Meniere’s disease can literally put your world upside down. It changes you; it makes you cautious about certain activities that might bring on attacks. It wears you down, saps your energy and often makes you wonder if life is worth all the trouble that comes with meniere’s. And what if you have exercised and stayed in great shape before becoming sick, are you still exercising. In my case I had other problems with my health before the meniere’s even started.
I have read past comments and articles that many meniere’s sufferers have still exercise maybe not as much as before but they still exercise. One particular post I found especially inspirational. I am sure that they have to take special care because you don’t want to be running somewhere and have an attack or if you are lifting weights the last thing you need is to have your head spinning. I used to run before I got sick but I don’t even consider it now. Walking seems to be safer for me now (although I don’t do as much as I should). I used to like to swim but as I have written before the fear of water in my ear has limited that activity. Of course as others have pointed out to me swimming shouldn’t be a problem for meniere’s sufferers.
As for my diet, it definitely could be better but I do watch how much salt I take in. too much sodium is bad for you whether you believe it has any effect on your meniere’s or not.
I would love to hear any comments about your health before Meniere’s disease and after.
Thanks
Sunday, March 28, 2010
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8 comments:
I was diagnosed with Meniere's in February. My vertigo is subjective (feels like I'm moving) and on good days it feels like I'm living on a boat in calm seas so the rocking is gentle. On worse days it's heavy seas or #1000 grade white water. My general health prior to Meniere's was pretty good. I also have Fibromyalgia so a consistent amount of exercise, particularly weight bearing exercise, is key to my overall well-being.
Here's what I've found so far. Some yoga poses and several Pilates floor exercises do a lot for my overall balance, far more than the head exercises my ENT prescribed. (Cawthorne exercises actually trigger migraines for me) Yoga and Pilates increase the amount of oxygen you're sucking in, stretch and relax the muscles, make you more flexible and strengthen the core muscles of the torso which is why I believe the balance is helped. And since you're doing most of them on the floor you won't fall too far!
I'm also lucky to have a full feature elliptical trainer in my basement. While it's dangerous for me to sprint/run outside, I can do it safely indoors keeping my eyes focused on a single point on the wall in front of me. With the clothes dryer running or some drone noise on the iPod to block the tinnitus it's kind of almost peaceful. Choosing a focal point to fix your vision on when doing any movement is key - I find that if I treat most motion as if I was going to do a spin or flip (I used to do freestyle skiing) I have a better outcome.
I try to do some exercise each day. On the bad days when I have to take Valium and turn into a zombie that might mean not much more than an extra walk with the dogs. Since it seems I spend a lot of time on the phone with doctors and insurance companies I use a speaker phone and keep three pound weights nearby. There are all kind of simple exercises you can do sitting down or standing up with light weights (no where near the head!) and they don't damage the floor too much if you drop them.
So far as diet, I was eating healthy before and it hasn't been too difficult to cut more salt out. Because of the diuretic I have cotton-mouth all the time, so moist foods are real attractive. It's important to figure out something that you don't mind drinking or eating when you are mildly nauseous (which I am about 80% of the time). Drops in blood sugar make my vertigo worse.
Hope this is helpful to you David. I have found your blog useful as I try to figure out how to live with this disorder.
Thanks for the information especially about the yoga and pilates, I don't think that I had heard of anyone using it before with meniere's, but it sounds safe.
it is also good to hear that you are staying busy and trying to find the best way to live with this illness.
I have heard others talk about how the valium affects them also. Fortunately I take a small dosage of it every day so it really doesn't make that tired.
It seems that when my blood sugar is low there is also an effect on my vertigo too.
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and please stay in touch
David
Coping with Meniere’s is challenging. It does turn our world upside down. Life as we once knew it is no longer the same. I am not used to my new role. For years I enjoyed good health and my role was that of the caregiver both at home and at work.
I worked many years with chronic lung disease patients in pulmonary rehabilitation, telling them that they could learn to control their disease and not let it control them. Now the “shoe is on the other foot,” and I am attempting to practice what I preached. It is not easy by any means. Coping with vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, fatigue, “brain fog,” anxiety, depression, etc. is an entirely new adventure without the benefit of my usual maps. My Meniere’s associated regimens are continuously on trial, judged for their legitimacy or efficiency or both - the initial trust of my physician; control of my symptoms or the disease or both; symptom relief versus side effects, etc..
A cluster of recent, spontaneous, violent vertigo attacks have prompted me double down on my regimens, especially the low salt diet. I am working my way through the No-Salt, Lowest Sodium Cookbook by Donald Gazzaniga. As the author says, “The down and dirty truth is if you really want to lower your sodium intake (and you acknowledge that it is necessary and important to do so), you’re going to have to adapt your tastes and food desires to new flavors and textures.” I have not yet adapted and it is a struggle. Also, shopping for low-sodium or no-sodium food is an adventure in itself.
I do exercise by walking. I was never a runner or a swimmer. I have enjoyed hiking for years. There are multiple wooded trails along creeks nearby, where I can walk for miles without any awareness of the surrounding metropolitan area. The problem I now face, with spring and warmer weather approaching, is the fear of an attack on the trail away from home. I am hoping that I will stabilize so that I can go back to the trails. I recently bought a treadmill so that I can walk at home. Lately, there have been days when I just could not exercise. And days when I had to force myself to walk on the treadmill and felt better afterwards. I usually wear MBT “rockers” when walking, but when I am feeling wobbly on “off” days, they tend to exacerbate my balance problems.
I now have my hearing aid and am so pleased with it. What a difference it has made in my quality of life.
There have been a few discouraging times when I wondered if life is worth all the trouble that comes with Meniere’s. But I always remember my wife and son and what they went through with their illnesses. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” I draw upon their courage in the face of adversity in my adventure with Meniere’s.
i am wandering if you are in the US ,i'min the UK i have had menieres since i was 20 ( now 42) the only test i had was hot and cold sprayed into me ear and asked to count back from 100 in 3's was then told i had menieres i was put on serc and stemitil, never had any advice about about balance exercise ect. I now seem to get loads of earaches which is a new symptom. some days i stay in bed as i can't get up. tina
Denis,
Thanks for the wonderful inspiring comment, I will be sharing it with the other readers in a upcoming post.
David
Hi Tina,
I live in the US. I never had the test where they put water in my ear but I have heard of many who have.
22 years is long time to have to put up with this illness, i can imagine that it has been tough on you.
good luck and stay in touch.
David
I have been very active for my whole life. I have been riding my bike to work (about 7 miles each way) for almost two years. After being diagnosed with Meniere's, I have found I do better if I don't ride everyday. As a matter of fact, one of my worst attacks was after I biked to work. I am down to about 3 to 4 days a week.
I still lift weights and do yoga 3 to 4 times a week. I find the dizziness makes yoga a little more challenging especially if there is a lot of movement. This has improved since I started my acupuncture started three weeks ago.
I guess with everything else, moderation is key. Steve
Steve,
I am glad you are still able to exercise, although I know it isn't as much as you would probably like. But just be careful on that bike.
How do like the acupuncture? Do you think it has helped your meniere's much?
thanks and stay in touch
David
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