Is It possible to have both?Please Help!

[Vee913]

I was plagued with dizziness/nausea and hearing loss many years ago.  After testing, I was given the diagnosis of Meniere's, and told to take meclazine, and it worked well at the time.  Then after I moved, a new ear doctor said i have Benign PPV, and performed a procedure (probably Epley) and left her office walking in a straight line with no dizziness nor nystagmus.

Now I have symptoms of both, with exagerated nystagmus (both horozontal and recently vertical nystagmus), dizziness and while I think my hearing loss has not been too bad, my speech discrimination has nosedived.  Everybody is saying "wah wah" at times.  Everything in my house is captioned and yes, I can hear my tv from the basement to the second floor of my home.  I've been lip-reading more than ever.  Recently, when I take physical therapy (arthritis) and am lying down, everything spins wildly, and the spinning is lasting and longer and can feel the nystagmus happening.  The dizziness is debilitating.  I've been taking meclizine for 3 days and guess what?  Physical therapy is tomorrow.

My hearing tests have been almost normal, and under a controlled environment of The Booth, my speech discrimination is not that bad.

Ideas, anyone?

[Vee913]

Yes, I do feel better today.  Some stumbling into walls,  but no vertigo.Looking forward to The Second Chance.

Hope your three day weekend is great.  I'm going to 2 graduations this weekend.

[Londres70]

Yes, the 1/2 tablet of Antivert, uggg!!!  LOL

You sound better.  

Enjoy your weekend as well.  My hubby and I have a 3 day weekend to enjoy. :)

[Vee913]

Good evening.  I had my appointment this afternoon.  Didn't feel very good, so I took tylenol and1/2 dosage meclazine so I would not get so sick. Headache went away and I waited my turn with the physical therapist.  She laid me down to start the Epply, and .... no nystagmus to the right.  We change to another table, and no nystagmus to the left.  That's when I remembered that I had taken that teensy weensy 1/2 tablet of meclazine.  Duh!!! When I mentioned this to the therapist I could tell deep into her eyes that she wanted to choke me, since she already had me with my head over the table.  I have to admit, she really was restrained but I know I'm the topic at her dinner table.  

OK.  Get your laughs out of your systems......

Are you done?  Good.

I have another appointment Monday at 2.  If I'm not too embarassed, I'll write you guys again.  Have a good weekend to both of you.

[Nancy T]

Thanks for your kind words. I don't pay attention to MedHelp's new "stars" and "best answer" system--I think it's a bit silly. :) In any case, I think Londres is more "up" on things than I am. I've stopped reading and researching so much about dizziness, compared to ten years ago when I started.

Good luck at your appointment! I hope it helps.

[Londres70]

Thanks and do keep us posted.

[Vee913]

Just a note to tell you that MedHelp asked me to pick a "Best Answer" for our interaction.  I clicked Londres70 and found that that was my only option because I want to rate both of you.  Both of you were phenomenal, both individually as well as the interactions between both of you.  I learned a LOT thru you.  I thank you both equally, and am thrilled that you both care.

My appointment is Friday @2.  I will make an entry as soon as I get home.  The only way you won't hear from me is if the procedure makes me feel worse and wind up being admitted.

I wish I could go today because I feel disoriented and unsteady.

Again, I cannot say which ONE of you helped me...you BOTH reached out and gave valuable info.  Thanks!

[Vee913]

I am so grateful for all your suggestions, and explanations.  I feel empowered, and I'm ready for Friday.  Stay tuned!

[Londres70]

Keep us posted.  :)  

Yes, so much fun dealing with an inner ear disorders; NOT.  :(

[Vee913]

Thank you both for your awesome points of view.  I've been out of town but I am delighted by your interest in me and my predicament.  First of all, my PT appointment was cancelled and rescheduled to this coming Friday.  I am looking forward to it. I'm interested in the disclosure that my Meniere's only lasts to 24 hours.  Then I guess I've been having BPPV symptoms and thought they were the Meniere's for a long time.  Yes, there were times when the spinning went away overnight, leaving me kind of disoriented in the morning, but I still get hissing and roaring in my left ear occasionally.  But these wild spin-outs may indeed be the BPPV taking over, especially since the bed spins and if I look straight up or straight down, the spinning begins. And since I'm having physical therapy for lumbar stenosis and most exercises involve me lying flat, I can't perform the exercises, which my neurology  insists I have.  

Oh, yes I did have the Eply procedure performed but has to have been 15 years ago (when it had just been published).  A few months ago I had the pleasure of having the wonderful combination of sciatica and debilitating spinning at the same time.  After they determined it wasn't a stroke, I was shipped to Physical Therapy to deal with the pain.  I cant find the discharge paper, but I remember "CN: Grossly unstable" was on there, and even the staff had to help me to a chair.

Thank you both for your input, and I am glad to have had you help me.  I'll let you know how my Epply procedure goes.  Thank you for caring about me.  I had no idea that Meniere's and BPPV are related.

[Londres70]

De rien (you're welcome) for the info.  :)

[Nancy T]

Londres--thanks for the info--I'm sure you are better informed than me about Meniere's. A lot of what I have read is from (a few) experts who are focused on the compensation process and try to get patients off meclizine except for during attacks.

I agree generally about consulting with a doctor before attempting treatments or med changes--I just thought that since Vee has apparently already had an Epley in the office, it would probably be safe to try one at home if she is suffering with BPPV and unable to get in soon--but at least calling the doc would be a great idea. Although now I see (upon re-reading) she is going for PT tomorrow already, and vestibular PTs can do the Epley.

Nancy

[Londres70]

Please make sure you CONSULT your PHYSICIAN before attempting any maneuvers, changes in your meds, etc.  Remember, we are NOT physicians.  I would not want you to make things worse.  

Keep us posted.

[Londres70]

The verdict is out about taking Antivert daily vs prn (as needed); physicians diasagree on this one; Meniere's is a condition that is really poorly understood as alot of inner ear disorders are.  In my case, I have unresolved Labyrinthitis, so in my case taking Betahistine( Antivert is not precribed/available in Europe), which I have been prescribed, daily would hinder my recovery, but it depends on the inner ear problem.  The poor woman, Vee913, has been having problems for days NOT hours, so I thought she should CONSULT her physician about taking the Antivert daily versus prn (as needed) until she is controlled.  Usually, Meniere's does not last for days; 24/7; it comes in attacks lasting less than 24 hours.  

[Nancy T]

I am not an expert on Meniere's, but I have heard that daily use of meclizine (as opposed to taking it as needed) can HINDER compensation, and thus it should only be taken to help during attacks.

As Londres said, having Meniere's (or certain other ear problems) can make you more likely to have BPPV. You can find an illustration of the Epley maneuver at www.dizziness-and-balance.com; go to the BPPV page and scroll down. It's easy to do at home (if you have no neck problems).

For preventing Meniere's attacks, aren't you on a low-salt diet and a diuretic? That's the standard treatment. (As I said, though, I'm not an expert and don't have Meniere's myself.)

Good luck! :)

[Londres70]

Yes, trying to find and get the help you need, yes, Uggh!

It is great you found someone who can help you.

The Antivert, it is usually ordered 3x/day, I know it can be taken everyday to maintain the symptoms.  I know patients that take it as needed, but in your case, you can ask your physician if you should take it daily versus as needed.  I think it might make a difference for you.

Unresolved Labyrinthitis, is a result of some viral infection that attacked my inner ear and my inner in return never fully recovered.  Symptoms are a NIGHTMARE: constant rocking sensation 24/7, ringing in the ears, feeling off-balance when I walk, headaches, light-sensitive, brain fog, etc.  I have learned to adjust to this and live as normal as possible.  Some days are better than others.  If the weather is cold and rainy.....well, you get the picture.  I have been told stay as active as possible with an inner ear problem because it will help the body compensate quicker.  Normally, this Labyrinthitis usually resolves after 2-4 weeks, had mine almost a year, Uggh!!!!!  

And yes, if I ever recover, I can get this again.  Double Uggh!!!!!!

[Vee913]

Thank you for your input.  And I agree... this IS a nightmare  The doctors that made the diagnoses have moved on; they were from differing affiliations anyway.  This has been happening on&off almost 20 years.  The new drop in my hearing WAS the scariest symptom until last week's wild return of spinning and staggering.

I attend the VA hospital near me, and they are slow to give/get permission for care in differing medical fields.  My symptoms sent me to the ER a few months ago, but they pinned that trip on my two silent strokes (totally unrelated).  After reading your response, I called the ENT at the VA, and they said yes they treat both conditions, and they not only can perform the Epley procedure, they can show me how to perform it for myself at home....  But, first things first: I need my primary doctor in Women's Health to write, then submit the forms.  Ugh!

I've been taking Antivert 25mg a few times a day only when I have a flare-up.

Bless You for reaching out to me.   Unresolved Labyrinthitis sounds horrific!  What is that!???  Is it recurring? Anything like Meniere's and/or BPPV.