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Diet changes always causes a change in ears

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KariR5
KariR5

I've unfortunately had Meniere's disease since age 14 and I have bilateral since age 19.  I had the shunt surgery at age 19 on both ears.  Really didn't struggle too much with anything until during my 2nd pregnancy and went almost deaf.  Learned to deal with it the best I could.  I have three grown children now, I'm 48.  EVERY single time I change my diet in any way (good to bad habits, or bad to good eating habits, cutting out salt, sugar, caffeine, whatever), I go through a period of time of "adjusting" is what I call it.  My hearing gets worse (almost deaf level) and my dizziness increases x 10.  I would think after dealing with this disease as long as I have I would just get used to it, but I've had about a 7 year stint in which the hearing wasn't that bad (except for the times I've changed my diet)  and the dizziness was manageable with few bouts of true vertigo.  So I'm trying to deal with it, but for some reason this time seems like it's getting to me worse than others.  Anybody else deal with these issue when you change your diet?  I would think if I'm changing my diet for the good, low salt, healthy foods, it would just get better, but it doesn't for about a month.  Any suggestions (other than no diet change).

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • tanney
    tanney KariR5

    Posted

    Hi Kari. What meds to control vertigo and hearing loss are you on?  Like you, I've had MD for a long time....40 years for me and now bilateral for past year.  I've found that when my MD symptoms flair up and worsen it almost always is because of two things....

    1.  fluid retention in inner/middle ear(s) brought on by diet change, stress or....

    2.  Seasonal allergy attacks/URI (Spring/Fall).

    I now take diuretics (50 mg - 75mg/day) all the time to pull the fluid from the ear(s).  This lessens, ear fullness, tinnitus, and vertigo...and hearing loss tends to return once fluid removed.  Being on diuretics, however, can have side effects so you will need to have your kidney function tested and your potassium level monitored at least twice/year via blood test.  I also do the following for allergies (including Non allergic rhinitis).

    1.  use nasal/sinus flush twice/day...make sure you use distilled water!

    2.  take two nasal sprays....Flonase (steroid) and Azelastine HCI right after nasal flush.

    I'm functioning well on above protocol. 

    Good luck

     

    • KariR5
      KariR5 tanney

      Posted

      Believe it or not, I'm not on any meds towards my MD.  I'm on blood pressure medication & cholesterol.  Both in which the doctors have monitored and have done well with not producing too much dizziness. 

      I had wondered about allergies.  I've never been diagnosed with allergies until this past spring.  But I didn't have any MD problems at that time.  I have wondered about diuretics.  I think I might need to check with my medical doctor & my ENT and see what they say.  Almost all the time I get the low salt diet and see what happens from any doctor, so I stopped seeing any doctors about my MD for a while now.  They usually are no help for me. 

      Thank you for answering me back. 

       

  • elaine31332
    elaine31332 KariR5

    Posted

    Hi karir5.

    I now need to stay away from salt and chocolate my MD stopped for about 6mths but its staryed back up again and if i drink to much coffee.

    Hope it settles down for you hun.

    Regards

    Elaine

  • carol38370
    carol38370 KariR5

    Posted

    Such a young age to have been suffering! Sorry to say but you have answered your own question.... Take care, best wishes.
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