Turmeric and Menieres

Posted , 10 users are following.

Ive had Menieres since the age of 19 in one ear, I believe it began after I started taking the contraceptive pill and after a month I was told to stop them.

When I was 26 I had surgery to decompress a sac and this worked well for a number of years. Then because of a very stressful time it gradually deteriorated again until at the age of 49 i was having frequent debilating attacks lasting many hours with spinning and vomiting ..being admitted to hospital and stabilised, then drop attacks started and I was unable to even leave my home.

I  had a Labrinthectomy and it really was the best thing I could have done ..I wish I had had it done years ago.   

What I was wondering now is if Turmeric is safe to take, as I have been warned that I am predisposed to menieres and that it could be triggered in my good ear, for instance my consultant has told me not to fly as the pressure could cause problems.

I have quite a lot of pain with oesteoarthritis, degenerative discs and I have a lot of sinus congestion and sinus headaches. I believe that Turmeric with piperine can help all of this, but as I have read that anything that could increase bloodflow to the inner ear could upset the balance there and Turmeric thins the blood I wonder if this supplement would be safe to take or even help.

Has anyone else tried this supplement ?

​Thank you

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Posted

    Dear Fliss, 

    Welcome to the forum.  What a difficult road you travelled, having MD during the "Dark Ages" when so little was available to you!  I'm glad that ultimately you have found relief.  However, I can understand how and why you'd be guarding your good ear, with your life!!

    The only thing that seems to help my degenerative disc pain, is a series of back exercises I do every other day.  Ibuprofen has stopped doing the trick, and I can't deal with anything stronger.  I've been taking turmeric for about a year now, for my arthritic knees.  My knees feel the same, but it  definitely  makes it easier for me to fall asleep!  I don't think it's had any adverse effect on my ears.  Since it's essentially an anti-inflammatory, and inflammation of the inner ear is what I want to avoid, I've never worried about it.  But you should always consult with your doctor before you start anything new.  Additionally, how it combines with other medications you're on, is always a concern.  

    I was really surprised to hear you say that your doctor advised you not to fly.  I was worried about that a while back, but my doctor advised me to fly without having any worries, as flying affects your middle ear, not your inner ear. But perhaps it's because you suffer sinus issues?  I know that flying can wreak havoc with those who have chronic sinus problems.  Hmmm.  I'm sure he must have had his reasons....I've just never heard that before. 

    I hope you can find something to safely and effectively help you with your osteo and disc pain.  It's terrible to be in pain all the time.  

    Wishing you all the best,

    J-

     

    • Posted

      Thanks JMJ the moderators let it through then :-D Its funny to hear you say the dark ages, but of course it was really, its just all still so vivid to me and I consider the treatment I got first class, I was just so lucky that it worked for me.  Once I was diagnosed and started on Stemetil this helped quite a bit and I could often tell when an attack was immienent.. they usually came on the mornings just after i had got up, extreme vertigo I had to lay and close my eyes and couldnt move my head a fraction ...and the worse part the vomiting..so when I was offered the Sac operation and it worked for many years with only slight feelings of dizzyness I was very lucky compared to others. the last six months before I finally had the labrinthectomy were the worse.. but fantastic since. When you have been through something so incapacitating you really appreciate it when you have come through it.

      ?I think maybe my consultant surgeon was perhaps covering himself as I asked him if I would be ok to fly and whether it could affect my other ear and probably as he had seen me so ill he said that he couldnt give me any gurantees as I was "prediposed" to it.

      So I have stuck to his advice.

      ?I will go to see my GP before I take Turmeric but he is not as well informed on Menieres as a specialist and getting to see one of those these days is not easy

      ?Thanks again

    • Posted

      Hi Fliss!

      Yes!  The moderator let it through, but they excised the name of the turmeric I mentioned!  Well done, though.  I'd never know it! LOL!  I should know better by nown than to include a brand name....don't know what came over me.  

      I would be the same ways:  unltra cautious in protecting my remaining ear.  I don't blame you one bit. 

      I hope and pray that you'll soon get relief from your osteo and disc pain.  This getting old stuff is for the birds.  Now that my obsession isn't surviving episodes of MD, I'm beginning to focus on the other stuff.  At 60, I don't feel old on the inside, but my body isn't letting me forget that time is marching on.  Funny, I feel more flexible on the inside than I've ever felt, but the back and limbs?  Not so much.  I think it's going to requrire a multidisciplinary approach.  I try to walk as much as possible, but I'm also quite intrigued by the idea of T'ai Chi.  And our posters are beginning to persuade me to give Pine Bark a try! 

      Stay well, and always listen to your gut!!

      Take good care, 

      J-

  • Posted

    Hi Fliss,

     

    I’m sorry that you suffered for so long with MD and started at such a young age. That was a tough break.

     

    I really don’t know about turmeric but as so many of your problems – sinus congestion , arthritis etc - seem related to chronic low level inflammation, have you looked into the possibility of following a paleo / primal type diet? It isn’t easy to follow but is supposed to help reduce inflammation in the body.

     

    I hope you find something that will help with your problems

     

    • Posted

      Thank you Mistybluey I will look into that. Yes it was hard getting it at 19 but I consider myself lucky to have had such a long break from the severe attacks for many years after the sac operation I had at 26.

      ​I agree about the inflammation which is another reason I looked at Turmeric which is supposed to be very good at helping that.

      Thanks again for another option for me to check out.

  • Edited

    Hi fliss,

    I'm aware your post is 3years old but I just found it and thought I would send you a message.

    My mother (54) suffers from Ménière's. She is at a later stage: her hearing is almost gone on the right side, she has frequently vertigo although luckily not so often those strong attacks, she also suffers from drop attacks (she had her second one on the 22nd of December and it caused quite an injury at her head).

    I joined her to the hospital the other day to discuss option on the CI implant.

    We also discussed other options to treat her condition.. But nothing sounds very convincing. My mother was very active. She loves to ski, hike, etc.

    How are you now? What is your experience in the disease? The surgery you had, did it have an impact on your balance? So that practicing sports is more difficult now? Any experience on the CI implant?

    Many thanks and regards,

    Valeria

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