Do you feel that your concentration isn’t what it used to be and do you feel that you can’t remember things whether they are trivial or important? Unfortunately I do. I can’t really blame it on my age because I am only 53 years old and from what I have read memory doesn’t have to necessarily erode as we get older. So can I blame it on the Meniere’s disease, maybe I can indirectly. There are so many problems associated with this disorder that can have an effect on our concentration and our memory.
If you have meniere’s then you know that a good many of the medications make you drowsy. Antivert is a prime example. I used to take it every day to help prevent an attack. That certainly didn’t always work but one thing is for sure, I was very tired at the end of the day. Being tired isn’t good for concentration or memory.
I have written many times about stress and Meniere’s disease. It tears you down and leaves you weak and emotionally drained. Being able to do any task while stressed out takes an enormous effort. Stress seems to be a big issue with everybody today with the economy and the world the way it is. Handling the stress of this disorder and the consequences of it should be a goal for everyone. In my own situation I have recently started counseling in order to control the stress and anxiety that I have.
With all the medications that you take you wouldn’t think that you would have a problem getting sleep, but that isn’t always the case. Even with meds like antivert and valium rest is sometimes difficult to achieve and without sleep your mind isn’t as sharp as it could be.
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Sunday, April 10, 2011
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10 comments:
My mom constantly reassures me it's my age. I'm 41. She's very helpful that way.
David, I've had bilateral Meniere's for 15+ years, tinnitus so bad I can hear it over my husbands tractor. I can't even make a thought sometimes. Other days, I can multi-task without any problems. Seroquel (low dose) at night, plus valium and ativan during the day, prednisone low dose and low dose levothyroxine and I can hear again. This is the BEST control I've had over this in over 6 years. Had the shunt and gentamycin injections for the worst ear and both helped me tremendously many years ago. I do weight training and running to stay active. I also take the vinpocetine, magnesium, zinc, lemon bioflavonoid, and hydrochlorothiazide. Methotrexate will start the end of the month as my Left ear is now failing me which is why I'm also on the steroids. Will keep all posted.
I have plenty of regrets...13 years of playing the clarinet regrets. Having bad colds and not staying home and taking care of myself. But then again, I had chicken pox as a baby and ?? mono as a teen. So I probably didn't stand a chance.
I mainly wanted to mention Seroquel as it has worked for me and I hope others will benefit. This with the vinpocetine, I believe, helps with the brain fog. I'm 42.
I hadn't heard about seroquel before I will have to look it up,
thanks for the information
stay in touch
David
David,
I am 30 years old with bilateral Meniere's. I can tell you that I only started experiencing the 'brain fog' when all four symptoms of the disease came on. I have been on Seroquel as a sleep aid, and now I use a product call Remron (spelling?), which is also an anti-depressant. I know that my memory is shot whether I get much needed rest or not. As for stress, I am now on Zoloft, which has had a drastic effect on how my body copes with stress. All in all, I believe it is the disease and not stress or lack of sleep that contributes to memory dullness.
Hi Crimson56,
you may be right about the memory dullness. This disorder seems to have a different effect on everybody.
stay in touch and thanks for the comment
David
Hi David
My husband, 65 years old, has been complaining about walking into things, dizziness, nausea and tinnitus on and off for years now. These attacks are usually accompanied by feelings of panic. I don't know if there is a connection, but the attacks also seem to coincide with a very sore, stiff neck and shoulders.
He has had similar attacks once or twice in his youth and at one stage his house doctor suggested that he may be suffering from Meniere's. As he did not have a repeat of the symptoms, we left it at that and never thought about it again.
However, during the last three years he started having these attacks (which we thought were panic attacks) again - more and more frequently. A few days ago he woke me in the middle of the night to take him to hospital. He kept telling me that he cannot explain how he feels, except that he is dizzy and fearful and he has a ringing in his ears. After repeated baffling attacks we remembered the house doctor's tentative dagnosis in his youth and we started looking on the Internet for answers. We are now convinced that he definitely has Meniere's.
His current GP prescribed very low doses, (.5mg) of Alzam (a South African medication similar to Diazapam)for his "panic attacks." (His current doctor did not diagnose Meniere's - he seems to be baffled by my husband's panic attacks.) The dosage is so low that it takes hours for him to feel any relief, which, I suspect, he would probably have felt anyway - even if he took nothing.
Anyway, thanks to your blog we now know a lot more about the disease and it is actually a relief (in a way) to know what is wrong, rather than imagine all sorts of things. He is going to see his doctor next week and discuss our findings with him.
Regards
Julie
Hi Julie,
Your husband seems to be having a lot of the same problems that most of us have with Meniere’s disease. I am glad that you found our blog.
The ringing in the ears is very common with Meniere ’s disease as well as the soreness especially in the neck (I still have a problem with that at times). I have also tried diazepam (valium) but not anymore because it seemed to lose effectiveness after a while. Stress and panic attacks play a big part in Meniere’s disease that is my opinion and a lot of other folk’s feelings.
A problem with meds like valium and antivert is that are most effective if taken before an attack. Unfortunately it is very difficult to catch an attack before it happens.
Tell your husband to be very careful because balance loss can lead to falls and greater injury.
Thanks for comment and stay in touch and let us know how things are going.
David
Julie, can your husband go to an ear/nose/throat specialist? They usually see a lot more Meniere's Disease -- at least they recognize it and know a lot of ways to deal with it. I hope your husband feels better and finds a good treatment that works for him. Reading this blog's various threads could help give you ideas of things he can try, from dietary changes to medications.
Hi Peggy and David
Thanks for your comments. The physician that my husband saw feels that, based on his symptoms, it is 90% sure that this is Meniere's. He didn't order any tests though and I do feel that some tests should be run, if only to ensure that some of the alternative and scary possibilities are eliminated? I told him to see an ENT as recommended by you, Peggy.
The tinnitus lasted for days, but today he went for a long, uphill hike and he says the tinnitus is gone. Is this normal? Does exercise help for the condition?
Thank you for this blog because it helps to be able to share my worries with others.
Kindest Regards
Julie
Hi, Julie. I do think exercise helps, from what many others on this blog have said. And in the early stages of Meniere's you can have long periods of remission where you feel normal. At least, that was my experience.
I'm not sure if some people who have Meniere's might have remissions for the duration of the illness. I had remissions during the first few years, but more recently the tinnitus is constant and hasn't let up for years now, unfortunately.
I didn't think to see an ENT specialist until I realized the hearing in my left ear was disappearing. That's when I was diagnosed. Before that, my regular doctor didn't have a clue. I don't blame her for that... I think there are a lot of doctors who haven't even heard of Meniere's, much less know it when they see it.
I hope your husband has something he can deal with very easily and permanently. :)
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