Intratympanic steroids

Hi Ruth yesterday I had my third injection today went to buy a paper and was overwhelmed by vertigo attack I have no answers for you but it could be your MD has gone bilateral or your brain is trying to adjust to one ear messaging regarding balance just hope someone here can give us answers Regards John

Hi Ruth,

sorry you are are having trouble with the steroids. I can only relate my own experience.

i had 4 injections one week apart about 3 months ago, they had little effect and I continued with daily vertigo attacks until the 4th when all attacks suddenly stopped. I was clear for 6 weeks then everything kicked off again.

i have now had 5 weekly injections with little effect and the plan is to try them monthly, I have my fingers crossed.

if this is not successful the plan is to try gentamicin.

good luck.

Paul

Hi Ruth.

I had gentamicin injections in my left ear 40 years ago when it was a very new procedure here in US.  Prior to the injections I was having terrible vertigo several times per week.  After the second injection (about a week apart) my vertigo completely stopped.  I've been vertigo free from my left ear since!  It saved my life.  Here is my experience:

1.  gentamicin injections are done the exact same way as steroid injections.  They are done in in neurotologists office.  

2.  Doctor will inject a numbing agent to the ear and then inject the gentamicin.  You will continue to lie on table for about 15 minutes while medicine washes over the inner ear.  After 15 minutes you get up and go home.  It's as simple as that.  Almost no pain, awake the entire time and the whole thing is over in about 20 minutes including prep, injection and wait time.

3.  The gentamicin works by destroying the balance nerve in affected ear.  It's the dysfunctional balance nerve that sends the mixed signals to the brain that causes the vertigo.  Once the nerve is deadened then the bad signals stop....and the vertigo stops.

4.  There are possible side effects to this procedure.  You could have temporary balance difficulty but this almost always goes away in a couple weeks when your good ear's balance nerve takes over for the bad ear.  Balance difficulty is NOT vertigo but just a slight dizziness for a week or two.  Also, there is possibility of losing additional hearing in affected ear from the procedure.  

5.  In my case I had NO additional hearing loss....in fact, my hearing improved over the years.  I also do not recall having any problems with balance after the procedure.

6.  The most important part of the procedure is making sure your doctor has a lot of experience doing it.  It's a simple procedure but you want the most experienced doctor....should be a neurotologist, not just a regular ENT.  Ask doctor how many times they have done the procedure and what percentage of patients have complete remission of vertigo.  Also ask about side effects and how often their patients experience them....and what they are.

7.  Bottom line....if all other treatments (betahistine, diuretics, diet, intratympanic steroid injections) have failed to eliminate your vertigo then I highly recommend gentamicin injections.  40 years ago there was no betahistine and diuretics were not commonly prescribed so the gentamicin was my only option.  Today there are other options....make sure you try those first and then don't fear gentamicin....IT SAVED MY LIFE!

Good luck to all. 

Hi Ruth, I was suffering bad vertigo attacks,where it got to the stage of drop attacks. I would stand up and it was as it someone pulled a mat from underneath me..That was 10 years ago.My consultant advised me to have a high dose of gentamicin. I have never looked back...I am pleased to say I have not had an attack since...I sometimes get pressure in my ear,but I was fitted with a grommet now that has gone...Wishing you all the best.

Hi Ruth. I had the same experience. The first injection was awesome with no vertigo for about 6-8 weeks then it was back with a vengeance. Then I got 2 shots about a week apart last week in Feb and 1st week of Mar. From the first shot until 2 weeks ago, I had 25 spells lasting anywhere from a few seconds to 3 hours - dizziness, nausea, the whole ball of wax. I was so depressed I got on this discussion site in desperation as I didn't want to keep living where I was afraid to do anything for fear of having a spell. It was here that I heard about betahistine. At my appt with my ENT I talked to him about it. He ordered 16 mg 3X a day and I am happy to report that I have not had any vertigo in over 2 weeks, I have more energy, and I rode one of my horses for the first time in months (only 15 mins just in case but came out fine - hope to increase that time as I test myself slowly). I do get a little "off" feeling intermittently but not one dizzy spell or problem with nausea. The only downside was I had to have it compounded so my insurance wouldn't cover the cost, but I would cut back on my food budget to make sure I have the prescription filled if I need to. Not sure if you have tried this or not. When reading about gentamycin treatments I thought they sounded awful as does surgery but if there comes a time when the betahistine stops working, one or the other or both seem like options. I would love to hear the outcome of any route you take and want to thank everyone who has given me options I was unaware of and [u]H O P E!!!!![/u]

Hi Ruth 17826, that is huge what you have gone thru, i wondering how you go with your memory with mineres disease i have talked to the doctor to do with this and everythink seems to be know issue to them thou i know there is somethink wrong as i feel i reley on people to do things with or too take the first move of approch

as my filter as i hear is not working propley and wondering if this is like an Interlitural disability person were they do not realize whats going on and forget even when explained this is Natasha am wondering on this matter