I have bought myself some Aciclovir anti virals and I am planning to start them today. I haven't consulted my ENT doc ???as I am pretty sure he will not approve; he has not really been much help to me. I am a bit worried about doing it without a doctor's supervision but I hoped someone on here might help me! I am planning to do 800mg x 3 daily for 3 weeks, then all being well, reduce to 2 then 1 daily. I haven't got a lot of symptoms at the moment..... some dizziness and wishy washy feeling in the evenings. I have been much better since starting on the joh regimen, combined with very low salt diet. But I am so scared of it returning that I am determined to get on top of it and am convinced that anti virals are the way to do that. Any help or advice greatly received!!
How did you buy it without a doctor's prescription? Is it available over-the-counter in countries outside of the U.S.?
I am in the UK and by answering a few questions on line I was able to get 168 tablets. I will probably have to find a different one for further supplies.
I would be concerned about whether or not the pills you get are real, are they not expired, are they produced in a reputable lab? Also concerned that if you don't see relief, is that because the a/v doesn't work for you....or if it was that the pills you got were simply not effective?
I would be wary of anywhere willing to sell them without a prescription - what if you had kidney disease? I find it very irresponsible of the seller to sell them based on a few questions alone! I'm in the UK too (and haven't seen my ENT for years after him telling me there was nothing else they could do). I went to my GP and gave him a copy of the study and he sent me for blood tests to make sure they're suitable for me. Try having a chat with your local GP, hopefully he/she will prescribe them. If not think about changing your GP as its so easy to do here. Good luck!
It is a very well known pharmacy high street store and they have an expiry date of 2018 so I am not too worried about the source. It is a good point about speaking to my GP, certainly worth a try but I have been so disappointed with their (doc and ENT) non-treatments and general implication that I am anxious(!!!) and emotional(!!) that I just decided to DO something instead of following their advice which amounted to wait for it to go away/get used to it. Just desperate really.
Keefer......so do you get all your treatment from your GP?.....did he/she prescribe anti virals for you?
I know exactly how you feel about them treating you like a neurotic and I really do feel for you. Is it any wonder that we're anxious and emotional! The last thing we need after making the effort to finally approach them (and timing it to be on a goodish day) is for them to treat us as if it's all in our heads. It makes me so angry! If they won't prescribe them just change your GP postbag, I do everytime I come up against one of these insensitive morons. You don't have to say why if you don't want to and it's quick and easy to do (though I do tell them why now...and quite enjoy doing so EDIT: Yes, I do get all my treatment from my GP now. I have recently asked him to prescribe me acyclovir (after leaving him with a copy of the study) and he sent me off for blood tests. The results should be back any day now, then hopefully I can give them a go. I will keep you updated!
Thank you for that! Gosh, a kind word does go a long way!! I HAVE been an emotional wreck but if an ENT specialist doesn't understand that, then he can't be much good, can he?! I just couldn't face seeing him again. But I can go and see my GP and hope she will be more flexible. Do you mean you change your GP practice? Or just see another GP at the same practice? We only have one practice here but a number of Gps, soI can try them all! ;D
I have only been on the generic Valtrex. But can say that when it was filled thru a different lab I immediately started getting symptoms back within days. That is why I stressed knowing "who" is making them - even if they work you want to know who so if they suddenly stop working you can determine if the switch is the cause. It is very frustrating that the same doctors that have "nothing they can do" are the same ones that will immediately refuse to even TRY antivirals cause they "wont work". UGH. Good luck!!
You're welcome, it's good for us to know we're not alone in feeling like we do. There's loads of interesting stuff on this forum and it's made me quite hopeful for the future...and to think I thought i'd run out of options! I've changed GP's from within the same practice and I've also changed practices altogether (one was staffed with a lot of old school doctors and in my experience younger doctors are much more understanding and receptive). Your ENT sounds useless, a lot like the one I was seeing. I remember very early on once asking him if it was ok for me to swim under water, and would it affect the Menieres in any way. He said that I should just carry on life as normal and do what ever I wanted to do! Maybe he thought he was giving me a positive pep talk but all I wanted was some facts. Thank goodness I didn't ask him if it was ok to do a rotational abseil head first down K2!!! He probably would have told me to go for it
This is a great site, I'm so glad I stumbled across it, I really felt quite lost and hopeless before. I am a bit concerned about the AVs now, thanks for the warning. I'm just desperate, that's all. Why are so many of these ENTs so lacking in understanding....in their specialised subject!! Thanks, folks.
Hi there I'm also from the UK and experiencing so little help from my ENT so your not alone finding this site gave me a glimmer of hope. I'm looking to go to my gp also to try and get anti virals but not sure what I'll get. Please let me know how you get on id love To hear what your Gp says
I have spoken to my GP this morning (not allowed an actual appointment, we have to discuss on phone first) and she says I must go back to the ENT and see what he says. I guess I will have to do that, and if he is unhelpful, which he has been so far, I can either go back to my GP or find another ENT. As I am paying privately for this I can go to whoever I like, but I do find that doctors generally don't like disagreeing with each other. A lot of them seem to be chums! I know my GP is very pally with the ENT so she is unlikely to go against his advice. Other option is a private GP, as for some reason they often have a more maverick attitude! It is very frustrating. This is why I decided to buy some and go it alone!! (Which I have done previously with other medications....not popular with the doctors but if they remain so narrow minded we are left with little choice.)I will go back to the ENT one last time. I will keep you posted!
Postbag. I am from the UK too and I couldn't get antivirals from the gp or ent. It was very annoying in fact I was at one time considering suing them for denying me the opportunity to save my hearing. I think it was too late anyway to save the hearing in my left ear. How long have you been diagnosed with menieres ?. If its recent then there is a good chance the av's will do a lot of good. You will get very frustrated with GPS AND Ent's in the UK because they are frightened of litigation and arrogant oaf's to boot. I rang chemists in Italy and Spain and genuine antivirals are sold over the counter. Much safer than buying online. Some horrific stories about medication bought online. I wouldn't take the chance if I were you. Good news though with Italy and Spain. Check with chemists there by phone, check with airport authorities if its okay to bring them back ( I would do that anonymously) book yourself a cheap flight and you can give the av's a proper trial. Probably the same price as seeing a private GP over a couple of appts. Best of luck Regards Frank Frank
Frank Thank you for your reply. I fear you are right about GPs and ENTs; so many doctors will not consider anything that isn't strictly 'conventional' ie it's not what they were taught at med school! That is a very interesting idea to buy it in Italy or Spain. At the moment it feels like I will never be well enough to venture that far again!! But i must emphasise that I did buy my AVs from a very well known high street chemist; it is a branded blister pack product (not loose pills in a bottle) so surely there is not much risk? I have only been diagnosed for a few months so hopefully I am in a good position to get on top of this! I see the ENT on Tues 26th for one last try! :
hello postbag I'm in the UK too. From what I've learnt not all ENT's specialize in balance/hearing problems. If its any help the Menieres society in the UK have a list of ENT's that specialize in vestibular disorders http://www.menieres.org.uk/files/pdfs/Healthcare_Professionals_v2.pdf Its hard when you're not well and you can't even get someone to listen to how you feel and have a chance of trying to find a solution. I have a very good consultant but even he has his off days. I tried to explain some of my symptoms last year and he looked at me as if I'd just said I've come back from Mars