I've seen many posts regarding the laby surgery but none on VNS. I'm pretty new here so maybe there are some old posts. My ENT says I'm not a candidate for laby as I have not lost my hearing after 17 months of constant dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus and ear fullness. Dr Gacek says that's because I have Vestibular Nuerits and not MM which I take Acyclovir for with limited results. Saw an ENT in Denver recently who discussed the possibility of having the VNS but I'm just not ready yet. Just wondering if any of you have the long term vertigo without hearing loss and what your diagnosis is? I'm currently exploring the possibility of MAV after reading some of Vicki's posts.
I have no hearing loss after five and a half years since the first vertigo episode, and a total of 10 vertigo episodes. In between, I only have a moderate tinnitus I most of time do not notice. My neuroOTO recently concluded that I have hydrops of the labyrinth ('atypical MM') since I have nystagmus during vertigo episodes. My episodes (lasting for several hours) are accompanied by imbalance and increased tinnitus, most times with nausea and severe vomiting, but neither aural fullness nor hearing loss - so far. I started dr Gacek's treatment a week ago, but it will be hard to tell if it works or not in my case, since my only symptom between the episodes is tinnitus. I guess if I will have been vertigo free for let's say more than 18 months I will be able to say that the treatment works for me. I asked my neuroOTO if I might have neuronitis vestibularis, but she said that was not the case... I cannot be 100% sure, but I guess (and hope) that stress is my trigger. Then, the immune system fails and so on.
Stress is a Meniere's symptom trigger for most of us. Along with fatigue, illness (ie . sinus infections, flu etc), allergies, weather and certain foods, even dental work.
Sharon I have Meniere's for 50 years and vertigo attacks for 48 years (last 2 years I am vertigo free thanks to acyclovir) and I have no hearing loss due to Meniere's.
Thanks everyone. rrmehta I have been taking the Acyclovir for 7 months. Started out at 2400 mg and worked down to 800 but after starting attacks more often went back up to 1200. After talking with Dr Gacek last week he advised me to go back up to 1600 for two weeks to see if it helps. Am having daily dizziness. Vicki that is interesting that you've never had hearing issues. Dr Foster in Denver said she couldn't diagnose mm because one of the criteria is loss of hearing. The more Dr's I see the more confused I get!
I posted Dr Gacek's explanation about that in another post today. I have little faith in Fosters opinions since she rules a viral cause out completely here Dr G's explanation: •The different forms of the disease depend on which end of the nerve they are active on - from what I recall, if the virus is active on the “brain end” you suffer from the vertigo without the hearing loss. If it is active on the other end you suffer from the hearing loss / fullness etc. without the vertigo. If it is active on both ends, you suffer from all of the symptoms.
Hey Vicki iam glad that you have no Hearing los after that Long time. But one question whats about the Aura fullnes and Tinnitus did you have some Problems with it? btw did you ever have? Thanks for answering
Yes I still have tinnitus but its low and background noise usually drowns it out. I did get aural fullness, but I get it rarely now, usually if I am getting sick or allergies affecting me, but so far my seasonal allergies are not causing symptoms being on the herbal cream I mentioned in other posts. Once the acyclovir controlled my vertigo most all of my other MM symptoms are controlled as well.