Has anyone in this group had a gentamicin injection to treat menieres?

HI Sharon,

I had severe unilateral menieres with multiple daily attacks, many of which were drop attacks. I tried numerous treatments including nine steroid injections without success. In May this year I received two gentamycin injections one week apart and the menieres attacks stopped. I have been free of attacks for 4 months now.

My initial reaction to the gentamycin was a total loss of balance but gradually with balance exercises this has improved although I am still very unsteady and walk with a stick. My hearing in the injected ear which was very poor has now almost gone completely.

I would be interested to know what your reaction has been and how you are coping.

good luck.

Paul

Hi Sharon,

I did 2 injections with gent. 1st got about 6 weeks of relief from drop attacks, then came back again. Did another injection and it lasted about 4 weeks with drop attacks coming back daily 2-3 a day lasting anywhere from 2hrs to 8-9hrs of nothing but spinning. My hearing prior to injections was at 40% I dropped to 20% of audible not aidable but audible hearing. Meaning I could hear, just not distinguish words. With that and the fact my drop attacks were causing me harm.. I opted with complete labyrinthectomy... I never had any issues with balance during my injections. I am 5 mo post laby and I am doing AWESOME. No attacks, back to daily living, driving, eating normal food (Salt!!! oh how I missed my salt) and most important back to work. I was down 3 months with doing rehab to gain balance and build stamina back up as I am not a young spry chicken, but was a good decision for me. My balance is good with no assistance however when I get tired my brain says done...not gonna compensate for right side anymore and I will do some side stepping but havent fallen and it's no different than having two left feet at times...lol I am adjusting with being totally deaf on left side as I have hearing aids that transmit everything to right ear. So it's hard to tell where sounds are coming from correctly as everything seems to be coming from my right.. example if someone says my name and is standing on my left I always look to the right 1st. Lol.. I am getting use to it. When at home I dont wear hearing aids and do just fine. I wish you the best as we know this disease is scary and debilitating at times, and everybody is different with treatments. Let me know if I can answer anymore questions...again all I can go by is what I have experienced and done.

Sharon I read my msg and was incorrect and got it backwards...My hearing was at 40% and I dropped to 20% aidable not audible...meaning I could hear but not distinguish words...audible is just hearing...aidable is hearing the exact words. Hope this didnt confuse you

There is a lot of info on this forum about gentamicin injections. Hopefully you can find it.

I had injections 40 years ago when it was a relatively new procedure. Before the injections I was having vertigo attacks almost daily and my life was terrible. I then had two injections several weeks apart. Several weeks after the second injection, my vertigo completely disappeared and I have not had one episode since!! Unfortunately I developed MD in my good ear two years ago and did not want to have gentamicin in second ear so I am managing with diet, diuretics and betahistine along with allergy medications.

From what I've read and been told by my neurotologist, about 85% of gentamicin procedures are successful in eliminating vertigo. So the odds are definitely in your favor. How long ago did you have your second injections? What are you experiencing now? It's very important that you go through vestibular rehab in the near future....this will enable you to recover your balance.

thank you all for your comments. i had the injection about ten days ago. i was prepared for a terrible reaction to it, but nothing happened. my doctor said i might need to have it injected another way (a more invasive procedure) but to wait and see. two days ago i started feeling nauseous and off balance and it hasn't let up, but no actual vertigo. (the way i am feeling now is how i used to feel for a few days after having a vertigo attack. if that makes any sense.) so i suppose i just has a very delayed reaction which i guess is rare. one of my main reasons for posting this question is to see if anyone has had a delayed reaction like this. i posted on the other board on this site that has a lot about gentamycin but it no longer seems like an active forum.

by way of background, bout a year ago i had the endolymphatic shunt surgery. it seemed to improve things. fewer attacks and not as bad. it was the drop attack that pushed me to the gentamycin. i have no real usable hearing in my affected ear anyway so that is less of a worry. my main concern is it going bilateral although there is no issue with my other ear at this point.

i know everyone has a different experience with MD and the only thing that is predictable is the unpredictability of it. any further comments are appreciated.

i have had 3 one every 2 months it did help me but i have every little hearing in that ear so no harm i was told you can lose any good cells that make you hear