What is a drop attack?

Licenses to operate heavy machinery have tougher requirements than automobile licenses. With this disease, I will not be able to become an airplane or train pilot, but I can work and drive, I pass all the fitness and health tests they require, so if I have an accident due to a drop attack, the insurance will pay the damages.

Personally I would prefer that they tell me: You cannot work or drive because of your illness, take this pay, focus on living relaxed by planting tomatoes in a garden. But since it is not like that and I have to work, I also have to drive for it. And if I have to drive to work, I can also drive to go for a walk, have a drink with friends, etc. Either all or nothing, but I do not intend to live only to work and sacrificing the few pleasures of life. I don't mind stopping drinking coffee or alcohol, but what I don't think about is locking myself at home and dying alone (we don't all have a wife and children when Meniere started us)

 

From my experience and on the advice of my OTO I believe you are correct. The one sure way to be free of drop attacks that I know of is destroying the vestibular nerve. This can be done by gentamicin injections for some or by surgery. I don’t know of any other way but maybe one of our members has had success with something I am not familiar with?

 

*is nodding

Down under in rough & tumble convict land, license holders, or those applying for a drivers licence are legally required to inform both the according Roads Corporation & their insurance company of their medical condition if the condition involves, for instance, the symptom/s of vertigo, drop attacks, more generally the loss of spacial orientation, or any condition that compromises driving ability.

Subsequently, based on the severity of the individual's symptoms, & the degree to which symptoms can or can not be controlled, anticipated or predicted, as documented accordingly by a medical professional, said roads corporation will either allow you to retain your drivers licence, cancel your drivers license, limit your licence, or grant conditions upon your current or future license. In response your insurance company will either grant or refuse road/automobile related coverage.

In Australia, when regarding income & possible unemployment due the medical related limitations of an individual's abilities, or specifically the limitations placed upon or the removal of their drivers licence, they are then able to apply for either a pension granted to those who are unemployed & actively seeking employment, complimentary transportation within the state, whether it be by train, bus, tram or taxi services, or a disability pension; which includes complimentary transportation as mentioned.

Ménière's is recognised in Australia as a disability when symptoms are considered uncontrolled by a medical professional.

Granting this, though also acting independent of—& hence my previous comparison with narcolepsy—one opens the door to possible legal charges—ranging from a fine, multiple fines, or potential jail time, subject to the amount of property or bodily damage caused, or the life/lives lost—if it is discovered that either a) an individual fails to file a required medical condition to the according Roads Corporation, &/or b) a traffic accident occurs due to a previously diagnosed medical condition which compromises driving ability.

 

I've only had two drop attacks and they were terrifying. I've had hundreds of severe debilitating "episodes" often in public or at work, which led to my vestibular nerve section 4 years ago. Those attacks, which happened several times a week, stopped cold after the surgery. Got my life back.

But the drop attacks are next level. Over in a flash, but only after throwing me to the ground without a hint of warning. One happened before my surgeries and one since.

I'm probably not as worried about them as I should be.