Relapse After 16 Weeks

The injection is into the inner ear.  The procedure is performed in the doctor's office.

J-

Hi Angela,

Thanks so much for your response.  I've been on high dose diuretics for over a year now, along with no caffeine, no alcohol and low sat.  The steroid injections are  in addition.  I've felt the ear fullness come and go since the steroids kicked in, but they were very brief episodes.  What preceded this attack was 3 weeks of continuous fullness - I probably should have called my doctor.  I think I've been denying it.  I've been dealing with the flu and subsequent pneumonia and throwing my back out whie coughing! I guess I couldn't handle one more thing.

You're absolutely right though: I had a ton of laundry to do, so I was bending way over to get stuff out of the bottom of the washer, and then reaching up high to hang them up...and doing that, over and over.  I've also been  on a small cleaning binge of my bathroom area, also involving lots of up and down....I think it was probably "The Perfect Storm".  Sigh.  I really hate this.   I sooooo understand it when people post about how they discouraged they get when the vertigo comes back after some period of freedom.  I was on the couch for nearly a year, dealing with back-to-back episodes of vertigo, vomiting and hearing loss..  So when the steroids kicked in, OMG...it's hard to describe how grateful I've felt!!  But...I still believe in the steroids, .  Hopefully, I just need a "booster shot" or two, in order to feel some relief again. 

Thanks again for your response.  Take good care.

J-

I would love to hear how you do on another dose of Steroids. Please keep me posted. So glad you got 16 weeks of relief. Fabulous. I think our symptoms and stage sounds pretty close. Been a really bad year for me as well. Last 4 weeks much better but not sure for how long.

I promise to let you know how it goes.  I'm so sorry you're having such a bad year.  Most people just don't get it when you say "I lost a whole year of my life!", but I absolutely get it!!  Ugh.  I'm glad you've had 4 good weeks, though...Let's pray that it contininues.  I wish there were a more precise way to tell why things are staying good, and why they suddenly go south!!

Take good care,

J-

Hi J, I know this is an old thread, but I just got back from my ENT specialist. He has given me Betahistine 16g x 3 and a diuretic. I asked about steroid injections, he only does them in the doctors office as a one time only, and he says it's not very effective. He prefers the grommet and the drops that the patient administers over the course of a few weeks. I can't afford this privately so I will be on the waiting list for a public hospital. He said most people get their symptoms under control with the Betahistine and diuretics. I live in hope!!!

Dear Louise,

I feel terrible that I didn't see your post until today!  I apologize!  My only excuse is that I've recently been going through cataract surgery, and might have not seen it!  Sigh.  I know you waited a long time to finally see a specialist, and I was anxious to hear the results.  Thank you for posting them. 

You know, I had a discussion just recently with my otoloaryngologist about this very subject!  He had just returned from a seminar during which the speaker asked for a show of hands from all doctors who treated MD with just a single injection — One half of the audience raised their hands!  He couldn't believe it.  But apparently, practices differ quite a bit across the U.S. as well as internationally, and so, we patients have to simply do the best we can with the resources we have.  

I think you have a good reason to live in hope!!  I'm so glad to hear that you're on a diuretic.  That surely will help with the root of the problem.  And, I've read such wonderful reports from people who are on Betahistine.  From what I understand, there's a lot of latitude in dosing...So, if you're not getting relief from your current dose, it can always be increased.  I think NeddyO, a contributor to this forum, has had extensive experience with this issue.  He's a great resource. 

I think the grommet and drops system was the first system of delivery used, for getting steroids into the inner ear.  Injections came a bit later.  The important thing is that now you're on the road to getting some real help!  Hopefully, the diuretics and Betahistine will give you some immediate relief.  But it's good to know that you're on the waiting list, should you require the steroids. 

I hope you'll let me know how you're doing!  I'm seeing much more clearly  now, and I promise it won't take me 8 days to reply! ;-)

Take good care,

J-

 

Hello there

Hope your surgery went well. My Meniere's symptoms seem a bit better after only a week on the meds, however is had some severe anxiety, dialled an ambulance yesterday (first time ever) as my heart was beating super fast and my blood pressure was sky high. They said it was severe anxiety - my GP had put me on Dothep which takes a few weeks to start working, in the meantime I'm nauseous 24/7 and can barely eat. It's been an awful time for me. Only got 2 hours sleep last night, luckily not back at work for another week.

Louise

Oh Louise, I'm so sorry.  That's horrible.  The MD symptoms are bad enough....Could you be experiencing side effects from the Dothep? 

I'm glad the MD symptoms are a bit better after a week on the meds, but this rapid heartbeat/high blood pressure business is not good.  Have you been able to speak with your GP about it?  Perhaps this new drug just doesn't agree with you?

It's good that you have a week to rest and sort these things out.

Please be gentle with yourself. 

J-

The fast heartbeat started before I went on Dothep, it's been an issue since my last vertigo attack on 25th Feb. apparently once I combat the stress, it'll go away (this is what the paramedics told me yesterday, they were lovely) - incidentally one had Menieres and her mother too xx

I hope you're able to find a way to decrease your anxiety, and find relief soon!....I know it's not easy to manage anxiety when you're trying to manage a Meniere's crisis....It seems to create a big feedback loop. 

Anti-anxiety meds have always been a part of my MD rescue med trio, but I also get a lot of stress relief using  guided imagery and self-hypnosis mp3's that I've downloaded from various sites.  I know the moderators will zap me if I mention names or websites, but I'll be happy to make some recommendations via private messaging. 

Wishing you quick relief!

 J-

Yes please that would be awesome x

Thanks for your reply, David.  When I was having back to back episodes, that's exactly what I experienced (plus the tinnitus).  But since the steroid injections, it's been strange:  It's like I've gotten occasional ear fullness but without the vertigo....almost like an attack was being "masked"... I'm not complaining, because I'm so grateful to have had a 4 month break after a full year of vertigo.  But, this time, the ear fullness lasted a fulll 3 weeks. It was like the Meniere's was damned determined to "break through".   I just wonder if there's a "rebound effect", so that the inflammation gets worse after being suppressed for so long?  I don't know.  The only thing I know is that when my doctor's doors open tomorrow, I'm going to go begging for another injection!!

Hope all is well.  Thanks again for your reply.

J-

Let us know what he says.