Menieres Disease was (Should I be concerned)

[MacroGuru]

Alright, just a brief intro.

Born deaf in my right ear. Enter in the fact I am very protective of my left ear.

2 weeks ago, I obtain the sensation of pressure in my left ear and everyone sounds like they are talking to me through a tin can. I go to my doc. Told they think there is fluid inside the inner ear but do not see an infection. Prescribes me Flonase spray and OTC Claritin.

Well, that didn't touch it at all for the 10 days my dr told me to try. She has referred me to an ENT. I have an appointment Thurs.

Last night, I am sitting at the computer, feel wetness coming from my nose, assuming it is a runny nose as I just came in from a cold outside, I reach up to touch it and it was like a flood of blood.

Ran into the bathroom, started the good ol pinch and lean forward to stop the bleeding, then I sneeze...aggravates the bleeding but I have a slight pressure reduction in the ear. Took a good 20 minutes for me to stop the nose bleed.

Today, I have a small headache but the pressure is a little less.

I am not to freaking out about the nose bleed because it is a side effect. Question is, should I be concerned and go to a dr tonight.

[RendeR]

The fact that the nose bleed/sneezing etc seems to have an effect on the pressure in your good ear tells me that you need to talk to someone about it sooner rather than later.

[Rizon]

I would go ASAP, if not for the peace of mind.

[CrimsonFox]

If going to a doctor will make you feel better than sure go. Otherwise you'll just worry all night.

I've had the tincan thing plenty before either when I literally get water in my ear or when I am sick/have sinus problems and popping them and using qtips to dig out fluid/wax usually helps.

[stevew]

I would try some sudafed if I didn't go to the doctor. I'd guess you might have a sinus infection.

[MacroGuru]

Here is the thing...Doc has said no infection, I have taken the sudafed, claritin, nasal, everything for the supposed sinus / ear infection EXCEPT an anti-biotic. ...the pressure is a concern, and in fact she said I had really clean ears...so hence my frustration...

I am trying to avoid an ER visit and bill, but I have a girlfriend who is super freaking out and I want to be able to say, I am ok it can wait till Thurs.

[Rizon]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Here is the thing...Doc has said no infection, I have taken the sudafed, claritin, nasal, everything for the supposed sinus / ear infection EXCEPT an anti-biotic. ...the pressure is a concern, and in fact she said I had really clean ears...so hence my frustration...

I am trying to avoid an ER visit and bill, but I have a girlfriend who is super freaking out and I want to be able to say, I am ok it can wait till Thurs.

Is this going to be expensive? If it was just a simple/cheap doctor's visit, I'd say go. The peace of mind would be worth it. Though you can milk the sympathy angle from your GF if not

I had pressure in my ears back in 2005. It didn't go away for a couple of years, despite doctor's visits. It's gone now. And I am still alive.

[Ironhead]

If my nose started bleeding that badly I would want to see a doctor sooner rather than later. That being said, until I got to the doctor my first guess would be some kind of sinus infection. The bleeding sinus and possible ear congestion would point to it - especially if you have forced hot air in your home / apartment.

[JediKooter]

I get a lot of bloody noses when the air is super dry. One innocent swipe of my nose and it's coming out like I hit an artery or something.

I'd rather be safe than sorry though, but, that's just me. If you have insurance, I'd go to urgent care at the very least.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Ironhead

If my nose started bleeding that badly I would want to see a doctor sooner rather than later. That being said, until I got to the doctor my first guess would be some kind of sinus infection. The bleeding sinus and possible ear congestion would point to it - especially if you have forced hot air in your home / apartment.

Yeah, it actually sounds very similar to what happened to a friend of mine a year or so ago. It was an issue with his sinus that required surgery to fix. Having said that, if I had the symptoms that you described, I'd be taking myself to the ER/doc for peace of mind. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yeah, it actually sounds very similar to what happened to a friend of mine a year or so ago. It was an issue with his sinus that required surgery to fix. Having said that, if I had the symptoms that you described, I'd be taking myself to the ER/doc for peace of mind. Better to be safe than sorry.

Especially given your right ear.

I'd suspect that deaf in one ear is a little like having one kidney. You get by fine without your right ear, but you really don't want to be in a situation where you damage the good one.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Here is the thing...Doc has said no infection, I have taken the sudafed, claritin, nasal, everything for the supposed sinus / ear infection EXCEPT an anti-biotic. ...the pressure is a concern, and in fact she said I had really clean ears...so hence my frustration...

I am trying to avoid an ER visit and bill, but I have a girlfriend who is super freaking out and I want to be able to say, I am ok it can wait till Thurs.

um...perhaps overmedication and a stressed blown bloodvessel?

[MacroGuru]

Alright...an update...

Menieres Disease.

Meniere's disease is an inner ear disorder that affects balance and hearing. No cure is known, and i have to modify diet and lifestyle drastically.

I have some minor hearing loss right now, but it is probably due to the "attack". If the Prednisone he has me on relieves the pressure and helps, I will take another hearing test to see if it has helped..

I get a balance test on the 5th and follow up in 4 weeks for the rest.

Honestly, it's frustrating because I only have the one ear, but it explains a lot of my issues I had in the past with vertigo and fatigue.

[PurdueBrad]

Wow Macro, good luck man. Sorry to hear that you'll have to make big changes but at least you know what it is. Said a quick prayer for you.

[cartman]

Hopefully one of the diet modifications is a dramatic increase in Salt Lick consumption!

At least you have an answer now, as to opposed to wild, in the dark guessing.

[molson]

Ya, it's always better to know what you're treating rather than being in the dark.

And hey, it looks like you're in some fine company. I wiki'd Menieres Disease, and here's some suspected cases: Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther, Julius Caesar, Charles Darwin, and Alan Shephard. Sure, they're all dead now, but I'm pretty sure it was from other stuff.

[CrimsonFox]

*waits for the third act when Dr House discovers it is not Menieres Disease after all and whatever he prescribed makes whatever it is worse*

[PilotMan]

Sorry to hear that Dennis. Hopefully you'll be able to find a nice balance with the diet change and learn some really good relaxations techniques.

[Chief Rum]

Glad to hear they have it diagnosed, although sorry it's not a cureable disease. Good luck with the lifestyle adjustments and medication.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by molson

Ya, it's always better to know what you're treating rather than being in the dark.

And hey, it looks like you're in some fine company. I wiki'd Menieres Disease, and here's some suspected cases: Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther, Julius Caesar, Charles Darwin, and Alan Shephard. Sure, they're all dead now, but I'm pretty sure it was from other stuff.

And let us not forget, Alan Shephard was an astronaut.

Good luck, man!

/tk

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by molson

Ya, it's always better to know what you're treating rather than being in the dark.

And hey, it looks like you're in some fine company. I wiki'd Menieres Disease, and here's some suspected cases: Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther, Julius Caesar, Charles Darwin, and Alan Shephard. Sure, they're all dead now, but I'm pretty sure it was from other stuff.

Lets not go there, I need to keep a quality tenant in the damned apartment for more than 2 years at a time =)

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Lets not go there, I need to keep a quality tenant in the damned apartment for more than 2 years at a time =)

Hey all the better for you if he's deaf.

[Autumn]

My wife has a mild version of Meniere's disease. She's been diagnosed for about 15 years with it. Sounds like maybe you've got it worse, she mostly just gets dizzy spells at times, but it's been relatively easy for her to deal with it. Glad to hear it's just that!

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Hey all the better for you if he's deaf.

Deaf is fine, Dead I can't handle =)

[BYU 14]

Glad they got it nailed down Dennis, wishing you the best man. Just curious if the Doc went into detail about how diet plays into it.

Hopfully things improve a lot with modifications and probably a good thing you are no longer flying as much as well.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Glad they got it nailed down Dennis, wishing you the best man. Just curious if the Doc went into detail about how diet plays into it.

Hopfully things improve a lot with modifications and probably a good thing you are no longer flying as much as well.

Yeah, as i have sat and thought about it over the past 24 hours it's pretty funny when I can pinpoint the attacks I had and always attributed them to travel exhaustion and what not.

Diet is a low sodium diet as lessening the salt helps with the fluid retention as he may have to put me on a water pill.

[MacroGuru]

Well, I have just finished a week long mass dose of 60 mg per day of Prednisone to see if it could help reduce the pressure and swelling and help with the hearing. 420 mg in over a week is crazy and sets your body out of whack on so many levels.

It did help though and I am back to hearing some base but I do know I have some hearing loss now in my left ear.

I have a balance test on Monday the 5th and that will determine whether or not I will receive an MRI. Talks have also begun on the future and not IF but WHEN I lose my hearing. That scares the hell out of me. But they were talking surgery and different things that could be done to help.

I will know more after Monday...and changing up my diet is a pain in the ass, mainly because I am stubborn.

[DaddyTorgo]

Deaf is better than blind. At least if you're deaf you can still use the internet at 100% effectiveness. That's my thought.

[JPhillips]

We're all falling apart around here!

Take care, Dennis. I hope they can find a way to keep your hearig for as long as possible.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

We're all falling apart around here!

No kidding, eek.

[MacroGuru]

Had my ENG/VNG testing today. It was about 45 minutes long, and they did tricks to my eyes and ears to make me dizzy and test my balance.

The last test was irrigating water to my ears. I had cold water running for 30 secs into my left, check to see if I was dizzy then 30 into my right.

They then repeated the process with warm water.

Needless to say, my right ear messed me up bad. I haven't had a full blown room spin for quite a while like this did.

The bad result of the test, my ears hurt and I feel like I have a bad case of swimmers ear in the left ear, which is my only good ear and has been the problem.

[Matthean]

I wear hearing aids in both ears so I know what it's like to have to deal with hearing issues. It's really not fun. I hope you are able to deal with this as well as possible.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by Matthean

I wear hearing aids in both ears so I know what it's like to have to deal with hearing issues. It's really not fun. I hope you are able to deal with this as well as possible.

That was a discussion that happened today as well...I have a 10db loss in my left ear on most freqs, but in the higher levels I drop to a 60db loss...they are also talking about ways to make the right hear with aids...and I am going to look into it. Especially if I can get insurance to cover it and alter my way of life.

[Matthean]

10db isn't bad but 60db is in at least the medium type of loss. The higher end stuff tends to be the first to go. For me, I worked with Michigan Rehabilitative Services and they helped me get hearing aids and I can claim to being disabled if I want to work since that can help with some companies, but it has draw backs as well, ie people not thinking you are disabled and taking offense to you claiming to be. A lady started a program about hearing loss and I went to one of her meetings. It was interesting since they gave stats on how hearing loss can increase things like rates for Alzheimer's, divorce, etc. Even with a medium loss, the chance for Alzheimer's is like four times as great. Any aid you get now will help later on.

[SirFozzie]

God bless and prayers sent man

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'm just like ... damn.

Onward & upward though, do what you gotta.

[BYU 14]

Damn bro, continuing to send prayers. Hope the insurance comes through for you!

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by molson

Ya, it's always better to know what you're treating rather than being in the dark.

And hey, it looks like you're in some fine company. I wiki'd Menieres Disease, and here's some suspected cases: Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther, Julius Caesar, Charles Darwin, and Alan Shephard. Sure, they're all dead now, but I'm pretty sure it was from other stuff.

This guy has it (for the Silicon Valley-Tech followers), Guy Kawasaki.

How to Change the World: The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Talks have also begun on the future and not IF but WHEN I lose my hearing. That scares the hell out of me. But they were talking surgery and different things that could be done to help.

I will know more after Monday...and changing up my diet is a pain in the ass, mainly because I am stubborn.

The one lone positive thing out of being deaf or having the ability to tune out (turning on and off with a hearing aid) is you won't have to hear any women.

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

That was a discussion that happened today as well...I have a 10db loss in my left ear on most freqs, but in the higher levels I drop to a 60db loss...they are also talking about ways to make the right hear with aids...and I am going to look into it. Especially if I can get insurance to cover it and alter my way of life.

I have cochlear implants (after moving up from traditional hearing aids), so if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them for you.

[MacroGuru]

Well, don't know what to think today.

After my testing, had a follow up call from the dr's office yesterday.

Told the nurse everything I was experiencing still and she said the doc was out of office until Monday.

Received a call back today. I am being pushed for an MRI ASAP. Doctor says I have a severe left ear inner ear balance issue that is deeper than just the disease and they need to look at my head.

So they are clearing stuff with my insurance company and I will be in the big machine sometime next week. From the sounds of it, Monday or Tues.

Honestly, freaking out a bit. My family has a history of vascular issues and with my sister just passing from a stroke, my mother having an aneurism in the brain...it's hard to not jump to conclusions.

[terpkristin]

Yipes, Dennis.

Try not to dwell on it too much...if there isn't anything you can do for now, it won't do any good to freak out about it. I'm sorry you have to go through this. Sending good vibes your way...

/tk

[PilotMan]

Hang in there brother, sending good thoughts your way. Keep us posted!

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Matthean

10db isn't bad but 60db is in at least the medium type of loss. The higher end stuff tends to be the first to go. For me, I worked with Michigan Rehabilitative Services and they helped me get hearing aids and I can claim to being disabled if I want to work since that can help with some companies, but it has draw backs as well, ie people not thinking you are disabled and taking offense to you claiming to be. A lady started a program about hearing loss and I went to one of her meetings. It was interesting since they gave stats on how hearing loss can increase things like rates for Alzheimer's, divorce, etc. Even with a medium loss, the chance for Alzheimer's is like four times as great. Any aid you get now will help later on.

That bit of Alzheimer's wasn't something I needed to read. FWIW, I never claim disability, but it's a pride thing with me, I suppose.

And yeah, it does suck. Especially in crowded/noisy situations, it's like.. I might as well just have stayed home for all the good it does me. Can't hear anyone anyway.

[Chief Rum]

Sorry to read that, Dennis. I'll keep you in my prayers.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Well, don't know what to think today.

After my testing, had a follow up call from the dr's office yesterday.

Told the nurse everything I was experiencing still and she said the doc was out of office until Monday.

Received a call back today. I am being pushed for an MRI ASAP. Doctor says I have a severe left ear inner ear balance issue that is deeper than just the disease and they need to look at my head.

So they are clearing stuff with my insurance company and I will be in the big machine sometime next week. From the sounds of it, Monday or Tues.

Honestly, freaking out a bit. My family has a history of vascular issues and with my sister just passing from a stroke, my mother having an aneurism in the brain...it's hard to not jump to conclusions.

It's scary, but at least the docs are on top of it. There's a lot that can be done if they catch things early enough. God bless.

[MacroGuru]

MRI with Contrast was done yesterday.

My followup appointment with the doc isn't until the 12th, a month out.

They did tell me what they were looking for prior to the MRI (Like dr told me when he scheduled the MRI), so I know what they are looking for and it's kind of a best of 2 evils scenario if I have what they are looking for.

I am trying to not freak myself out and if I do get the diagnosis, there will be a second opinion asked before I do anything.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

MRI with Contrast was done yesterday.

My followup appointment with the doc isn't until the 12th, a month out.

See, I hate stuff like that. Back in college I had a co-op job, and the health insurance was with an HMO. I went jogging one morning, started to have heart palpitations, felt like I had the flu, kept feeling miserable, went to the office, got to see some old codger, he checked me out, took samples for blood and urine tests, and said "see you in 2 weeks!".

Of course, I feel like I might be dead in 2 weeks, so went to see my parents. My mom was a nurse, got me in to see doctors she knew, and they started running tests and getting results pretty quick. They took a bit to figure out what was wrong (Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome, which was just starting to get recognized at the time, and it took a psychiatrist they sent me to in case this was all stress induced to recognize it), but at least I was being checked and getting actual care.

In your shoes, I'd be livid that I didn't have a followup in a day or two to get the results of that MRI, or at least a phone call to let me know one way or another. A month seems absurdly long to get the results of a test and what it might mean.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

See, I hate stuff like that. Back in college I had a co-op job, and the health insurance was with an HMO. I went jogging one morning, started to have heart palpitations, felt like I had the flu, kept feeling miserable, went to the office, got to see some old codger, he checked me out, took samples for blood and urine tests, and said "see you in 2 weeks!".

Of course, I feel like I might be dead in 2 weeks, so went to see my parents. My mom was a nurse, got me in to see doctors she knew, and they started running tests and getting results pretty quick. They took a bit to figure out what was wrong (Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome, which was just starting to get recognized at the time, and it took a psychiatrist they sent me to in case this was all stress induced to recognize it), but at least I was being checked and getting actual care.

In your shoes, I'd be livid that I didn't have a followup in a day or two to get the results of that MRI, or at least a phone call to let me know one way or another. A month seems absurdly long to get the results of a test and what it might mean.

Absolutely I am upset with it. Considering they rescheduled me from Monday because I guess the doc finally figured out it was presidents day or something.

Honestly, if it is serious I do expect to get a phone call to come in earlier. It's what they did with the my ENG / VNG testing.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Honestly, if it is serious I do expect to get a phone call to come in earlier. It's what they did with the my ENG / VNG testing.

This is a the most frustrating part so often these days. Even if the results indicate there is nothing serious they should at least call as soon as they have them, knowing you are going to on edge. Especially with your family history.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

This is a the most frustrating part so often these days. Even if the results indicate there is nothing serious they should at least call as soon as they have them, knowing you are going to on edge. Especially with your family history.

Exactly. I have run into this as well, and it is very frustrating. Last year, I was having some anxiety issues from some personal stuff that was going on, bad enough that I really felt I was stressing my body into disrepair. So I scheduled an appointment with my doctor--and they said they couldn't see me for three weeks because it is not an emergency/immediate help type situation. WTF? So I'll just go on struggling to get any sleep whatsoever and destroying my gastrointestinal system while you guys dither about whether my situation is serious enough to warrant you seeing me sooner.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Absolutely I am upset with it. Considering they rescheduled me from Monday because I guess the doc finally figured out it was presidents day or something.

Honestly, if it is serious I do expect to get a phone call to come in earlier. It's what they did with the my ENG / VNG testing.

I'm in this boat right now, too. I had some tests done on Wednesday and won't see the doc until the 29th. Though they said she'd call if there was something more urgently needed. I'm doing my best not to worry about things. Bad time to switch my pain meds, too.

Good luck, Dennis.

/tk