M.D for 20 years, Drop attack’s last two years
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hello all- I have had MD for 20 years and what started out as extremely dizzy moments where I could feel the attack coming, two to three times a year, and be able to plan and Medicate to sleep it off, has now moved on to severe drop attacks, where I suddenly drop tot he ground, vomit, and can’t get back up for hours at a time, until the meds kick in.
I live in NYC, and I really can’t find a doctor who is aware of MD or drop attacks who can help me.
I thought this was only during the summer when allergies were out there, but this year I have had two attacks in the middle of winter.
If anyone can help me with a reference to a doctor in the US, NYC , tri state that would be much appreciated.
Further any advice on what to do as next steps- I’ve tried all the meds, diet, diuretics, shakes, etc. wondering what people in my situation have done and what we’re the results.
Thanks
0 likes, 24 replies
tanney la67156
Posted
You have had MD for 20 years, live in NYC and have not found an ENT to treat it?? Wow! That's hard to imagine. I'm in Pittsburgh and there are at least 4 ENT here that specialize in inner ear diseases. There has to be at least one in NYC. Have you been seen by any ENT doctors? If so, they most likely know of inner ear specialists in the City. Another idea is to call the University hospitals to ask for their advice? I know there is an ENT specializing in inner ear diseases/Meniere's Disease that is affiliated with University of Pennsylvania in Philly. I do not recall his name but he has reputation of being one of the best in the world. I'm sure someone in the ENT department of Penn could help you find this doctor.
There are several ways to treat MD vertigo attacks. Two of the most common treatments are Betahistine taken orally and Intratympanic steroid injections. Have you tried either?
la67156 tanney
Posted
I have also taken oral steroids which clear it up but also keep me awake and can only be used for a week at a time.
I haven’t done injections, I am very nervous of anything surgically done or injections, I don’t want to lose my hearing, and I am dizzy all the time and don’t know if o could take aftermath of those which I read are dizzy.
Have you or anyone done the injections? Or surgery?
Was up all night and had another attack at 4am this is getting worse- any advice is helpful
tanney la67156
Posted
Betahistine has to be taken EVERY day to be effective and usually takes a month to "kick in". Oral steroids are often not effective unless given in higher dose for longer time....and have side effects that can be quite bothering....as you discovered. Intratympanic steroid injection into the middle/inner ear is much more effective with almost no side effects. It is aimed directly at the problem and does not circulate through your blood system like oral steroids do....and the injection is almost a pain free procedure done in ENT office. Just be certain the ENT has experience doing this procedure. The steroid injection removes the inflammation/fluid that causes vertigo and ear fullness. Most patients require multiple injection and find significant improvement.
If Betahistine regimen + steroid injections still do not eliminate the severe vertigo I highly recommend you consider Gentamicin injections which will deaden the balance nerve in the affected ear. Once deadened the dysfunctional balance nerve will no longer cause vertigo. This procedure is effective in a great majority of severe MD patients. The procedure is done almost identically to the steroid injection and is an out patient procedure and practically painless.
For your information, I had the gentamicin injection 40 years ago when it was a relatively new procedure. It completely eliminated the vertigo in my left ear. It did NOT negatively affect my hearing at all...and in fact my hearing has improved over the years following this procedure. And, the loss of the dysfunctional balance nerve is compensated by the healthy balance nerve in your good ear. I am currently taking Betahistine and I recently had the steroid injections in my right ear because last August I developed MD in that ear....I now have bilateral MD. The combination of steroid injections + Betahistine has (so far) eliminated vertigo, ear fullness and most of the tinnitus from right ear. It's too bad that Betahistine and steroid injections were not available/protocol 40 years ago when I had gentamicin injection in left ear or I obviously would have chosen them before the gentamicin.
Good luck with your doctor's appointment. I'm glad you found someone in NYC. Let us know what doctor says and the course of action you decide.
Bluesmann la67156
Posted
I'm on betahistine 16mg 2x per day....it def helps you need to be on it continuous for it even to work..it takes around 2 months for it to get into ur systemm.....its not a quick fix drug......ive also had injections...the ones (steroids) that don't effect your hearing....they helped for about three months.....I had 3 injections 1 per week for three weeks.....
interested in Tanny which doc do you see in Pittsburgh...I live close to Pittsburgh and would love to see one just to compare.....Good luck all
Willow4 la67156
Posted
Willow
la67156 Willow4
Posted
Problem it seems is the surgeries I hear don’t fix it - and the ENTs I have gone to have really only said to go to surgery and lose hearing- which I do not want.
I go to a homeopathic doctor now who massages my head and also provides a concoction or shakes, pillls etc, which helps but really just delays the inevitable drop attacks.
Willow4 la67156
Posted
Menieres if goes untreated will harm your healing. That is why I opted for the Sac Decompression. The 1st Sac Decompression I had on 9-13-13. I had a hearing test July this year and I only lost 3% of high pitched hearing. So since 2009 I have only lost 37% and I believe I lost most of it when they were trying to figure out what was going on with me. Not all treatments cause hearing loss. The diet, low salt, low stress, meditate, yoga. You’ll find what is right for you. I pray you have no more drop attacks and you find the right Doctor who will treat the way you should be treated.
Bluesmann Willow4
Posted
Willow4 Bluesmann
Posted
Bertman la67156
Posted
863 Park Avenue Suite 1E ∼ New York, NY 10075
OFFERING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADULT AND PEDIATRIC EAR DISEASE
la67156 Bertman
Posted
I read in the forums and see that you may have lost complete hearing. This I am very scared of and this reason I have not done surgeries the ENTs I have seen have recommended.
Any chance you can let me know how yours went and if the symptoms have all gone? And of hearing is restored?
Bluesmann la67156
Posted
gerard90471 la67156
Posted
Otology Program
New York Head and Neck Institute
Lenox Hill Hospital
or
Department of Otolaryngology
NYU Langone Medical Center
I have used both and they have doctors with extensive MD experience.
la67156 gerard90471
Posted
stephen61100 la67156
Posted
It sounds to me that you are extremely anxious also very stressed out
and rightly so..Im not in the states but i suffer the same symptoms as
you and can..i have M.D. in my left ear and the symptoms are showing
up in the right ear which i have tell you i was told by the E.N.T. is about 50/50
to happen ..ive sufferd 17yrs..It sounds as though the sugery your talking
about is a last resort and any E.N.T. surgeon will exaust all the other options
first im thinking after 20 yrs you must have some hearing lose and also no
if its in the left or right or both ears..for me stress and anxiety are a catalist
and common symptoms of M.D. ..if your not already recieving help with these
issues i should talk to your doctor about meds and coping methods..
Drop attacks are the worst symptoms and are unpredictable as you said..
going out is very stressful for me its like information overload..like a sauce pan
of toxic liquid in my inner ear that spills over when i walk making me unbalanced
..to much information in my eyes does the same thing i.e busy paterns.. roundabouts
..tv that pans around or goes up and down also seround sound from tv ..and the list goes on..
so your ears and eyes work together and to M.D. sufferers it gets all to much..
i asked my E.N.T. when i first see him if it was due to my playing electric guitar
..he told me that would be classed as industrall hearing loss and would effect both ears
and menieres in most cases only effect one...
You have to except with menieres theres no cure only periods of remission ..
me myself have only ever be clear of attacks for a month or less but some people
can have years and not have attacks then they come back..the best you can wish
for is that it only effects the one ear and it can be controlled by meds..this is a list i think
in the u.k. a typical and are what i take..
Betahistine 16 mg + times 3 a day..
Bendroflumethiazide 2.5 mg +1 in the morning..
Cetrizine 10mg + 10mg + 1 in the morning..
i also take Propranolol for Anxiety 3+ a day
and duloxatine for deppression 1 + nightime..
Learning to breath properly was the best
thing i learnt also light medication and relaxtion
methods that involve light exercises in bed i.e.
lifting a leg just to the point of taking the stain
then letting go and remebering the relaxed feeling
then work the other limes the point is we can forget
how to relax from adrenaline in the body that build from
anxiety....i hope some of this helps you..but you must
seek out an ENT specialist in M.D...best wishes..
la67156 stephen61100
Posted
Also i take advil cold and sinus every day to manage the sinus pressure - but perhaps this isnt helping much.
Thanks
stephen61100 la67156
Posted
I dont no much about yoga ..
from what i can make out yoga is a body
and mind thing and involves a lot practice
and some incredible positioning of the body..
what your trying to do is literaly relearning how
to relax again ..when you suffer from anxiety for long
periods and even panic at times without you nowing it
your panting for breath and your breathing as changed
i.e. your breathing up into the chest this brings on some nasty
symptoms of anxiety and you are literaly overdosing on c.o.2
..look up on youtube the right way to breath..as for excercise..
excercise is the wrong word as your trying to remember what relaxing
feels like..so i go to bed and make sure im breathing correctly I.E
filling the lungs from the bottom the stomach move up to the cieling
and straight back down like a baby does it take practice and you
trying to keep it steady both ways..again it take practice ..dont beat yourself up
if it feels uncomftable the first time ..then with my eyes closed i work round each
limb gently lifting my leg remember your learning what the relaxed sensation feels like
and not the straining muscle tension..so im hardly lifting it from the bed then letting
the muscle tension go and remembering the relaxed sensation then i work round doing the same
thing with head and neck arms and legs and also i might do some stretches i.e. pushing my toes out
to the opposite wall again letting go..im my mind im tying to burn off access adrenaline and tension
simply to turn off at night and find if my bodys relaxed it helps my mind to steady..remember anxiety
and tension all spell fear which is our basic instincts as animals..it called flight or fight mexanisme..
I forgot to tell you i take Buccal tablets really help me with the sickness and other symtoms of M.D..
I now it would probably mean you would have to give your job ..but is it really wise to drive..