagine the worst possible flu you’ve ever had, only 1,000 times worse… Your entire body is sweating as though you’ve been left to die in an out of control sauna, your head feels full of wet cement, you cannot open your eyes, and your stomach must surely be empty but you continue to barf repeatedly nonetheless… This goes on for 8 hours or so, then you sleep for a while. Between episodes, you visit doctors and specialists, taking time off from work and hoping for some relief. But the doctors say there is no definitive cause and no specific cure… Take a water pill and avoid salt, they say. Try to avoid stress. All the while, your mm ear rings as though NASA is doing turbine testing inside your head, and you cannot concentrate on the simplest of tasks, often giving up in despair before 10 AM daily. Now imagine you must live with the fear and anticipation of this for the rest of your life.
I always used to hate those attacks when you barf and shit yourself at the same time. Awful, just awful.