It's Back!

I'm sorry but I'm not sure what the frequencies were although I guess I was told. I do know that the hearing loss in my left ear was only a bit worse than in a previous hearing test. However, for me it feels like I've got very little hearing in my left ear.

Assuming that your diagnosis is Meniere's disease, has intratympanic steroid therapy been discussed?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

It's never been officially diagnosed. When I was being seen at ENT five years ago I was told by one doctor that I might as well call it Menieres because I had all the symptoms! Previous to that , after a bad attack I was taken to A&E and the doctor there thought it was Menieres.

I have seen my GP today and she has put me on Betahistine and is sending me for an MRI scan.

I'm on 16mg of Betahistine, started today. No diuretic. I don't drink alcohol, have very little salt and my caffeine intake isn't too bad but might need to cut back some more.

I'm surprised to hear that you are not on a diuretic....that's a basic med for MD patients.  Diuretics in 25-75mg are used to pull fluid out of inner ear area.  This then helps reduce MD symptoms like vertigo, ear fullness, sound distortion.  There may be a good reason why your ENT has not prescribed a diuretic in your case but it is worth finding out.  I take 75mg/day and my MD symptoms are controlled.  I've had MD for 40 years in my left ear and recently developed it in my right ear and now have what is called bilateral MD.  I have gone through intratympanic steroid injections, gentamicin injections, betahistine, allergy tests, antihistamines, steroid nasal spray (still use), etc.  The 75mg diuretic is most effective.

Do you have allergic sysmptoms (post nasal drip, sneezing, thick mucus, clearing your throat a lot, etc.)?  If so, allergys and non-allergic rhinitis could be causing your latest flairup with MD symptoms.  If you do, you should consider asking your ENT to prescribe a good antihistamine nasal spray and start using daily a sinus flush (over the counter).  By the way, nasal antihistamines are safer for your body than oral type.  Oral antihistimanes have been known to increase likely hood of getting UTI.  Also anyone taking betahistine should not take oral antihistamines....they neutralize each other and you will fail to get the benefit of either.  Antihistamine SPRAY doe NOT neutralize betahistine because it stays just in the nasal area and does not circulate through the body like oral ones.

good luck.....

Also, eliminate the caffeine completely (chocolate, coffee) and try to keep salt intake to less than 1000mg/day.

good luck!!

Thanks tanney. At the moment I am waiting to hear from ent, my GP referred me last month. I was never offered diuretics when I had symptoms last time. Out of interest are you in Britain? I just wondered because it seems like people in the USA seem to have more treatment options than here.

I do have asthma and allergies and I use a steroid nasal spray. I use saline nasal washes but funnily enough my hay fever has not been a problem this year.

Hi, my Consultant has only got me on 5mg of water tabs. Is that going to do any good? Seems very low from what I've been reading.

hi emma.  Is your consultant an ENT doctor?  5mg is very low.  what MD symptoms do you currently have and are they lessened by the diuretic?  If you are not seeing improvement in symptoms ask your doctor for 25mg.  Go up from there if still no improvement.  Be aware that if you begin taking higher doses you should have blood work drawn to test your potassium level and kidney function.

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I've been MD attack clear since Aug 2016. I had very bad attacks in Cyprus due to the sodium in the food. Prior to that I had regular attacks, some so bad I wanted to die.

My ENT has had me on SERC 16mg x3 per day plus the 5mg of water tab.

I've taken them without fail for a long time.

This week I had a horrible shock. 5 attacks, the most recent today.

I've had two steroid injections (2015/2016).

since you are on 48mg of betahistine and you have had steroid injections and are still getting vertigo, increased diuretics may be helpful to you.  You might want to check in with your ENT this week and see what he/she says.  Watch your blood pressure when you go on the higher diuretics (50-75mg)....it very likely will drop...especially with the betahistine.  If you feel lightheaded that might be the cause.  Let us know if the higher dose is helpful....it should be.

Good luck!!

Thank you so much. I'll let you know what my ENT says.

I must admit I just assumed that I was lucky and that I was over it. At least this time I know what to expect and it isn't quite as frightening. However I still find myself cancelling things in case I have an attack. I just hope it goes away as fast as it came.

Guys just know the blind walking works , along with blind seating getting up, throwing objects each hand, blind walking stairs, and have added head turning and moving up and down, beta. Hist. , water . No salt Stopped the dizziness and drop attacks . Shea clinic is big on these thing's in Memphis. After splitting my leg wife open I had enough. Now if I can get loud ringing under control.