Do I really have Meniere’s Disease?

Posted , 5 users are following.

In March of 2017, I woke up with my right ear seeming clogged - as if I was in an airplane. Nothing helped so I went to my general Dr. (encouraged by a friend who had lost her hearing from an odd virus). Dr. sent me to an ENT who tested my hearing since I felt like I could no longer hear as well in that ear. After numerous tests, including a cat scan, the Dr. diagnosed me with Meniere’s Disease. I take the steroids when I have an episode and take TriametereneHctz  daily.

I did not have an episode for a number of months until I was away on a business trip. That episode was worse than the first. My ENT sent me to a specialist who disagreed with the diagnosis, but did not have any answers for me. I have most recently had 2 more episodes - at the end of March and again end of April 2018. The big difference in what I experience from what I read about MD is that I have not yet experienced vertigo or ringing in the ear. What I do get is the severe pressure in my head, as if I’m on an airplane and it rises or descends too quickly, but the pain continues. My warning is always the loss of hearing. So, without the other symptoms, is it possible this is not MD? And does anybody know what it could be?

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5 Replies

  • Posted

    Lisa466,

    Some of the symptoms you describe such as fullness of the ear and hearing loss are a couple of Meniere's symptoms.  The fact that you don't have vertigo or ringing which are two other symptoms makes me believe it might be something else. In my experience, and I've had it for over 15yrs there is no pain associated with MD, but I have heard of some people that get migraines. You mentioned a catscan. Most often your ENT will order an MRI which scans soft tissue to make sure there are not other things going on. The inner ear is a complicated system and there are so many other things that could cause the same symptoms. I would get another opinion. Good luck and I hope you find a solution.

    DizzyDaddy

    • Posted

      I appreciate your response! I apologize, it was a MRI, not cat scan. I think I will need to dig deeper with other docs to figure out what this is.
  • Posted

    with what you describe, Lisa, you do NOT have MD.  MD has multiple symptoms and you need to have them all...

    1. hearing loss in low decibel range as diagnosed by an audiologist

    2. Vertigo lasting at least 20 minutes that may occur frequently or infrequently but it must occur in order to be MD

    3. Tinnitus usually constant but might vary in intensity

    4. ear fullness some of the time.

    The only way to be certain what you do have is to have series of balance disorder tests given by an ENT doctor who specialize in inner ear diseases.  Not all ENT have this specialty.

    You might have ETD....Eustachian Tube Dysfunction....or just simply something called "flyer's ear" which can strike air airplane passengers.

  • Posted

    Hi. Interesting one. Possible still minieres. Miniers to diagnose my ent told me takes over period off time. Also get slight pressure upper skull erea. Before attack pressure in ears know with blood pressure in check pressure gone. Also during attack vomiting now and again nauseated now and again. Vertigo always.

    What im saying perhaps over time you've adjusted your live style inso leaving some symptoms behinds but they so come back to remind you when you fall in your old ways.

    Body also adjust after long time and composite. Well that's what i got told still waiting for it.

    Blood test done?

  • Posted

    Hi, when you say you had episodes do you mean vertigo?  How is your blood pressure? I think it plays a big part in menieres. If I read your message right you have hearing loss but nobuzzing or ringing? Maybe get a second opinion. I’ve had 3 strokes and my hearing has gotten worse each time. Buzzing and high pitch sounds are constant I’m trying out hearing aids to help and it does. Just a suggestion.

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