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Nortriptyline for Ménière's disease

Posted , 6 users are following.

julie05708
julie05708

After visiting the consultant yesterday with my 20 year old son, I feel we are no further forward than we were six years ago, when he first started with this horrible disease. 

My son has Bilateral Menieres's Disease and has lost quite a lot of his hearing along with everything else that goes with Menieres's. When he first became poorly they treated it as Basilar MIgraines with vertigo for a year before we went and saw private consultants and had various tests done who confirmed it was Menieres. 

This last winter he has been very poorly with symptoms and he currently takes 96mg three times a day of Betahistine, which he feels controls the big vertigo attacks. 

Yesterday we saw the consultant who now wants him to try migraine medication, Nortriptyline as he said new research from American shows there is a close link between Menieres and migraine. We said he had already been on medication for migraine, but he said we are running out of treatment options, so to try the Nortriptyline first and if we have no success then he can try the steroid injections into the ear at a later date.

My question is, has anyone else been prescribed this for Menieres and have they had any success with it? 

I have read it can help with the tinnitus but we're reluctant to start weaning off the Betahistine and start Nortriptyline if it's going to make things worse.

Sorry for the long post but I just want to do the best for my son and I really appreciate hearing other people's ideas and views on this awful disease. 

Many thanks 

 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • eleftherio33095
    eleftherio33095 julie05708

    Posted

    Has intratympanic steroid injections been discussed?

    Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN, Dipl (Hon) [ORL Poland]

    Clinical Neurophysiologist

    Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

    • julie05708
      julie05708 eleftherio33095

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. Yes it has, but the consultant wants him to try the migraine medication first, as he said the steroid injections will be the last thing he can try. I think my son and I thought that was going to be the next step but he's keen for him to try Nortriptyline first unfortunately.

  • jacki999
    jacki999 julie05708

    Posted

    Hi Julie

    I've had the same options

    Was on 96mg TDS betahistine : but it stopped working for me in preventing attacks - so now I use it only when I feel an attack coming - I'm not sure it works at all now - but I'll try anything

    I've had hormone implants to stop my periods which are linked with headaches which are linked with the attacks. This made things worse - giving me daily attacks

    I've definitely correlated my attacks with headaches and am now on trials of various drugs for headaches / migraines to see if it helps.

    Tryptolines - didn't work for me - so now on beta blockers - nothing stops the spinning when it hits hard, but there is lots of research for migraines and hormone surge initiated Ménière's.

    I wish u well and good luck with yr son

    Jacki

    • julie05708
      julie05708 jacki999

      Posted

      Thanks Jacqui for your reply. 

      Thats interesting to hear about your headaches linked to your attacks as when my son was first poorly, he definitely had migraines with it as well. However, that settled after the first year and now when he's having bad spells, he just says he has a muzzy head with all the other symptoms Menieres brings.

      We might have a chat with the gp to see what he thinks about the Nortriptyline as he knows my sons history also.

      Sorry to hear Jacqui, you're still getting the big attacks, I see my son going through them and it's awful for you both.

      Good luck with the beta blockers and thank you once again for your advice.

      Julie

       

  • Nygal
    Nygal julie05708

    Posted

    Hi Julie,

    I have been diagnosed with Migraine associated vertigo and bilateral hydrops. I take 25 mg of Nortryptiline and it has helped me greatly. I live in the States and research has shown a close association between migraine and Menieres. With that said, I have very mild hearing loss, both low and high frequency and I do not experience severe rotational vertigo.

    I hope this helps in some way. Perhaps a trial of Nortryptiline. Hopefully  your son experiences some relief of symptoms.

    • julie05708
      julie05708 Nygal

      Posted

      Thank you Nygal for getting back to me and I'm pleased to hear you have success with Nortriptyline.

      At the moment, my son is reluctant to take them as he was treated with similar medication when he first started having symptoms without much success. However, with Menieres sometimes you get desperate for relief, so it may be something he will try at a later date.

      Good luck with your success and thank you once again for your reply.

      Julie

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