Life with M

I was diagnosed with Ménière’s Disease in October of 2001. Although I believe I had it from a very young age.

I remember vividly at the age of 8 when my friends sister picked me up and spun me around multiple times. All the while I was screaming “STOP!” She didn’t stop until she was ready. When she put me down I was green. I could hardly run up my driveway to my house. I ran into the washroom and became violently ill. I spent most of the day crying and feeling nauscious and dizzy.

There were other incidents. Like the time my (now) husband insisted I go on a roller coaster for the first time in my life. I never had interest in it as even looking at one made me ill, but I went after lots of prodding. It was a ‘kids’ roller coaster. I was so sick the whole time, crying and screaming. When we got off I had the same reaction as my first incident. Our day at the amusement park was ruined and I couldn’t wait to get home.

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Maybe I should explain Ménière’s disease a bit before I go on.

Ménière’s Disease is a disorder of the inner ear. It is progressive and there are many symptoms including Vertigo (dizziness), nausea and vomiting, Tinnitus (fullness or pressure, roaring and ringing in the ear), brain fog, severe headaches, depression and hearing loss. 

Vertigo attacks can last from 20 minutes to a day or more, and it often takes one to three days to recover from the attack.

About 90% of patients with Ménière’s have it unilaterally (one ear), 10% have bilateral (both ears).

It is the endolymphatic sac, which is an organ in the inner ear that keeps the level of fluid in the hearing and balance sections.

There is no known cause of Ménière’s. It is believed that it could start from an infection or illness.

Things that can cause attacks are stress, a high-sodium diet and lack of sleep.

During a dizzy spell it feels like the world is whirling around you. We stagger from side to side and sometimes fall down. All this causes what we call drop attacks.

Ménière’s disease also causes trouble hearing voices and music properly.

Diuretics (water pills), are pills that force the kidneys to move fluid, salt, and potassium from the body. When taking diuretics we have to take extra potassium. Diuretics help relieve symptoms by taking fluid from the head and ear and adjust the fluid balance in the body. Often Vallium type meds are taken to help reduce symptoms.

There is no cure for Ménière’s. Surgery can be an option.

• A labyrinthectomy can relieve the dizziness but it can cause complete hearing and balance loss.
  
• In another surgery they can cut the nerve leading to the balance organ in the middle ear which subsides the dizziness. It is unlikely to cause deafness but is a much more intense surgery and is also very risky. 
  
• Endolymphatic sac surgery can be used on people who have dizziness but good hearing. It can relieve dizziness and might not cause hearing loss but it doesn’t get rid of tinnitus.
• Chemicals can be used to destroy some or all of the balance functions of the ear. Gentamicin is put in the middle ear using a tube through the eardrum. It destroys some hearing, but it decreases the vertigo attack. There can be some hearing loss with this as well.

 I am one of the 10% that have bilateral Ménière’s (both ears). I also have a substantial amount of hearing loss.

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