Here is a recap of the posts that I have written specifically about gentamicin.
- Gentamicin injections – in this first post I wrote about first series of gent injections that were done in 2008.
- A year after the gent injections – At this point I felt that the injections were mostly successful although I was still having attacks but the attacks weren’t as severe.
- Gentamicin questions and answers – I addressed a couple of questions that were about gent injections.
- My latest gent adventure – I started my second series of injections with a rather painful experience during and after the shots.
- Meniere’s attack after the gentamicin injections – Shortly after that shot that I described in the previous post I had a terrible attack.
- Low dose gentamicin injections –I wrote about how Dr. Hain who has an excellent site on all things about being dizzy, prefers low dose gentamicin injections.
The question that some people have been asking me is whether the gent injections have been a success or failure for me. It is really hard to say, in some respect I think that it has helped because my attacks don’t last as long but my balance and hearing are definitely worse and the number of attacks has increased.
Feel free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed.
Posts
12 comments:
David:
it cerainly sounds like with poor balance, frequent attacks and your drop attack, it appears you are in some sort of burnout phase. When I burned out some years ago, I had several drop attacks and was having frequent attacks on a daily and weekly basis until the attacks became mild and eventually went away. Did not have gent as it was was not offered many years ago when mine started, but would have done it rather than suffer the many years I did with MM
Stephan
David:
thinking about the gent as well, I am always interested in learning how other parts of world treat MM. Is gent a popular treatment in other countries as well? Something tells me America is more quick to go down the destructive route with gent, vns, laby. I will draw the line at gent for myself. Way too much going on with cell regeneration and vestibular prosthesis. At least with gent you have other options if these things become available.
Timmothy
@Stephan,
I agree, I've been though the same thing over the last 18 months or so. What's your stable condition like now, can I ask? I'm interested in where I (and maybe David) might end up. Thanks.
David:
just read on menieres.org that the first vestibular implant designed for meniere's patients to stop vertigo will be implanted this Thursday. Just thought your audience would like the information.
I was just thinking about the gent, maybe I should hold off. The first human implant is going into a man named Gene P. Let's all think of him on Thursday.
Stephan
@Jeff
Jeff, my stable condition is pretty normal, maybe a
little lightheadedness when I get up or turn very fast. I still have tinnitus. My water pill keeps the fullness away and I wear a hearing aid.
In terms of balance, I have compensated well and no problems. Feel like normal except for the tinnitus which you get used to it. My hearing aid masks it as well. It is a good feeling, took me 17 years to get to this point.
Stephan
David,
When I was first diagnosed, I was told, after you have this a few years it will get better, I am finding that not be true. I am so sorry the latest gent injections haven't made things better. Do you plan to have anymore gent injections? I can see why the doctors have such a hard time treating this disease. I hope the right path opens up soon for you to get a treatment that will enable you to get back to work and on with your life.
Sherry
David:
I am a little bittersweet now, I recently had gent injections, been ok except for about 6 weeks or so. Very off balance and terrible vertigo, but I just read on another forum the first vestibular/pacemaker meant to overdrive a vertigo attack in meniers patients is being installed in a few days with many more planned.
I feel my doctor should have mentioned this to me as something I may want to wait on or at least see the results. I destroyed my balance function when it could have been saved if we waited a few months to see where this all leads.
David:
gent did not work for me, I think unless it wipes out all function you will always have some issues with balance and vertigo. I have to go back for another round shots to try and knock it completely out.
With all going on in research, I don't know if I would do it again today knowing what I know. Researchers are moving very fast with implants nowadays as you know.
Stephanie
David:
I scheduled gent for later next month at House ear in California, now I just don't know. David, the treatment for meniere's and vertigo could be
changed forever in the next few weeks with the pacemaker device from Dr Rubinstein. First implant scheduled in two days.
David: why don't doctors let us know these things. Are they trying to hide something, it seems
patients are more up to date and knowledgeable than they are.
David: We are our own best healthcare providers, doctors are merely just consultants in the game when it comes to MM.
Paul
@David and Jeff:
I was thinking about 1 gent injection, I have burned out, testing shows no ear function with water or rotary chair, but every now and than I get what I call bursts. 10 second spins, just long enough for me to grab someone and they say are you ok and than it is over. I can get 5 or so a day and they go away for a few months and return. Never more that 5-10 second burst attacks. Never any barfing or falling down. Just want one gent to end it. Other than that life is very normal. It never keeps or prevents me from doing things. Just a few cells left sending bad info to the brain trying to hold on for
as long as they can. Life is good, no more drop attacks or spinning vertigo is a beautiful thing.
Stephan
David:
I got gent and had to get more injections after about 18 months, so far so good.
David:
pretty cool the first human vestibular prosthesis/implant going in this week designed to stop meniere's type vertigo.
Very good new to all, we should be happy.
thanks everybody for the comments about gent injections. It does seem to work for some folks, it might have helped me a little but I wouldn't get anymore!
David
Post a Comment