Do I Have Meniere's?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hello all,
I'm writing from the U.S. About a month ago, I suddenly started feeling very detached and a bit dizzy. It came on without warning one night while I was just sitting at my laptop, reading an article. More so than anything, I have felt like I'm floating and my head is just woozy. The feeling comes and goes, but when it's here, it lasts all day. It helps to distract myself with something, but it doesn't alleviate it 100%. I've also felt other intermittent symptoms that I've had since before the floating sensations, but didn't think much about them until now, and I'm afraid they're all related. These other symptoms are ear crackling/popping in one ear. Just one little crackle with no pain or hearing loss. Itchy ears - they are itchy often. Some ear ringing that is very high pitched and only lasts for about 5-15 seconds. Sometimes the ringing is accompanied by muffled hearing in the affected ear, and the muffling only lasts as long as the ringing does - just 5-15 seconds. Separately, none of those symptoms with my ears bothered me because they only happen occasionally (except for the itching), but now that I'm experiencing this dizzy, floating, woozy sensation in my head, I'm terrified that my body is working its way up to a major attack, and I'll end with Meniere's. My maternal grandmother has Meniere's along with a number of other issues, and my mother has very mild feelings of dizziness when she turns her head every now and then, but she's never had a severe vertigo attack. I've been seeing my general doctor and have an upcoming appointment with an ENT in a couple weeks. But I'm just terrified that something really awful is on its way, and any day now I'm going to wake up with the room spinning. I'd just like some input and opinions from others. I'm getting frustrated because I haven't felt like myself for a month now, and I don't know if I should expect things to get worse or better at this point! Any advice or input is much appreciated! Thank you!
0 likes, 7 replies
louise0703 marissa492
Posted
I'd get at MRI and audiology report done ASAP. They will rule out other issues and maybe confrm if you have Menieres or not.
marissa492 louise0703
Posted
I'm scheduled to see an ENT in a couple of weeks, and I'm hoping they can point me in the right direction and help rule things out. I've had a CT scan, which I know can't help with Meniere's, but does help rule out anything like a stroke, tumor, inflamed sinuses, etc. I went back to my GP today for a follow up and she did a simple hearing test typically used on kids, and I did fine on that. It was just one quick thing they could do for me while I was there - nothing advanced or definitive. For the time being while I wait for my ENT appointment, she's having me take Meclizine that I already had prescribed but hadn't tried yet.
Bluesmann marissa492
Posted
marissa492 Bluesmann
Posted
I'll be seeing an ENT in two weeks. Maybe they can request an MRI for me if they feel it's necessary.
Bluesmann marissa492
Posted
barry61472 marissa492
Posted
Marissa,
I too am in the USA. In 1999 I too started experiencin symptoms like you described. It got worse and worse over the decades until I had tinnitus 24/7 that was literally driving me insane. I also developed 50% hearing loss and severe vertigo several times a month that would last for hours to days. Finally, on 12/13/16 I had a Labyrinthectomy ion my right ear. It was designed primarily to cure the vertigo. The surgeon said it would get worse before it got better. He was right. Although the vertigo was stopped immediately, I started getting very dizzy for many hours a day. That now is starting to abate. I'm also not having balance issues less and less to the point that I'm only using my walker about half the time. The best part is the constant ringing in my ear has stopped, for which I'm eternally grateful. The only drawback is that now I am fully deaf in my right ear. But I consider it a very good trade. That's my stor and probably more than you wanted to hear. Just wanted you to know that with me it kept getting worse until surgical intervention was required. I hope you have an easier time. Blessings.
marissa492 barry61472
Posted
Hi there. Thanks for sharing your story. It certainly doesn't help me feel positive, but I still want to know people's experiences. Can I ask how old you were when the onset of symptoms began? I'm almost 25 now.