Severity of vertigo attacks

It's been 3 1/2 years for me, and I have the same question. The two most recent attacks were so much shorter and easier to bounce back from. I have been on a low dose of Sertraline for about a year, anti-virals for two years, and started taking lysine again too. I also take 1000 Vitamin D and magnesium. My hearing has gotten worse over the 3 years, but the vertigo has decreased significantly. Has anyone who has lost their hearing almost completely or completely in one ear experienced no vertigo after? Thanks!

 

I had my first attack about 1-1/2 years ago. Vertigo lasted 2-3 hours. Second attack the following year the same. I fully recovered all hearing and balance after a course of Prednisone and about 2-4 months. During the most recent attacks Vertigo either did not occur or only lasted 45 minutes or less and I did not throw up. I've been on Valacyclovir and Lysine for 3 weeks and have had no Vertigo. However, I do vestibular exercises every morning and if I forget to do them my balance is a little off that day.

My thoughts are that early on the brain manages to adjust and overcome the damage to both hearing and balance mechanisms in the inner ear. At some point the damage is too severe.

 

I had my first attack 3-1/2 years ago, not 1-1/2, sorry for the typo. If you google "vestibular rehab" or "vestibular exercises" a whole slew of web sites and videos will come up. I can't recall exactly what web sites/videos I watched, but here is an example... Vestibular (Balance) Exercises - University of Mississippi Medical Center. and here is another.... Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises | Fact Sheet | Health Information | Brain & Spine Foundation

 

I have had the same experience of each recent episode being so much milder. Also, I had an appointment with yet another doctor last week. She is an Otologist/Neurotologist, and she confirmed what I am experiencing. She actually used the word "burnout" when it comes to my MD. She said that the brain compensates, even though you may feel off balance once in a while. She was not dismissive of taking anti-virals, lysine, or sertraline, and she was overall respectful, professional, and encouraging! She also said to take vitamin B2 (200mg 2x daily) and Magnesium Glycinate (400-500mg 2x daily). The vitamin B2 should not be from a B-complex, but a separate vitamin. This combination is also helpful for vestibular migraine.

I left that office feeling very positive. The previous 3 doctors I had seen in person were not helpful at all, two of them especially. However, I see Dr. Gacek online and he is always helpful and listens.

So, if you are new to this, find what works for you. If possible, change doctors if they don't listen!

 

Don't mean to be bearer of bad news, and it's different for different people, but I was diagnosed with MD in 1998. And I have had the vertigo on and off all these years. I have went years with no spells, thinking it was gone or burned out, but came back. I went deaf in my right ear and hard of hearing in my left. I had the shunt surgery in 2014 and it kept it away for 5 years. Started having spells again in 2019. They would come and go the next couple of years. It got pretty bad again 2021. My wife was having to come and pick me up from work and off the sides of streets. I put in for Disability and got it in 7 months. My ENT thought it should've burned out by now. But I'm having the spells pretty regular again now. I try to do things like normal, like hunting, fishing, walking, depending on how often I'm having the spells. Everytime I've thought I was cured, they come back. But like I said, it's different for everybody. But anyways good luck with your venture with this disease!

 

Yup, don't be afraid to fire a Doctor that doesn't seem to listen.

 

She just said that the vestibular system weakens and "burns out" so it doesn't cause vertigo anymore. It doesn't mean that you won't have other symptoms or that you're "cured", but give me poor hearing over vertigo any day. I am looking into hearing aids, so that is my next step.
Everyone is different, so if something works, I would say stick with it.

 

I recently read about Magnesium and B2 while searching for answers with the return of MD episodes. Thanks for your input on this.

 

This is the 2nd time that I've heard about the use of anti virals. I plan to bring it up to my ENT with the return of MD episodes after a 5-year reprise.
thank you

 

Thanks Susan- Think I came to the conclusion that 'NO-ONE' knows so I'm on my own I'm also my own worse enemy - I don't drink enough water - never have! I'm sure my problems were more related to dehydration than anything else - Fixed that now lol Still take Betahistine every day and loadsa vitamins including B2 and Magnesium Gl. Also saw that Russian cosmonauts take Vinpocetine to combat virtigo in space- I now take that every day too - In summary I now try to address the virtigo/dizzyness and haven't had a virtigo attack for months, although do have dizzy spells which I put down to age and dehydration I think our bodies have an innate inbuilt ability to fix themselves - we just need to help it and be patient. lots of old ppl get dizzy spells and we just need to learn to live with it until our immune sstem kicks into gear. We are all different and the docs like to label everything - Menieres is, a misnomer for dizzyness, I believe. Not sure that helps much but works for me lol.