For those interested in learning about, and perhaps using my lysine-based Meniere's treatment regimen, the latest, updated version is attached. --John of Ohio
It can take months for antivirals to help? Is that right? I'm not 100% sure I have Meniere's, it has come in attacks that presented more as vestibular neuritis. Once in 2022 on the right ear and then every 2-4 months in the left since October. After the 3rd attack I tried antivirals but stopped them because I didn't tolerate them well (they raise my heart rate and make me nervous). Then like 3 weeks later I noticed workouts were making me WAY too tired. Tried taking them again, maybe didn't take enough, now I'm miserable. Brain fog and easily fatigued. Prednisone is helping for these 2 weeks but I'm worried how bad I'll be once I finish tapering off. Still, I'm not sure I can handle more than 250mg famcyclovir 3 times a day, one with each meal. Should I try to up the dose?
I can't comment or advise on the famcyclovir dose. It's a prescription drug so an MD would have to advise. Same with prednisone. --John of Ohio
Speaking from experience here...after 3 days on valacyclovir the fullness in my head started to subside but it took 6 months till the vertigo ended. My last vertigo episode was October 1st 2019 and I've been vertigo free since then. I continue to take valacyclovir. The take home is it takes time.
Yes, because true lemon bioflavonoids are very difficult now to purchase. There are a number of "bioflavonoid" products, but they have either no lemon bioflavonoids or only small portions. Only true lemon bioflavonoids work for Meniere's; so I no longer list "lemon bioflavonoids" in the regimen description. Experience has shown that the regimen continues to work without the lemon bioflavonoids. The key, most important element of the regimen continues to be the lysine, which disables the herpes viruses that cause the inflammation in the inner ear that directly cause the symptoms. --John of Ohio
Thanks. I've been on the regime for over a month now. I've heard good things about Bioflavonoids from my ENT and hoped that the Natures Life Lemon Bioflavonoid brand would work.
Yes, I removed the methylsulfonylmethane, MSM, because it didn't seem to help suppress or control Meniere's symptoms to any useful degree. At the start of the regimen, when I was devising it by experimenting with things on myself, it seemed that the MSM was useful. But, later, after longer periods on the regimen, it seemed to have little or no effect. So, in all consequent versions of the regimen I've tried to keep it as simple as possible, while still being effective. In all versions, the prime factor giving control of MM symptoms is the lysine, when taken at a sufficient dosage each day, while attending to taking it without food (solely by itself, at least 20 minutes before food, or at least 2hr after a meal). --John of Ohio
Thanks John. That's 2 less pills to take. One question - do you know how effective Pycnogenol might be? Its based on the pine tree. I see a favorable review of it from way back in 2014 but not much since. Again, thanks for your help.
Wonderfully (along with many dozens of others) my regimen has kept me free of Meniere's symptoms now for over a dozen years. The disease took the hearing in my left ear; it's entirely deaf. But, otherwise, (dare I say it; after a dozen or more years?), I'm "cured." --John of Ohio
Yes, there have been reports, mostly from Europe, earlier, that pycnogenol has given various degrees of symptomatic relief for Meniere's. It was one supplement that when I was devising my treatment regimen I wanted to try. But I was unable to procure sufficient quantities of pycnogenol of guaranteed purity, so I never tried it. But, as you discovered, not much information in recent years. --John of Ohio
FWIW, I saw one of those studies, and immediately noticed it was sponsored by an industry group related to the exploitation* of those pine trees *in the economic sense, I don't use that word with any moral connotation
Hi John, I asked my ENT Menieres doctor (great credentials) about Anti-virals. He dismissed them by saying no evidence of virus in ear tissue cadavers with Menieres. I asked him about Vitamins and he said D and B 6-12 are the ones to take. Just FYI. I am taking your regimen by the way.
Does anyone know if lysine helps the general daily “floatiness” and what I call mini drop attacks where it feels like your brain does a somersault real quick and you grab hold of something?
Well, of course, there's no "evidence" of viruses in the inner ear tissues of cadavers of people who had Meniere's. Just who and why would anyone do such a necropsy? It's already presumed by textbook physicians that Meniere's is idiopathic, of unknown or unknowable causes. Viruses are never suspected. But, I've got over a hundred accounts from Meniere's patients who have used my lysine-based Meniere's treatment regimen who report that the regimen stopped their symptoms. Dr. Gacek has similar results with prescribed antiherpetic drugs. The mechanism is clear. Herpes viruses replicating in inner ear tissues cause inflammation there that disrupts normal nerve impulses, confusing the brain's position detecting function; hence, the vertigo. Lysine is cheap, safe, and effective (when properly taken, as described in my regimen write-up). --John of Ohio
They HAVE done the necropsies. The donors who had Meniere's disproportionately have high levels of HSV-1 or other herpesviridae in the ear nerves. Up to statistical significance. This is part of how Gacek came up with his theory. I mean there are lots of people who have similar in the necropsies who didn't have menieres, but still, looking the other way around, selecting out the ones who didnhave menieres, there is more often herpesviridae in those nerves than in the general population. Remember that this is a multifactkrial complicated disease , so why only some people react to the infection this way is more complicated and yet to be known. What is undeniable is that a lot of menieres and vestibular patients get relief from antivirals. Herpesviridae and viruses in general are nasty buggers. Which is why antivirals have also helped women with certain forms of infertility, MS patients, and ME/CFS patients.
Ive been taking 2000mg of Lysine in the middle of the night when I get up to use the bathroom. Not during the day, I should be alright doing that do you think?
The key is to take the lysine in the absence of any food, either being eaten or already in the stomach. None of either of that in the middle of the night. So this should work. --John of Ohio