Meniere's Diagnosis and Treatment over the last year

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I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease 5 years ago after one vertigo attack but it subsided and didn't rear it's ugly head again until last June, 2017 when I had two bad 12 hour vertigo attacks with uncontrollable nausea in one week. At that time, I received a steroid shot, dexamethasone and went on a strong diuretic. When the Dr perforated the ear drum, I was considering going back to vertigo and nausea. The symptoms were temporarily relieved but returned in a few weeks. I did not try it again and did not try the Gentamycin either. Instead I went to a different Dr and they recommended surgery to remove some of the mastoid bone or place a shunt in the sac. The Dr removed some of the bone allowing more room for the sac to expand but did not do a shunt. He said it wouldn’t necessarily be any better to do both, as either one would work the same. I made it 6 weeks before I had pressure build up, but I didn’t watch my diet as closely during that time. I went back on a lighter diuretic prescription but went back off of it after about 60 days. I did not like the brain fog that goes with it.  It has now been 6 months and although I haven’t had a bout of vertigo and nausea since, I didn’t get any additional hearing back.  I still have only 15 or 20 percent remaining in the right ear and it is distorted and very susceptible to recruitment, so all loud noises are amplified when pressure builds up. I follow a low sodium diet but occasionally I get a fullness in the affected ear and my hearing aid is not reliable. I have been back on my diuretic (Triamterene 37.5mg and HCTZ 25mg) for 5 days and have seen some relief from the fullness and hearing clears up a little so I can use a hearing aid but the dreaded brain fog has started to return.  I do have something that has helped me a lot and that is at the first sign or light headedness or fullness in the ear, I take 4 drops of 150mg CBD oil under the tongue and it goes right away and lasts about 6-8 hours. I use the CBD with no THC in it so it is legal in most states or online. I'm not trying to push CBD by any means, but it has made my life a lot easier with this affliction and don't go any where without it. I have done a lot of research on CBD and it has many benefits. The only drawback I have is that my, being on blood pressure meds it can bring it down a little but not dangerously low. I am resigned to my low sodium diet and try to keep it under 1,500mg/day. I get feeling sorry for myself having to take the diuretic and trade brain fog for ear fullness and a sensitivity to loudness. All of this being said, I have one question for the group:  Since my one ear is only 10%-20% and I have multiple bothersome symptoms, is it worth killing the nerves and relying on only my good ear for hearing and balance if the other symptoms go away? 

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    Hi All, 

    First post on here, but been reading for a while!

    I'm 36 and have been having menieres symptoms following an ear infection in FEB 17, I  was diagnosed with menieres in my left ear in December. This was only  by the second ENT guy I saw, the first said it was vestibular damage caused by an ear infection and referred for  me some VRT which I done for 3/4 months with no significant improvement. I had all the symptoms of menieres, hearing loss (which i had grommets for when I was young) ,  vertigo, tinnitus (which is completely pulsatile??) and sometimes a floaty feeling. 

    I was put on 3 x 16mg betahistine daily which helped a bit, but I was still getting episodes, I upped my dose to 32mg x 2 and then 1 x  16mg before bed. Again it helped a bit more but didn't eradicate the episodes completely. 

    I then read on here and the web about CBD oil and Pycnogenol/ Pine bark extract which had helped others. Nothing to lose, I thought I'd give it a go.

     Since I started having 3 drops of  10% CBD under the tongue upon waking up and again before going to bed, I haven't had a single episode. Absolutely nothing. I've been eating whatever I want, have been on stag do's where I've drunk far to much alcohol (all big triggers for me) and it's been fine. I still have a bit of tinnitus, but most of the time I have to stop and  actually listen to see if it's there!  

    Having said all this about CBD, I've also been taking 150mg of Pycnogenol/Pine bark extract every morning. I stupidly started these at the same time as the CBD, so it could be either both of these things that are working, or one or the other! I will run out of CBD first so will just do the Pycnogenol after that and see how it goes. 

    Sorry for the essay, but if it helps just one person get some relief from this heinous disease it will be worth it. 

    Good luck everyone. 

    Steve 

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