Got dizziness in February 2022, a week after being with friend in hospital who had bad coronavirus infection -- not COVID-19, but somehow she got the OG coronavirus. Never got cold symptoms, just the dizziness. It wasn't spinning, just bad with motion. No nausea. Never that bad. Tests showed normal electrocochleography, but lowered VEMP on one side. Docs said it was vestibular neuritis. 19 months ish later, I vaped a harsh CBD pen, got a mild EVALI, which is cold-like symptoms from the lung injury. Same dizziness occurs. Again, normal electrocochleography, but VEMP on the other side lowered. Dizziness a but worse with brain fog and depersonalization. Again no nausea. Just past few weeks (I'm writing this January 2024) AGAIN, I was near someone sick for a while. Again, got no cold symptoms. But Again, dizziness, much more depersonalization and brain fog. Got better-ish after 2 weeks. Still having symptoms in and out, depending especially on tiredness. Again, no nausea. Only managed to get audiogram and VNG testing so far, tester said "mild assymetry". These past 2 more recent episodes, more lingering symptoms, but the kicker is coffee and stimulants HELP stave the dizziness??? The more awake I am, more sleep I've had, the better I'm doing. Finally, I am getting a decent amount of mild tinnitus a few weeks after this last attack. Is this even Menieres? Both times I got electrocochleography they said I was fine, i.e. no hydrops. I don't feel much pressure in the ears, though at this point I am feeling some. Like, on the one hand, it does seem to conform to a herpes virus opportunistically attacking the nerve when my immune system is weakened. But no hydrops? Can vestibular neuritis recur? Most sources say no based off old shaky data, more recent data says yes a lot of people do get recurrence. There is also "vestibular decompensation"? Could it be cervicogenic? I don't have any strong pain, just a little soreness on ine spot on my neck from doing squats with the bar a few weeks ago. I only ask because the feeling now when I'm bad is extra goofy, like my head wants to turn in two directions at once, shifting in various ways as I move my head. Does Menieres lingering symptoms after attack feel this goofy? Totally weird feelings in head
I would humbly suggest researching doctors that have experience with Menieres and other Vestibular disorders. You may already be doing this. Second and third opinions are a good thing You may be blessed to be living in an area with many specialists. It was tough for me as I travel over the Sierra to see docs in N. California. Not many Menieres cases in Western Nevada, so doctors don't have much experience treating it. My Menieres the first 2 years was very minimal with no vertigo. I continued to eat high sodium, caffeine & nicotine. I worked for the fire service, so tough to operate on 14 day fire assignments with low sodium food and no caffeine. Into my 2nd year, I started experiencing neck pain. Always sore by end of day. Unfortunately I finally started getting the vertigo. I truly believe JOH regimen antiviral (Lysine) has helped me. After seven years of this chaos, I am feeling better. I wish I had pursued the viral cause earlier. Just my 2 cents of info. I will hope and pray you get it figured out! Take care
I would suggest you do some research on Migraine Associated Vertigo (MAV). There is info in the database on this site in the "Info & Coping Strategies" section... I'm not saying it is what you have got but caffeine & lack of sleep as a trigger is what I get as well & I have pretty well narrowed this part down to a MAV symptom not a Meniere's symptom for me who also suffers from Meniere's & at least there are treatments for MAV, for me low caffeine instant coffee & a change to my blood pressure med's pretty well does the trick.
Well, like I said Caffeine actually helps me. And I never had headaches. Also my VEMP numbers lowered during the first 2 attacks (I dunno yet if it happened yet again). Can these migraines actually zap the vestibular nerves? If it is migraines, don't they have a bunch of fancy new anti-migraine medications? Googling it there's even one of these new -umabs. Has a doctor never suggested these? How do they even test for vestibular migraine?
There was no headache involved for me with these migraines (I did suffer from traditional migraines for a while as a late teenager so I know what they can be like)... there was also no testing or anything by my GP... after reading the MAV threads on this site & finding a large number of the symptoms were the same as I got I mentioned it to my GP & she decided it was worth giving a treatment a try & it for sure worked for me (for these particular symptoms)...
To Mark55, you mention you have neck pain-- remember that tight neck muscles can trigger cervical spine misalignment and dizziness.
Been treated by several NUCCA Chiros over the years. First time. Earlier years thought it helped. Last year had 12 sessions. Out of alignment. Held after week 5. Neck still tight and painful even aligned when having Menieres chaos. I have been beat, broke and dragged for 59 years haha! Dad had Menieres, and I think I have a viral component as well. Big thanks and take care.
I found NUCCA chiropractic to be too mild, but Palmer Method chiropractic worked for me. It is also low risk. I also found that inflammation keeping the neck muscles tight had prevented the adjustment from holding, so I switched to a low-inflammation diet, and found a big improvement in adjustments holding to the extent that I barely need to go for chiropractic any more.
I am no doctor, but I've done valtrex since day one (4 months ago) and I am feeling so much better. Hearing is better and Tinnitus is almost gone. How important is your other med?