Glad to hear that Vicki! So this article is a support of the AV theory and not new info? I did read the conclusion and could reach no conclusion tangible enough to request another diagnostic nor treatment.
basically the articles cites many different doctors and researchers with links to their papers and studies saying a virus is a cause for MM and the majority of people who have MM its caused by a virus, and antivirals should be the first course of treatment and it will and has eliminated needs for many surgeries. It also says 10% of those who have MM caused by a virus will not be helped by antivirals because the virus mutated. It also says a percentage of people who have MM is caused by autoimmune. and it cites and gives the major antigens that are found in the inner ear that causes MM. These drs/researchers went through all the studies and papers about MM and put it together in one neat package. They came to their conclusion that it is caused by a virus for the majority of MM people based on all the literature. papers studies etc they studied and cited. I hope this helps explain it a bit for you.
That is sooo helpful..Vicki saves the day again! Back in August I lobbied to see a Rheumatologist who found no autoimmune diseases in my bloodwork. I wonder if what you point to here about major antigens in the inner ear would show up in thise blood tests or if there is another avenue to pursue. Is so, what are the remedies if the antigens are found? Hummmm….
Many have thought it helpful to get some sort of immunological blood test for the putative herpes virus(es) thought to cause the disease. If the tests came back positive, antiherpetic (viral drug) therapy would seem warranted; if the results were negative, not so. But this course of action presumes --- with no actual clinical evidence for such --- that (a) whatever immunological test being administered would just automatically match and detect the body's immunological responses to the otherwise hidden virus(es), and (b) that the antigens resulting from a viral lesion inside the inner ear would neccesarily also be floating around in the blood of the entire body. If either of these presumptions is in error, no accurate determination of a viral infection could be detected. The more useful course of action is simply start taking proper dosages of valacyclovir or acyclovir right from the start. Why divert value time and resources with not very useful or efficacious immunological blood work before actually beginning treatment? The antiherpetic drugs are essentially without side effects. More info here: http://menieres.org/talk/index.php?topic=557.0 --John of Ohio
holly someone explained this to me about the antigens listed in the article: doctors won't be able to test for inner ear antigens in the article, those used were for ginuea pigs, were of just molecular weights not specific proteins.they are a tool used to detect inner ear immuno reactivity. Human inner ear antigen reactivity won't tell you anything specific. so not sure about asking for testing of those, but you can always run it by your doctor. But definitely getting immune system blood tests can help in determining if you have any autoimmune factors show up.
but holly you need more than just Dr Gacek's paper to show to your Dr, you need others backing up what he says about a viral cause. like the article I posted and the that I linked you to in the database of forums.
I am already on with my MD's about using Gacek's research and protocols. I had the full autoimmune batteries as stated so looks like that is the end of the line for new momentum with that article. AOK. Just good to be clear!
bump, this is an important publication that supports a viral cause for MM and 10% autoimmune, describes the antigens etc I feel it should be in the database
Vicki - Are you still on a maintenance dose? How long does one remain on it? My ENT refuses to consider antiviral treatment so tomorrow I have an appt with my family practitioner to go over this and see if she's willing to try it. I just wanted to be able to answer any questions she may have. Many Thanks!
Hi Sara, Good luck! Yes I am still on 800 mg a day for my maintenance dose. I am choosing to stay on it indefinitely but that's my choice you don't need to you can try stopping at one point, but I don't want to ever feel vertigo again.
I have been on the full dose of both AV's I have tried. Every now and then I drop down to 2/3 but I feel a bit worse when I do this. Since my hearing is recovering, my blood test show no adverse signs, and there are no side effects, full dose I will stay! If I had vertigo, I wouldn't think twice about it. My MD supports my choice to 'play it by ear' ha ha!