I know that right after a major attack of Meniere’s disease I am exhausted. The major attacks usually last about 4 hours from beginning to end. Probably the main thing that causes fatigue is the nausea that occurs. During an attack I am probably nauseated the majority of the time, throwing up everything that is on my stomach at the time. After all that I am very dehydrated.
Since most of my big attacks end up in a ride to the emergency room an IV is given to me. But even that only helps a little.
I also sweat profusely when an attack occurs especially when it is a bad attack. This is probably another reason that I’m exhausted.
But it also seems that since I have had Meniere’s disease my energy level is also lower. I do have sleep apnea which certainly has an effect on my energy but the MD also affects it.
Of course the last contributing factor to my fatigue is the medicine I take for MD. Antivert and valium (low dosage) both tire me out as well.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
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Dear fellow sufferer,
I have been able to abort the onset of vertigo 60% of the time by taking droperidol drops sublingually when I feel that an attack might be starting soon. If your ENT has not heard of this therapy, shoot me an email and I will give you my ENT's number, so your physician can consult him. (FYI - This sublingual preparation needs to be compounded by a pharmacist, so I would suggest calling your pharmacy to check that they do compounding.)
Droperidol can abort the vertigo, but I will still have nausea. Meclizine (Antivert) does help, but I'm still fairly incapacitated.
I recently got a prescription for ondansetron (Zofran), which I have yet to try. It is the most effective anti-emetic Rx. Insurance will most likely not cover it for Meniere's though, but it's worth it if it works.
I would love to try a tryptan anti-migraine drug when I feel an attack coming, but my ENT is not as adventurous as me and has not prescribed one.
Hope this helps,
Chris
thanks Chris,
I'll ask about droperidol drops. I don't think that I have heard about them before
thanks again
David
I'm a long time sufferer, Thanks for your blog. May I ask why you go to the emergency room for an attack? It seems to me a difficult trip for not much help. What do they do for you that you cannot have at home?
My attacks in the past have been very severe to the point that I couldn't hardly communicate with anyone. I also have a family history of heart disease so I just want to be sure that it isn't a heart attack.
thanks for the comment
My doc did an ENG and gave me Droperidol drops to take 3+ times a day for a month afterwards. My nausea and headaches have been less severe however it has not helped the spin factor. My vertigo is mild by comparison but is constant and consistent. Meclizine didn't work. Currently I'm on clarinex in the morning and Valium and Elavil at night. Any suggestions on getting back to baseline would be appreciated.
I wish I could help but I'm not a doctor. The best thing that I can suggest is to get another doctor's opinion
David
My doc recently gave me a script for the droperidol. Am glad to hear it is effective for you. It has been very difficult to find a pharmacy that could compound it due to low demand but I finally did in Houston near the Texas Medical Center. Was told it is often easier near a large medical center because they are used to working with docs who ask for the not everyday. It is not covered by my insurance. However if it is helpful the $65 cost is well worth it.
Thanks for the comment. It is too bad that the droperidol isn't covered by insurance.
David
My father and mother both suffer from this disease. My father was just recently prescribed Droperidol with his last visit to his ENT Doc...I was wondering if its just a trial drug or has this medication been proven to cure this disease? Taking a tranquilizer is pretty extreme.
From what I understand this drug is pretty powerful but it doesn't cure the meniere's.
thanks for the comment
David
Well my dad started taking these drops and they seem to make him worse...today really hit me that my dad is really sick and it really scared me...he was in the kitchen getting something to eat and the next thing i knew i heard a loud sound and my dad yelling for my help. It really scared me..and I feel so useless because I cant help him...I dont know what to do. Has this ever happened to you?
I've never taken droperidol, but if I had that can of reaction I would get medical help as soon as I could.
I'm not a doctor but that doesn't sound very good
David
Can anyone comment on if there will ever be a cure for this? I take droperidol whenever the attack is about to occur and it somehow subsidizes on occassions.
Will we ever be able to live a normal life?
I wish I knew. Hopefully research will find out what causes this and what can be done about it.
David
This is depressing me. I experienced my first vertigo attack last month which lasted for a week. I couldn't even hold water down, and was finally admitted to the hospital. I've since experienced 3 minor attacks, and have reverted back to taking Betaserc. I honestly thought the first attack was just an isolated incident and would never happen again. The devastating thing is seeing so many other people living with this nightmare, and there not being any cure. David, thank you for this blog, it is very informative and helpful.
It seems that with meniere's you are never truly done with it. Attacks come out of the blue and may last a few moments or days.
Let us know how the betaserc is doing.
good luck and stay in touch
David
I had my second heavy attack a couple of months ago after a 35 year hiatus. A walk during heavy winds seems to have triggered the first attack. But the second one came out of no where and lasted nearly 2 weeks. I was put on the antivert but it made me so sleepy that I couldn't function. I started with another attack just this week but I took 1/2 of an antivert each night and the other half the next morning and so far the attack has been mild with no nausea. My menieres diagnosis was made 35 years ago but I wasn't given any real information on it at that time. I am nearly 60 years old and I certainly don't want to spend my retirement wobbling around like a drunk so hopefully they will find a cure soon.
Sorry to hear about your recent attacks, I know it must have been rough being sick for 2 weeks.
The antivert tires me out too, I think that it is considered a sedative. It does seem to help though.
I hope that someone finds an answer to meniere's disease.
thanks for the comment and stay in touch
David
For about 5 onths I have been receiving treatment for vertigo/bppv from a dr of physical therapy. I will see audiology and and ENT next month for an initial consult. How do u feel right before an attack? I feel giddy and quite off. Then I get sick and all I can do is lay in the dark. Often I put ice/cold on my wrist to quell the nausea. I dont throw up. Im exhausted afterwards. I notice that visually busy places make me exhausted as well
I am suffering from menier's since january, 2006. For years i take vertin which destroyed my digestive system but to no avail for menier's. i can not move out or go to my work of my own and have to take a cheffuer driven vehicel. Twice i took three doses of steriod dexamethazone with little help which lasted 1-2 months.
Violet, I don't know if it's common for people with BPPV to throw up, but I know it didn't work that way for me.
Before a Meniere's attack I would feel dizzy for days or even a week or two. I would have difficulty walking a straight line. As I got closer to an attack, it would look and feel as if the world around me was moving; at times, it looked as if the trees and houses around me were jumping up and down and felt as if I was on an amusement park ride, even if I was sitting still. That was right before I threw up. Afterward, I would be exhausted for hours, or days.
Visually busy places make me very dizzy and exhausted, too. I have a lot of trouble now with train stations and airports, for that reason. Too much activity and visual stimuli, coupled with stress.
Good luck with the visit to audiology and the ENT. I hope they can help you.
I was successful with NO episodes for over two years with the John of Ohio regime (vitamins and supplements). However just recently (I believe triggered by allergies), I began having horrible tinnitus, aural fullness and some balance issues/spinning. My old attacks would bring on severe vertigo.....Has anyone been on the John of Ohio regime and had it stop working? Not sure what to do. PMF
PMF - Have you seen an allergist? I was told that allergies can have a big impact, and if you are thorough in treating your allergies properly, you might be able to cut down on the Meniere's symptoms.
I am currently taking allergy shots - 4 kinds a week. Hopefully it will help. Have been using droperidol for some time now. Was told by my ENT to use if I feel nausea coming on. I use a few drops and then again if needed. It really helps the nausea. I do the routine therapy for the others systems for my bilateral MD and get the symptons mentioned by others each-spinning, off balance, hearing fluctuations, fatigue etc. But the droperidol does help the nausea. I also use it upon his advise when I fly since I get air sickness. It does help with that as well. But finding a compounding pharmacist who can fill it can be a challenge. Not all compounding pharmacies do it. I have been told by some because of the low demand for some of the ingredients.
thanks for the info on droperidol. I am glad that it is working for you. I imagine that it would be tough to get.
stay in touch and let us know how you are doing
David
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