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Yup. Tuesday and Friday last week, off and on Sunday. Yesterday I made it through work and then was in bed the rest of the afternoon and evening. Today I made it through work and have been much better this afternoon/evening but still feel right on the edge. I saw the doc on Thursday and we’re increasing my meds quite a bit so I’m significantly groggy in addition to the Meniere’s symptoms. The earaches have been pretty bad as well.

I don’t mean to complain, it’s just scary. Terrifying really, to think of being that sick again as I was before. If the increased meds don’t get it under control the next step will be Gentamicin injections to attempt to partially deaden my inner ear. It would be the first destructive treatment I’d receive and carries a significant risk of hearing loss. Obviously, I don’t want to get to that point.

Here’s a link to a nice graph that shows various treatments for Meniere’s Disease: http://www.meniett.com/images/treatment_ladder_large.jpg courtesy of the Meniett website. They have “treatment with local overpressure” highlighted because that is what the device they are selling does. Anyway, I think it is interesting because it shows the general progression of treatment for patients with Meniere’s Disease. I’ve been using my Meniett for about four years now and I had endolymphatic sac decompression/shunt surgery in August of 2003. So if continued use of the Meniett and the medications I’m on (Diuretic, Valium, Antivert) can’t control my symptoms, the next step up the treatment ladder is Gentamicin.

I keep thinking, why now when I have so many good things going for me and so many even better and more exciting things coming up soon? But really, is there ever a good time for vertigo? I guess better now when I have so many good things in my life to motivate me to keep going and fight it with everything I’ve got. For five years of my life Meniere’s Disease has been a presence. For the first two years I was pretty much in bed. I’ve been blessed that the last three years have consisted of mainly controlling mild symptoms and putting it out of my mind. It’s always there but the thought of the havoc it has the potential to wreak on my life is too horrible to truly acknowledge very often. Last night, laying in bed, I found myself face to face with it for the first time in a while and it scared the crap out of me.

But today has been a decent day and I feel a bit less dopey. It’s time to think positive thoughts, take advantage of the times when I feel good and have energy, yet be realistic about my limitations until I’ve ridden out this flare up. It’s the nature of the disease.  It’s always there and it always will be.

Tags: Meniere's //